Spatial Orientation from Motion-Produced Blur Patterns: Detection of Curvature.

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to determine human thresholds for curvature in 16-element blur pattern displays in order to: (1) learn more about the blur pattern processing capabilities of the visual system, (2) provide information for display design information, and (3) determine the conditions under which blur pattern curvature would be a valuable orientation aid. Ordinarily the fovea tracks a moving surface whereas the periphery does not; therefore, more blurring is formed off-fovea. Also, the fovea represents a very small percentage of our visual input. Accordingly thresholds were measured at eight peripheral retinal loci. The results showed that curvature in blur patterns is potentially useable in a wide range of situations. Thresholds were found to be in the same general range as those measured for curvature in stationary line segments. Peripheral viewing did decrease curvature sensitivity as a direct function of distance from the fovea but not to the extreme degree that it does for visual acuity and peripheral sensitivity was seen as adequate for use in many conditions of blur pattern-based orientation.

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 1978
Accession Number
ADA060300

Entities

People

  • Marcia Harrington
  • Thomas L. Harrington

Organizations

  • University of Nevada, Reno

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Boundaries
  • Curvature
  • Detection
  • Geometric Forms
  • Geometry
  • Lines (Geometry)
  • Orientation (Direction)
  • Sensitivity
  • Stationary
  • Visual Acuity

Readers

  • Vision Science/Vision Psychology/Cognitive Neuroscience.