Cite as:
van de Grind W A, 2007, "Deformation sensors might play a key role in stereokinetic phenomena" Perception 36 ECVP Abstract Supplement

Deformation sensors might play a key role in stereokinetic phenomena

W A van de Grind

Form-from-motion networks need to contain deformation (def) sensors, because only def carries form information. For the classical stereokinetic phenomena of Benussi and Musatti we only need one type of global def sensor. It should be tuned to expansion in one and simultaneous contraction in the perpendicular direction. A smart network of these def sensors can be tuned to minimal global def interpretations. Such a minimalisation process optimizes overall perceptual rigidity by estimating global slant, but requires no reasoning-like assumptions or inferences. For a slowly rotating square no global def minimalisation can eliminate the local def components near the corners. Hence we see these local deformations despite the fact that we look at a rotating flat rigid object. Psychophysical results obtained by Lothar Spillmann and me, on the speed limits of stereokinetic effects, suggest that the postulated def sensors only get input from low-speed motion sensors. This might be a general characteristic of deformation analysis.

[Supported by Mercator Guest Professorship of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft at the Alberts-Ludwigs Universität, Freiburg, Germany.]

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