Seeing patterns in the noise.
How do observers detect the presence of objects or features in visual images? Stochastic stimuli (for example, white noise) have become popular choices for providing a linear characterization of early sensory mechanisms. A recent paper by Neri and Heeger takes this type of methodology a step further, and succeeds in isolating and characterizing non-linear mechanisms responsible for the detection and identification of a specific visual target.
Journal Article↗