Segmentation in structure from motion: modeling and psychophysics. 2001

C Caudek, and N Rubin
Center for Neural Science, New York University, 4 Washington Pl., New York, NY 10003, USA. caudek@univ.trieste.it

Much work has been done on the question of how the visual system extracts the three-dimensional (3D) structure and motion of an object from two-dimensional (2D) motion information, a problem known as 'Structure from Motion', or SFM. Much less is known, however, about the human ability to recover structure and motion when the optic flow field arises from multiple objects, although observations of this ability date as early as Ullman's well-known two-cylinders stimulus [The interpretation of visual motion (1979)]. In the presence of multiple objects, the SFM problem is further aggravated by the need to solve the segmentation problem, i.e. deciding which motion signal belongs to which object. Here, we present a model for how the human visual system solves the combined SFM and segmentation problems, which we term SSFM, concurrently. The model is based on computation of a simple scalar property of the optic flow field known as def, which was previously shown to be used by human observers in SFM. The def values of many triplets of moving dots are computed, and the identification of multiple objects the image is based on detecting multiple peaks in the histogram of def values. In five experiments, we show that human SSFM performance is consistent with the predictions of the model. We compare the predictions of our model to those of other theoretical approaches, in particular those that use a rigidity hypothesis, and discuss the validity of each approach as a model for human SSFM.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008954 Models, Biological Theoretical representations that simulate the behavior or activity of biological processes or diseases. For disease models in living animals, DISEASE MODELS, ANIMAL is available. Biological models include the use of mathematical equations, computers, and other electronic equipment. Biological Model,Biological Models,Model, Biological,Models, Biologic,Biologic Model,Biologic Models,Model, Biologic
D009039 Motion Perception The real or apparent movement of objects through the visual field. Movement Perception,Perception, Motion,Perception, Movement
D011601 Psychophysics The science dealing with the correlation of the physical characteristics of a stimulus, e.g., frequency or intensity, with the response to the stimulus, in order to assess the psychologic factors involved in the relationship. Psychophysic
D004192 Discrimination, Psychological Differential response to different stimuli. Discrimination, Psychology,Psychological Discrimination
D005556 Form Perception The sensory discrimination of a pattern, shape, or outline. Contour Perception,Contour Perceptions,Form Perceptions,Perception, Contour,Perception, Form,Perceptions, Contour,Perceptions, Form
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man

Related Publications

C Caudek, and N Rubin
January 1993, Reviews of oculomotor research,
C Caudek, and N Rubin
March 1999, Vision research,
C Caudek, and N Rubin
March 1982, Lancet (London, England),
C Caudek, and N Rubin
June 1998, Nature neuroscience,
C Caudek, and N Rubin
July 2011, Vision research,
C Caudek, and N Rubin
January 2024, IEEE transactions on image processing : a publication of the IEEE Signal Processing Society,
C Caudek, and N Rubin
January 2000, Vision research,
Copied contents to your clipboard!