Foundations of Vision


Book Description

Designed for students, scientists and engineers interested in learning about the core ideas of vision science, this volume brings together the broad range of data and theory accumulated in this field.




The Roles of Representation in Visual Perception


Book Description

This volume contains new papers addressing a number of new and traditional issues pertaining to the roles of representations in visual perception. Among these issues is the one concerning the nature of the perceptual state itself – e. g. on the issue of whether the perceptual state, like its distal objects, is structured, for instance by possessing a spatial character. Other issues include those of whether at least aspects of the distal object are presented immediately to us visually, whether representation plays any (interesting) role in disjunctivist and naïve realist accounts of visual experience and the relationship among visual perception, attention and representation. The anthology includes a wide variety of positions on the subject of the roles of representations in visual perception, which would help to close the literature gap and will be of interest to scholars from all schools and trends of philosophy of mind.




Vision


Book Description

Available again, an influential book that offers a framework for understanding visual perception and considers fundamental questions about the brain and its functions. David Marr's posthumously published Vision (1982) influenced a generation of brain and cognitive scientists, inspiring many to enter the field. In Vision, Marr describes a general framework for understanding visual perception and touches on broader questions about how the brain and its functions can be studied and understood. Researchers from a range of brain and cognitive sciences have long valued Marr's creativity, intellectual power, and ability to integrate insights and data from neuroscience, psychology, and computation. This MIT Press edition makes Marr's influential work available to a new generation of students and scientists. In Marr's framework, the process of vision constructs a set of representations, starting from a description of the input image and culminating with a description of three-dimensional objects in the surrounding environment. A central theme, and one that has had far-reaching influence in both neuroscience and cognitive science, is the notion of different levels of analysis—in Marr's framework, the computational level, the algorithmic level, and the hardware implementation level. Now, thirty years later, the main problems that occupied Marr remain fundamental open problems in the study of perception. Vision provides inspiration for the continuing efforts to integrate knowledge from cognition and computation to understand vision and the brain.




Aesthetic Computing


Book Description

The application of the theory and practice of art to computer science: how aesthetics and art can play a role in computing disciplines.




Hierarchical Object Representations in the Visual Cortex and Computer Vision


Book Description

Over the past 40 years, neurobiology and computational neuroscience has proved that deeper understanding of visual processes in humans and non-human primates can lead to important advancements in computational perception theories and systems. One of the main difficulties that arises when designing automatic vision systems is developing a mechanism that can recognize - or simply find - an object when faced with all the possible variations that may occur in a natural scene, with the ease of the primate visual system. The area of the brain in primates that is dedicated at analyzing visual information is the visual cortex. The visual cortex performs a wide variety of complex tasks by means of simple operations. These seemingly simple operations are applied to several layers of neurons organized into a hierarchy, the layers representing increasingly complex, abstract intermediate processing stages. In this Research Topic we propose to bring together current efforts in neurophysiology and computer vision in order 1) To understand how the visual cortex encodes an object from a starting point where neurons respond to lines, bars or edges to the representation of an object at the top of the hierarchy that is invariant to illumination, size, location, viewpoint, rotation and robust to occlusions and clutter; and 2) How the design of automatic vision systems benefit from that knowledge to get closer to human accuracy, efficiency and robustness to variations.




Child Development


Book Description

Dive into the fascinating world of child development with Arnold Gesell's insightful exploration, "Child Development." This illuminating book delves into the intricate process of growth and maturation in children, offering valuable insights into their physical, cognitive, and emotional development. As you delve into "Child Development," prepare to unravel the mysteries of childhood and gain a deeper understanding of the factors that shape a child's development. Gesell's research-based approach sheds light on the various stages of growth, from infancy through adolescence, providing a comprehensive overview of the developmental milestones. But here's the question that resonates throughout the pages: What are the key factors that influence child development, and how can caregivers and educators support healthy growth and learning? Gesell's groundbreaking insights offer practical guidance for parents, teachers, and professionals working with children. Explore the rich tapestry of childhood development with "Child Development," where each chapter unveils new discoveries and perspectives on the fascinating journey from infancy to adulthood. Gesell's holistic approach emphasizes the interplay between genetics, environment, and individual experiences in shaping a child's development. Are you ready to unlock the secrets of child development and nurture the potential of the next generation? Immerse yourself in the wealth of knowledge offered by Arnold Gesell's "Child Development," and gain valuable insights into the complex process of growing up. Whether you're a parent, educator, or student of human development, this book promises to enrich your understanding of children and their unique journey. Don't miss this opportunity to delve into the captivating world of child development. Order your copy of "Child Development" today and embark on a rewarding exploration of the wonders of childhood.




Downcast Eyes


Book Description

Long considered "the noblest of the senses," vision has increasingly come under critical scrutiny by a wide range of thinkers who question its dominance in Western culture. These critics of vision, especially prominent in twentieth-century France, have challenged its allegedly superior capacity to provide access to the world. They have also criticized its supposed complicity with political and social oppression through the promulgation of spectacle and surveillance. Martin Jay turns to this discourse surrounding vision and explores its often contradictory implications in the work of such influential figures as Jean-Paul Sartre, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Michel Foucault, Jacques Lacan, Louis Althusser, Guy Debord, Luce Irigaray, Emmanuel Levinas, and Jacques Derrida. Jay begins with a discussion of the theory of vision from Plato to Descartes, then considers its role in the French Enlightenment before turning to its status in the culture of modernity. From consideration of French Impressionism to analysis of Georges Bataille and the Surrealists, Roland Barthes's writings on photography, and the film theory of Christian Metz, Jay provides lucid and fair-minded accounts of thinkers and ideas widely known for their difficulty. His book examines the myriad links between the interrogation of vision and the pervasive antihumanist, antimodernist, and counter-enlightenment tenor of much recent French thought. Refusing, however, to defend the dominant visual order, he calls instead for a plurality of "scopic regimes." Certain to generate controversy and discussion throughout the humanities and social sciences, Downcast Eyes will consolidate Jay's reputation as one of today's premier cultural and intellectual historians.




Design Representation


Book Description

"...there is a global network of academics, researchers and methodologists who will buy this book or want it in their institute libraries.” Prof. John Harbraken "As the field of human computer interaction grows, this book is likely to be a basic resource.” Prof. Chuck Eastman Design representation is necessary for all design activity. You will gain a guide to both theory and practical application in this discussion of representation as it occurs during the process of design. Goldschmidt and Porter give you perspectives on representational issues in design that are both informative and evocative of further inquiry. The unique interdisciplinary approach brings a new dimension to the study of representation, benefiting the global network of researchers, students and practitioners in all areas of design. Rather than addressing the larger framework directly, a series of smaller case studies are presented, each dealing with aspects of representation in architecture and engineering. Binding together historical-cultural, cognitive-social and technological perspectives eliminates the need for further reading. Innovative research methods based on numerous well-illustrated examples will leave you with new ideas to build on. International contributors focus on worldwide research activities, offering you more than just an expansion of a single viewpoint. Design Representation delves into the common roots of representation in all design disciplines through case studies, historical investigations, theoretical constructs and programming. If you are involved in any design activity, this will be a truly exciting addition to your bookshelf.




Touch and Blindness


Book Description

Research on touch and blindness has undergone rapid transformation in recent years, with dramatic developments in technology designed to provide assistance to those who are blind, and advancements in robotics that demand haptic interfaces. Touch and Blindness approaches the study of the topic from the perspectives of psychological methodology and the most sophisticated, state-of-the-art techniques in neuroscience. This book, edited by well-known leaders in the field, is derived from the discussions presented by speakers at a conference held in 2002, and presents current research in the field. The book is arranged in a logical, disciplinary fashion, first discussing touch and blindness from a psychological perspective, followed by an examination from the perspective of neuroscience. Some specific topics include: *processing spatial information from touch and movement; *form, projection, and pictures for the blind; *neural substrate and visual and tactile object representations; and *the role of visual cortex in tactile processing. Touch and Blindness is ideal for researchers in psychology and neuroscience, medicine, and special education.