Visual Processing of Object Velocity and Acceleration.

摘要

This research analyzed the human ability to detect targets moving on predictable paths in the midst of temporally-changing noise. Results from experiments showed that observers easily detected a target (a single bright dot) moving in a consistent direction in the midst of considerable noise, even when this noise consisted of identical features (bright dots) in random motion. Presumably, this ability to detect trajectory motion enables pilots or other military personnel to find aircraft or missiles in the midst of jamming noise. Observers improve their ability to detect motion trajectories with practice, so presumably they learn better strategies with experience. Thus, this task may be useful in training personnel who are required to detect or track targets in noise. Experimental analysis showed that observers use attention to increase the gain of the response to consistent motion, and to reduce the response to the surrounding noise. Fourteen papers were accepted for publication in refereed journals; another paper is in preparation.