Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Measuring Sensitivity to Viewpoint Change with and without Stereoscopic Cues
Published on: December 4, 2013
What defines a view?
1Department of Cognitive and Linguistic Sciences, Brown University, Box 1978, 02912, Providence, RI, USA. michael_tarr@brown.edu
Abstract:
At a given instant we see only visible surfaces, not an object's complete 3D appearance. Thus, objects may be represented as discrete 'views' showing only those features visible from a limited range of viewpoints. We address how to define a view using Koenderink's (Koenderink & Van Doorn, Biol. Cybernet. 32 (1979) 211.) geometric method for enumerating complete sets of stable views as aspect graphs. Using objects with known aspect graphs, five experiments examined whether the perception of orientation is sensitive to the qualitative features that define aspect graphs. Highest sensitivity to viewpoint changes was observed at locations where the theory predicts qualitative transitions, although some transitions did not affect performance. Hypotheses about why humans ignore some transitions offer insights into mechanisms for object representation.
Related Concept Videos
Vision
Non-inertial Frames of Reference
Econometric Views (EViews)
Visual System
Once through the pupil, the light passes through the lens, a...
Rules for Defining Functions
The Precise Definition of a Limit

