Abstract
1. We have studied visual detection of a circular target moving across a spatially and/or temporally modulated background. Illumination, I t , for threshold detection of the target has been measured as a function of background modulation frequency and changes in I t associated with background modulation provide a means of determining the frequency response characteristics of visual channels. 2. Temporal frequency responses obtained with temporally modulated, spatially uniform backgrounds have pass-band characteristics and the temporal frequency for peak response increases with increase in mean background illumination. These temporal frequency responses resemble those of the de Lange (1954) filter, but the latter incorporates the incremental thresholds for steady backgrounds. 3. The amplitude of this temporal response saturates at low (∼40%) background modulation, decreases to zero as the target velocity falls to zero, and is maximum for a circular target of diameter 2°. 4. The spatial characteristics of this temporal filter were measured with a background field consisting of alternate steady and flickering bars. The resulting spatial frequency curve peaks at 1 cycle deg-1 for all background illuminations and is independent of the background grating orientation. This spatial response differs significantly from the IMG spatial functions observed with a background grating (Barbur and Ruddock, 1980). 5. The spatial and temporal responses reviewed above exhibit similar parametric variations and we therefore associate them with a single spatiotemporal filter, ST2. 6. A second temporal response, with low-pass frequency characteristics, was observed with a background field consisting of two matched gratings, presented in spatial and temporal antiphase. This response has parametric properties similar to those of the IMG spatial response described previously by Barbur and Ruddock (1980), thus we associated the two sets of data with a single spatio-temporal filter, ST1. 7. We show that the ST2 responses can be obtained by combining ST1 responses, and we present a network incorporating the two filters. 8. We review other psychophysical studies which imply the activity of two spatio-temporal filters with properties of the kind revealed in our studies. We argue that filter ST1 has properties equivalent to those of X-type and filter ST2 has properties equivalent to those of Y-type electrophysiological mechanisms.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barbur, J.L.: Ph.D. Thesis, Univ. London (1980)
Barbur, J.L., Ruddock, K.H.: Spatial characteristics of movement detection mechanisms in human vision. I. Achromatic mechanisms. Biol. Cybern. 37, 77–92 (1980a)
Barbur, J.L., Ruddock, K.H.: Spatial characteristics of movement detection mechanisms in human vision. II. Chromatic mechanisms. Biol. Cybern. 37, 93–98 (1980b)
Barbur, J.L., Holliday, I.E., Ruddock, K.H.: The spatial and temporal organisation of motion perception units in human vision. Acta Psychol. 48, 35–47 (1981)
Blommaert, F.J.J., Roufs, J.A.J.: The foveal point spread function as a determinant of detailed vision. Vision Res. 21, 1223–1233 (1981)
Boynton, R.M.: Discrimination of homogeneous double pulses of light. In: Handbook of sensory physiology, Vol. VII/4. Visual psychophysics, Chap. 9, Jameson, D., Hurvich, L.M. (eds.). Berlin, Heidelberg, New York: Springer 1972
Cornsweet, T.N.: The staircase method in psychophysics. Am. J. Psychol. 75, 485–491 (1962)
De Lange, H.: Experiments on flicker and some calculations on an electrical analogue of the foveal system. Physica 18, 935–950 (1952)
De Lange, H.: Relationships between critical flicker frequency and a set of low frequency characteristics of the eye. J. Opt. Soc. Am. 44, 380–398 (1954)
De Lange, H.: Research into the dynamic nature of the human fovea-cortex systems with intermittent and modulated light. 1. Attenuation characteristics with white and coloured light. J. Opt. Soc. Am. 48, 777–784 (1958)
De Monasterio, F.M.: Properties of concentrically organised X and Y ganglion cells of macaque retina. J. Neurophysiol. 41, 1394–1417 (1978a)
De Monasterio, F.M.: Center and surround mechanisms of opponent-color X and Y ganglion cells of retina of macaques. J. Neurophysiol 41, 1418–1434 (1978b)
Enroth-Cugell, C., Robson J.G.: The contrast sensitivity of retinal ganglion cells of the cat. J. Physiol. (London) 187, 517–552 (1966)
Foster, D.H.: The response of the human visual system to moving spatially periodic patterns. Vision Res. 9, 557–590 (1969)
Foster, D.H.: The response of the human visual system to moving spatially periodic patterns: further analysis. Vision Res. 11, 57–81 (1971)
Grounds, A.R., Holliday, I.E., Ruddock, K.H.: Two spatio-temporal filters in human vision. II. Selective modification in amblyopia, hemianopia, and albinism. Biol. Cybern. 47, 191–201 (1983)
Hecht, S., Schlaer, S.: The relation between intensity and critical frequency for different parts of the spectrum. J. Gen. Physiol. 19, 965–977 (1936)
Hubel, D.H., Wiesel, T.N.: Receptive fields and functional properties of monkey striate cortex. J. Physiol. (London) 195, 215–243 (1968)
Ikeda, H.: Visual acuity, its development and amblyopia. The Edridge Green Lecture, 1979. J. R. Soc. Med. 73, 546–554 (1980)
Julesz, B.: Foundations of cyclopean perception. Chicago: Chicago University Press 1971
Kelly, D.H.: Visual responses to time-dependent stimuli. I. Amplitude sensitivity measurements. J. Opt. Soc. Am. 51, 422–429 (1961)
Kelly, D.H.: Frequency doubling in visual responses. J. Opt. Soc. Am. 59, 1628–1633 (1966)
Kelly, D.H.: Flickering patterns and lateral inhibition. J. Opt. Soc. Am. 59, 1361–1370 (1969)
Kelly, D.H.: Motion and vision. II. Stabilised spatio-temporal threshold surface. J. Opt. Soc. Am. 69, 1340–1349 (1979)
Koenderink, J.J., van Doorn, A.J.: The spatio-temporal threshold surface is bimodal. Opt. Lett. 4, 32–34 (1979)
Levick, W.R.: Form and function of cat retinal ganglion cells. Nature (London) 254, 659–662 (1975)
Lynn, P.A.: An introduction to the analysis and processing of signals. London: The MacMillan Press 1973, p. 183
Marrocco, R.T.: Sustained and transient cells in monkey lateral geniculate nucleus: conduction velocities and response properties. J. Neurophysiol. 39, 340–353 (1976)
Reichardt, W., Varjú, D.: Übertragungseigenschaften im Auswertesystem für das Bewegungssehen. Z. Naturforsch. 146, 674–689 (1959)
Robson, J.G.: Spatial and temporal contrast sensitivity functions of the visual system. J. Opt. Soc. Am. 56, 1141–1142 (1966)
Roufs, J.A.J.: Dynamic properties of vision. I. Experimental relations between flicker and flash thresholds. Vision Res. 12, 261–278 (1972)
Roufs, J.A.J.: Dynamic properties of vision. IV. Thresholds of decremental flashes, incremental flashes, and doublets in relation to flicker fusion. Vision Res. 14, 831–851 (1974a)
Roufs, J.A.J.: Dynamic properties of vision. VI. Stochastic threshold fluctuations and their effect of flash-to-flicker sensitivity ratio. Vision Res. 14, 871–888 (1974b)
Roufs, J.A.J., Blommaert, F.J.J.: Temporal impulse and step responses of the human eye obtained by means of a driftcorrecting perturbation technique. Vision Res. 21, 1203–1221 (1981)
Ruddock, K.H.: The organisation of human vision for pattern detection and recognition. Rep. Prog. Phys. 40, 603–663 (1977)
Ruddock, K.H.: Psychophsical studies on subjects with visual defects. The Edridge-Green Lecture, 1981. J. R. Soc. Med. 75, 315–322 (1982)
Stiles, W.S.: The directional sensitivity of the retina and the spectral sensitivities, of the rods and cones. Proc. R. Soc. (London) 127B, 64–105 (1939)
Stiles, W.S.: Colour vision: the approach through increment threshold sensitivity. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 45, 100–114 (1959)
Stiles, W.S.: Mechanisms of colour vision. London: Academic Press 1978
Tolhurst, D.J., Sharpe, C.R., Hart, G.: The analysis of the drift rate of moving sinusoidal gratings. Vision Res. 13, 2534–2555 (1973)
Wright, W.D.: A tristimulus colorimeter with spectral primaries. Trans. Opt. Soc. (London) 29, 225–247 (1927–1928)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Holliday, I.E., Ruddock, K.H. Two spatio-temporal filters in human vision. Biol. Cybern. 47, 173–190 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00337007
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00337007