Fulvio Domini
A deterministic theory of 3D visual processing explains both perception and visually guided actions
Brain Dynamics Graduate School and Faculty of Life Sciences cordially invite you to the guest lecture:
- Prof Dr Fulvio Domini
3D Information for Perception & Action Lab, Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
"The case against probabilistic inference: A deterministic theory of 3D visual processing explains both perception and visually guided actions"
5th June 2024, 12:00
Wilhelm Wundt Institute for Psychology - Room Z007, Städtisches Kaufhaus, Neumarkt 9, 04109 Leipzig
Abstract:
I will describe a new computational theory of 3D cue integration and introduce a novel theoretical framework to study 3D vision in humans. The proposed computational theory differs from the current mainstream approaches to the problem in two fundamentally different ways. First, it assumes that 3D mechanisms are deterministic processes that map a given visual stimulus to a unique 3D representation. Second, the proposed theory posits that 3D processing is heuristic, finding correct solutions to the problem only in ideal viewing conditions. The deterministic and heuristic nature of these mechanisms is inconsistent with Bayesian approaches that model brain mechanisms as processes of Bayesian inference aimed at deriving the most accurate and precise representation of 3D structures. These two main features of the proposed theory are implemented in a computational model that allows quantitative predictions of new phenomena. First, it provides an entirely different interpretation of Just Noticeable Differences, a hallmark measure of perceptual uncertainty. Second, it predicts specific perceptual distortions that are at odds with what previous accounts would predict. I will also discuss how the deterministic and heuristic nature of the proposed computational model points towards a re-evaluation of fundamental theoretical assumptions in perception research. In particular, I will show that the predictions of this theory also extend to visually guided actions, providing further converging evidence that perception and action are based on the same visual mechanisms.