Explaining brightness illusions using spatial filtering and local response normalization

Vision Res. 2007 Jun;47(12):1631-44. doi: 10.1016/j.visres.2007.02.017. Epub 2007 Apr 24.

Abstract

We introduce two new low-level computational models of brightness perception that account for a wide range of brightness illusions, including many variations on White's Effect [Perception, 8, 1979, 413]. Our models extend Blakeslee and McCourt's ODOG model [Vision Research, 39, 1999, 4361], which combines multiscale oriented difference-of-Gaussian filters and response normalization. We extend the response normalization to be more neurally plausible by constraining normalization to nearby receptive fields (models 1 and 2) and spatial frequencies (model 2), and show that both of these changes increase the effectiveness of the models at predicting brightness illusions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Computer Simulation*
  • Contrast Sensitivity / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Models, Psychological*
  • Optical Illusions*
  • Pattern Recognition, Visual / physiology
  • Photic Stimulation
  • Psychophysics