Motion, flash, and flicker:A unified spatiotemporal model of perceived edge sharpening

Abstract

Blurred edges appear sharper in motion than when they are stationary. We proposed a model of this motion sharpening that invokes a local, nonlinear contrast transducer function (Hammett et al, 1998 Vision Research 38 2099-2108). Response saturation in the transducer compresses or 'clips' the input spatial waveform, rendering the edges as sharper. To explain the increasing distortion of drifting edges at higher speeds, the degree of nonlinearity must increase with speed or temporal frequency. A dynamic contrast gain control before the transducer can account for both the speed dependence and approximate contrast invariance of motion sharpening (Hammett et al, 2003 Vision Research, in press). We show here that this model also predicts perceived sharpening of briefly flashed and flickering edges, and we show that the model can account fairly well for experimental data from all three modes of presentation (motion, flash, and flicker). At moderate durations and lower temporal frequencies the gain control attenuates the input signal, thus protecting it from later compression by the transducer. The gain control is somewhat sluggish, and so it suffers both a slow onset, and loss of power at high temporal frequencies. Consequently, brief presentations and high temporal frequencies of drift and flicker are less protected from distortion, and show greater perceptual sharpening.

Publication DOI: https://doi.org/10.1068/p3400
Divisions: College of Health & Life Sciences > School of Optometry > Optometry
Additional Information: Hammett, Stephen T.; Georgeson, Mark A. and Barbieri-Hesse, Gillian S. (2003). The definitive, peer-reviewed and edited version of this article is published in Perception, 32 (10), pp. 1221-1232, 2003. DOI: 10.1068/p3400.
Uncontrolled Keywords: blurred edges,motion,motion sharpening,contrast transducer function,dynamic contrast gain control,speed,contrast invariance,Psychology(all),Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Publication ISSN: 1468-4233
Last Modified: 11 Jan 2024 08:03
Date Deposited: 11 Mar 2019 17:32
Full Text Link:
Related URLs: http://www.scop ... tnerID=8YFLogxK (Scopus URL)
https://journal ... i/10.1068/p3400 (Publisher URL)
PURE Output Type: Article
Published Date: 2003-12-30
Authors: Hammett, Stephen T.
Georgeson, Mark A. (ORCID Profile 0000-0002-8173-9522)
Barbieri-Hesse, Gillian S.

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