Oxyopia Abstract

April 9, 2004
Friday, 4 PM
489 Minor Hall

Philip J. Kellman, PhD
University of California, Los Angeles
Host: Stephen Palmer

This is an Irvin Rock Memorial Lecture. Click Past Lecturers for more information.

Title

"Aspects of the 4-Dimensional Geometry of Visual Object Formation"

Abstract

A basic challenge for human visual perception is obtaining representations of the connectivity and shapes of objects from fragmentary input. Most research investigating how the visual system connects parts of objects across gaps in the input has focused on static, two-dimensional (2D) relations. In this talk, I consider recent research that extends phenomena and models of unit formation to three-dimensional (3D) and dynamic (spatiotemporal) relationships. A simple piece of geometry, termed contour relatability, accounts for many aspects of 2D object formation. I will discuss research that suggests that closely related geometric constraints provide formal accounts of 3-D and dynamic object formation. Evidence from a separate line of research indicates that interpolation processes based on relatability geometry are distinguishable from higher level influences involving global symmetry. I will consider implications of these several lines of research for geometric and neural models of object perception.