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Adaptable Angled Stereotactic Approach for Versatile Neuroscience Techniques
Published on: May 7, 2020
The vertical horopter is not adaptable, but it may be adaptive
Emily A Cooper1, Johannes Burge, Martin S Banks
1Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, UC Berkeley, USA. emilycooper@berkeley.edu
Journal of Vision
|March 31, 2011
Summary
The vertical horopter, crucial for depth perception, is not adaptable to experience and poorly suited for ground perception. It is best adapted for short-distance, convex surface viewing.
Area of Science:
- Vision science
- Perceptual psychology
Background:
- Depth perception relies on binocular disparity and corresponding retinal points.
- The vertical horopter, representing points of zero disparity, is typically pitched top-back.
- This pitch has been hypothesized to aid in perceiving natural environments, especially ground-level depth.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if the vertical horopter is adaptive for ground perception.
- To determine if the vertical horopter is adaptable (modifiable by experience).
Main Methods:
- Experiment 1: Measured vertical horopter pitch and convexity in 28 observers.
- Experiment 2: Monitored corresponding point locations after 7 days of binocular disparity distortion via lenses.
Main Results:
- Confirmed the horopter is pitched but also typically convex, making it ill-suited for ground-level depth perception.
- No significant changes in horopter location were observed after 7 days of disparity distortion, indicating lack of adaptability.
- The horopter's pitch is not adaptive for long viewing distances due to limitations in stimulating uncrossed disparities.
Conclusions:
- The vertical horopter is not adaptive for general ground perception or long viewing distances.
- The vertical horopter appears best suited for perceiving convex, slanted surfaces at short viewing distances.
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