The dependence of edge displacement thresholds on edge blur, contrast, and displacement distance

Two experiments measured thresholds for discriminating the movement direction of an isolated intensity edge. The luminance profile of the edge took the form of an integrated Gaussian. In the first experiment, displacement thresholds were measured as a function of edge blur width and contrast. In the second experiment, contrast thresholds were measured as a function of edge blur width and displacement. Using the estimated retinal profile of the edge (given the LSF of the display and of the optics of the eye), the data were found to collapse onto a single function relating the maximum spatial luminance gradient defined by the edge to the maximum temporal change in luminance generated by its displacement. There was a direct relationship between the two gradients at threshold, so that lower spatial gradients were paired with smaller temporal changes. Implications for current models of motion detection are examined.