Digital picture processing and psychophysics: a study of brightness perception

Update Item Information
Publication Type technical report
School or College College of Engineering
Department Computing, School of
Creator Colas-Baudelaire, Patrick
Title Digital picture processing and psychophysics: a study of brightness perception
Date 1974
Description A computer driven display system was used to study brightness contrast phenomena, in a project motivated by research in digital picture processing. The modeling approach was that of Stockham and Davidson: the visual system is modeled as the cascade of a linear system (eye optics) and a multiplicative homomorphic system?that is, a logarithmic transformation (retinal receptors), followed by a linear system (neural interaction). In order to test the linearity of neural interaction, smooth stimulus patterns were utilized, containing only a few sinusoidal components within the low frequency band, and exhibiting classical brightness contrast effects (Mach bands, simultaneous brightness contrast, Hermann grid effect). Data were collected from brightness matching experiments with these smooth patterns. The data were verified in preliminary experiments on similar patterns digitally processed by the inverse of the model, in order to obtain cancellation of the brightness contrast effects. The experimental results showed to be in agreement with Davidson's data, obtained by a fundamentally different method. This new experimental approach indicated that the hypothesis of linearity of neural interaction is justified for smooth patterns. Further studies suggested that intensity edges and contours cause strong departure from linearity. Some steps were also taken toward extending the homomorphic model for color contrast phenomena. Conclusions are drawn about the implications of these experiments in the fields of computer image processing and visual psychophysics. The advantages of computer techniques in visual experiments are presented; the applications of the homomorphic model of brightness perception to digital picture processing are reviewed, and the implications of the experimental findings are discussed.
Type Text
Publisher University of Utah
First Page 1
Last Page 146
Subject Digital picture processing; Computer driven display system; Brightness contrast
Subject LCSH Psychophysics; Brightness perception
Language eng
Bibliographic Citation Colas-Baudelaire, P. (1974). Digital picture processing and psychophysics: a study of brightness perception. 1-146. UTEC-CSc-74-025.
Series University of Utah Computer Science Technical Report
Relation is Part of ARPANET
Rights Management ©University of Utah
Format Medium application/pdf
Format Extent 32,900,564 bytes
Identifier ir-main,16395
ARK ark:/87278/s60p1hg8
Setname ir_uspace
ID 705192
Reference URL https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s60p1hg8