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Eye Movements and an Object-Based Model of Heading Perception

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Optic Flow and Beyond

Part of the book series: Synthese Library ((SYLI,volume 324))

Abstract

The movement of an observer through an environment of stationary objects creates a complex set of motions called optical flow. Accurately registering these motions with our mobile eyes and acting upon them underlies the everyday commerce and safety of all animals, particularly human beings whose technological means of conveyance have accelerated both speeds and risks. Optical flow is rich and can be parsed in many ways (e.g., Cutting, 1986; Gibson, 1966; Koenderink & van Doorn, 1975; Regan & Beverley, 1982; see Lappe et al., 1999; and Warren, 1998, for reviews). There are many tasks that depend, at least in part, on optical flow — maintaining balance, detecting potential collisions, and monitoring the course of navigation. In this chapter, we discuss a model of heading perception that underlies navigation. It is based on relative motions of object pairs and on eye movements with which observers seek them out prior to heading judgments.

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© 2004 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Wang, R.F., Cutting, J.E. (2004). Eye Movements and an Object-Based Model of Heading Perception. In: Vaina, L.M., Beardsley, S.A., Rushton, S.K. (eds) Optic Flow and Beyond. Synthese Library, vol 324. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-2092-6_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-2092-6_4

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-90-481-6589-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4020-2092-6

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