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Biomedical subjects

M L Braunstein

Publications and source records attributed to M L Braunstein.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Interpolation in structure from motion.

We investigated surface interpolation in displays of structure from motion (SFM). To do so, we introduced a new method for measuring surface perception in dynamic displays--the SFM probe. An SFM probe is a dot that moves rigidly with the dots on a simulated surface, and whose distance from that surface can be adjusted with a joystick or similar control. The displays we studied were random-dot cylinders containing a vertical strip devoid of feature points (the gap). Subjects adjusted an SFM probe, presented in the gap, until the probe dot appeared to be on the surface. Variability in probe-dot placement decreased with increasing texture density on the cylinder and increased with increasing gap width. Subjects showed a consistent bias to place the probe dot outside the cylinder. This bias increased with increasing texture density for the SFM displays. (The opposite bias was found in a static two-dimensional interpolation task with an arc whose curvature matched that of the cylinder: Subjects placed the probe dot inside the arc.) This outside bias is inconsistent with several theoretical approaches to surface interpolation.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Discriminating rigid from nonrigid motion: minimum points and views.

Theoretical investigations of structure from motion have demonstrated that an ideal observer can discriminate rigid from nonrigid motion from two views of as few as four points. We report three experiments that demonstrate similar abilities in human observers: In one experiment, 4 of 6 subjects made this discrimination from two views of four points; the remaining subjects required five points. Accuracy in discriminating rigid from nonrigid motion depended on the amount of nonrigidity (variance of the interpoint distances over views) in the nonrigid structure. The ability to detect a rigid group dropped sharply as noise points (points not part of the rigid group) were added to the display. We conclude that human observers do extremely well in discriminating between nonrigid and fully rigid motion, but that they do quite poorly at segregating points in a display on the basis of rigidity.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

On the distinction between artifacts and information.

Sperling, Landy, Dosher, and Perkins (1989) argued that all previous research on the kinetic depth effect has been contaminated by stimulus artifacts, and they developed a new task that they believe can successfully overcome this problem. The present discussion offers a counter-argument that artifacts are not as pervasive in previous research as Sperling et al. imply and that their proposed method is subject to precisely the same limitations as earlier studies. Also discussed are some general guidelines of experimental design in this type of research to minimize the possibility that subjects will adopt an inappropriate response strategy that does not truly reflect their visual perceptions of three-dimensional form.

Acceleration↗
PubMed1989

Parts of visual objects: an experimental test of the minima rule.

Three experiments were conducted to test Hoffman and Richards's (1984) hypothesis that, for purposes of visual recognition, the human visual system divides three-dimensional shapes into parts at negative minima of curvature. In the first two experiments, subjects observed a simulated object (surface of revolution) rotating about a vertical axis, followed by a display of four alternative parts. They were asked to select a part that was from the object. Two of the four parts were divided at negative minima of curvature and two at positive maxima. When both a minima part and a maxima part from the object were presented on each trial (experiment 1), most of the correct responses were minima parts (101 versus 55). When only one part from the object--either a minima part or a maxima part--was shown on each trial (experiment 2), accuracy on trials with correct minima parts and correct maxima parts did not differ significantly. However, some subjects indicated that they reversed figure and ground, thereby changing maxima parts into minima parts. In experiment 3, subjects marked apparent part boundaries. 81% of these marks indicated minima parts, 10% of the marks indicated maxima parts, and 9% of the marks were at other positions. These results provide converging evidence, from two different methods, which supports Hoffman and Richard's minima rule.

Attention↗
PubMed1989

Stereoscopic depth perception by static stereo-deficient observers in dynamic displays with constant and changing disparity.

The performance of 11 static stereo-deficient subjects and 11 static stereo-normal subjects was compared on two types of dynamic stereo displays--one where disparities were constant during motion and one where disparities changed continuously. Computer-generated displays simulating horizontal motion of figures at different depths or rotation of figures about a vertical axis were viewed through a Brewster stereoscope. About one-half of the subjects in our static stereo-deficient sample were able to make depth judgments on the basis of disparity in both types of dynamic displays. The clinical feature which appeared to distinguish those static stereo-deficient subjects who could use disparity information in dynamic displays from those who could not was early onset constant strabismus. These results indicate that a complete evaluation of stereo ability should include tests with dynamic displays, possibly including both constant and changing disparities.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

The observer-relative velocity field as the basis for effective motion parallax.

Earlier studies of motion parallax found unambiguous relative depth perception when random dot patterns were systematically translated in accordance with either motion of the observer's head or motion of the display scope. The need for such relative motion between an observer and a flow field was examined by placing a flow field in a limited area (window) in a large scope and translating the window relative to the observer. Accuracy in judging surface orientation and quantitative depth estimates were determined by the velocity field relative to the observer and were not measurably affected by whether this field was produced with a stationary or a moving window. Accuracy was consistently higher for smaller ratios of maximum to minimum projected velocities, reaching 100% in one experiment with a 1.12:1 ratio. We conclude that fully effective motion parallax does not require relative motion between the observer's head and the contours of a flow field.

Depth Perception↗
PubMed1987

Minimum points and views for the recovery of three-dimensional structure.

Mathematical analyses of motion perception have established minimum combinations of points and distinct views that are sufficient to recover three-dimensional (3D) structure from two-dimensional (2D) images, using such regularities as rigid motion, fixed axis of rotation, and constant angular velocity. To determine whether human subjects could recover 3D information at these theoretical levels, we presented subjects with pairs of displays and asked them to determine whether they represented the same or different 3D structures. Number of points was varied between two and five; number of views was varied between two and six; and the motion was fixed axis with constant angular velocity, fixed axis with variable velocity, or variable axis with variable velocity. Accuracy increased with views, decreased with points, and was greater with fixed-axis motion. Subjects performed above chance levels even when motion was eliminated, indicating that they exploited regularities in addition to those in the theoretical analyses.

Depth Perception↗
PubMed1985

Induced self-motion in central vision.

Previous research on visually induced self-motion found that stimulation of the central visual field (up to 30 degrees in diameter) results in perceived object motion while self-motion requires peripheral stimulation. In the present study, perceived self-motion was induced with a radially expanding pattern simulating observer motion through a space filled with dots, with visual angles of 7.5 degrees, 10.6 degrees, 15 degrees, and 21.2 degrees. Speed and texture density were also varied. The duration of reported self-motion (a) decreased with increased speed, (b) failed to increase with increased visual angle, and (c) decreased with visual angle at the highest speed level. In a second experiment, subjects rated the perceived depth of the displays. The speed and speed/area interaction effects on judged depth matched those found for induced self-motion. These results suggest an extension of the focal/ambient theory: In addition to a more primitive ambient processing mode that requires peripheral vision, there is a higher level system concerned with ambient processing that functions in the central visual field and uses more complex stimulus information, such as internal depth represented in a radially expanding pattern.

Depth Perception↗
PubMed1984

Shape and depth perception from parallel projections of three-dimensional motion.

Parallel projections of dots on the surface of a transparent sphere rotating about a vertical axis provide strong impressions of depth and spherical shape. The hypothesis was tested that these impressions are the result of three perceptual heuristics: (a) The sinusoidal projected velocity function of each dot in the horizontal dimension tends to be perceived as a rotary motion in depth; (b) the projected velocity gradient in the vertical dimension is perceived as curvature in depth; and (c) the simultaneously visible fields of dots moving in opposite directions are perceived as surfaces separated in depth. When each factor was varied independently, all three significantly affected judgments of spherical shape and depth. Similar results were obtained with cylinders. The first factor was more important for shape judgments; the second was generally more important for depth judgments. These results, together with those of earlier studies in which these factors led to similar effects for different stimuli and transformations, suggest that these are general principles applicable to the perception of structure from both rigid and nonrigid motion.

Depth Perception↗
PubMed1984

A counterexample to the rigidity assumption in the visual perception of structure from motion.

It has been proposed that the human visual system prefers perceptions of objects that are rigid or undergo minimum form change. A counterexample is presented in which a rigid two-dimensional figure rotating in the frontal plane is perceived as a distorting three-dimensional shape. It is argued that this perception results from the stimulation of automatic processes for perceiving size change, and that these processes are not subject to a general rigidity assumption.

Depth Perception↗
PubMed1981

Perceived relative depth from velocity gradients: a model.

The effectiveness of velocity gradients in determining the accuracy of perceived relative depth in a translating surface has been shown to depend on the translation speed and the observation time. The organization of the texture elements into a perceived surface and the perception of an illusory rotational component in the motion of the surface also appear to affect accuracy. A model is presented that incorporates these four variables. Predictions of the model are compared to results obtained by Braunstein and Andersen (1981).

Depth Perception↗