Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jn8rn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T07:24:58.386Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Disparity-tuned channels of the human visual system

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 June 2009

Lawrence K. Cormack ,
Scott B. Stevenson  and
Clifton M. Schor
Lawrence K. Cormack
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin
Scott B. Stevenson
Affiliation:
School of Optometry, University of California, Berkeley
Clifton M. Schor
Affiliation:
School of Optometry, University of California, Berkeley
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Traditionally, it has been thought that the processing of binocular disparity for the perception of stereoscopic depth is accomplished via three types of disparity-selective channels – “near,” “far,” and “tuned.” More recent evidence challenges this notion. We have derived disparity-tuning functions psychophysically using a subthreshold summation (i.e. low-level masking) technique. We measured correlation-detection thresholds for dynamic random-element stereograms containing either one or two surfaces in depth. The resulting disparity-tuning functions show an opponent-type profile, indicating the presence of inhibition between disparity-tuned units in the visual system. Moreover, there is clear inhibition between disparities of the same sign, obviating a strict adherence to near-far opponency. These results compare favorably with tuning functions derived psychophysically using an adaptation technique, and with the tuning profiles from published single-unit recordings. Our results suggests a continuum of overlapping disparity-tuned channels, which is consistent with recent physiological evidence as well as models based on other psychophysical data.

Keywords

StereopsisDisparityChannels
Type
Research Articles
Information
Visual Neuroscience , Volume 10 , Issue 4 , July 1993 , pp. 585 - 596
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1993

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Badcock, D. & Schor, C.M. (1985). Depth increment detection function for individual spatial channels. Journal of the Optical Society of America A 2, 1211–1216.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Blakemore, C. & Campbell, F.W. (1969). On the existence of neurons in the human visual system selectively sensitive to the orientation and size of retinal images. Journal of Physiology 249, 237–260.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Campbell, F.W. & Robson, J.G. (1968). Application of Fourier analysis to the visibility of gratings. Journal of Physiology 197, 551–556.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cormack, L.K., Stevenson, S.B. & Schor, C.M. (1991). Interocular correlation, luminance contrast, and cyclopean processing. Vision Research 31, 2195–2207.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
DeValois, K.K. (1977). Spatial frequency adaptation can enhance contrast sensitivity. Vision Research 17, 1057–1065.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
DeValois, R. & DeValois, K. (1988). Spatial Vision. New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Elliott, P.B. (1964). Appendix 1–Tables of d′. In Signal Detection and Recognition by Human Observers, ed. Swets, J.A., pp. 681–684. New York: John Wiley & Sons.Google Scholar
Felton, T.B., Richards, W. & Smith, R.A. (1972). Disparity processing of spacial frequencies in man. Journal of Physiology 225, 345–362.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Green, D.M. (1979). An Introduction to Hearing. New York: John Wiley & Sons.Google Scholar
Green, D.M. & Swets, J.A. (1966). Signal Detection Theory and Psychophysics. New York: John Wiley & Sons.Google Scholar
Heckman, T. & Schor, C.M. (1989). Is edge information for stereo-acuity spatially channeled? Vision Research 29, 593–607.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Julesz, B. & Miller, J. (1975). Independent spatial frequency tuned channels in binocular fusion and rivalry. Perception 4, 125–143.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kranda, K. & King-Smith, P.E. (1979). Detection of coloured stimuli by independent linear systems. Vision Research 19, 733–745.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Krauskopf, J., Williams, D.R. & Heely, D.W. (1982). Cardinal directions of color space. Vision Research 22, 1123–1131.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kulikowski, J.J. & King-Smith, P.E. (1973). Spatial arrangement of line, edge, and grating detectors revealed by subthreshold summation. Vision Research 13, 1455–1478.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lehky, S.R. & Sejnowski, T.J. (1990). Neural model of stereoacuity based on a distributed representation of stereo disparity. Journal of Neuroscience 10, 2281–2299.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
LeVay, S. & Voight, T. (1989). Ocular dominance and disparity coding in cat visual cortex. Visual Neuroscience 1, 395–414.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Levinson, E. & Sekuler, R. (1975). The independence of channels in human vision selective for direction of movement. Journal of Physiology 250, 347–366.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Marr, D. & Poggio, T. (1979). A computational theory of human stereo vision. Proceedings of the Royal Society B (London) 204, 301–328.Google ScholarPubMed
Mayhew, J.E.W. & Frisby, J. (1978). Contrast summation effects and stereopsis. Perception 7, 537–550.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Neitz, J. & Jacobs, G.H. (1990). Polymorphism in normal human color vision and its mechanism. Vision Research 30, 621–636.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nelson, J. (1977). Globality and stereoscopic fusion in binocular vision. Journal of Theoretical Biology 49, 1–88.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nishihara, H.K. (1988). Hidden information in transparent stereo-grams. Proceedings of the 21st Asilomar Conference on Signals, Systems & Computers, pp. 695–700. Washington DC: Computer Society Press.Google Scholar
Ohzawa, I., DeAngelis, G.C. & Freeman, R.D. (1990). Stereoscopic depth discrimination in the visual cortex: Neurons ideally suited as disparity detectors. Science 249, 1037–1041.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Poggio, G.F. & Fischer, B. (1977). Binocular interaction and depth sensitivity in striate and prestriate cortex of behaving rhesus monkey. Journal of Neurophysiology 40, 1392–1405.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Poggio, G.F., Gonzalez, F. & Krause, F. (1988). Stereoscopic mechanisms in monkey visual cortex: Binocular correlation and disparity selectivity. Journal of Neuroscience 8, 4531–4550.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pollard, S.B., Mayhew, J.E.W. & Frisby, J.P. (1985). PMF: A stereo correspondence algorithm using a disparity gradient limit. Perception 14, 449–470.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Prazdny, K. (1985). Detection of binocular disparities. Biological Cybernetics 52, 93–99.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Quick, R.F. (1974). A vector-magnitude model of contrast detection. Kybernetik 16, 65–67.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Regan, D. & Beverley, K.I. (1978). Looming detectors in the human visual pathway. Vision Research 18, 415–421.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Richards, W. (1970). Stereopsis and stereoblindness. Experimental Brain Research 10, 380–388.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Richards, W. (1971). Anomalous stereoscopic depth perception. Journal of the Optical Society of America 61, 410–414.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Richards, W. (1972). Disparity masking. Vision Research 12, 1113–1124.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Scharf, B. (1970). Critical bands. In Foundations of Modern Auditory Theory, Vol. I, ed. Tobias, J.V., pp. 157–198. New York: Academic Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sperling, H.G. & Harwerth, R.S. (1971). Red-green cone interactions in the increment-threshold spectral sensitivity of primates. Science 172, 180–184.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stevenson, S.B., Cormack, L.K. & Schor, C.M. (1989). Hyperacuity, superresolution and gap resolution in human stereopsis. Vision Research 29, 1597–1605.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stevenson, S.B., Cormack, L.K., Schor, C.M. & Tyler, C.M. (1992). The sensitivity of Nonius lines in determining fixation stability (in press).Google Scholar
Stevenson, S.B., Cormack, L.K., Schor, C.M. & Tyler, C.M. (1992). Disparity-tuned mechanisms of human stereopsis. Vision Research 32, 1685–1689.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stiles, W.S. (1949). Increment thresholds and the mechanisms of colour vision. Documenta Ophthalmologica 3, 138–163.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Switkes, E., Bradley, A. & DeValois, K.K. (1988). Contrast dependence and mechanisms of masking interactions among chromatic and luminance gratings. Journal of the Optical Society of America A 5, 1149–1162.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Thorton, J.E. & Pugh, E.N. (1983). Relationship of opponent-colours cancellation measures to cone-antagonistic signals deduced from increment threshold data. In Colour Vision, ed. Mollon, J.D. & Sharpe, L.T., pp. 361–373. London: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Tyler, C.W. (1974). Depth perception in disparity gratings. Nature 251, 140–142.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tyler, C.W. (1977). Stereomovement from interocular delay in dynamic visual noise: A random spatial disparity hypothesis. American Journal of Optometry and Physiological Optics 54, 374–386.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tyler, C.W. & Julesz, B. (1978). Binocular cross-correlation in time and space. Vision Research 18, 101–105.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wilson, H.R. & Bergen, J.R. (1979). A four mechanism model for threshold spatial vision. Vision Research 19, 19–32.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wrigh, W.D. & Pitt, F.H.G. (1934). Hue discrimination in normal colour vision. Proceedings of the Physical Society 46, 459, as cited in Wyszecki G. & Stiles W.S. (1982). Color Science. New York: John Wiley & Sons.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yang, Y. & Blake, R. (1991). Spatial frequency tuning of human stereopsis. Vision Research 31, 1177–1189.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Young, T. (1801, 1855). Theory of light and colours. In Miscellaneous Works of the Late Thomas Young, ed. Peacock, G., p. 147. London: Murry.Google Scholar