Size Discrimination with Low Spatial Frequencies

Perception ◽  
1982 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 707-720 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert A Smith

The hypothesis that visual size is determined from the low-frequency Fourier spectrum of the image has been tested in a variety of ways. The fact that size discrimination of vertical bars is unimpaired when high spatial frequencies are filtered out of the image by blurring, and the fact that spatial-frequency adaptation alters perceived size, argue in favor of such hypothesis. However, the hypothesis is weakened by the observation that discrimination is also unimpaired by filtering low frequencies out of the image and by the observation that some manipulations which alter the Fourier transform produce no corresponding perceptual change. No current theory of size perception appears to fit all of these data.

Perception ◽  
1986 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 249-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clifton M Schor ◽  
Peter A Howarth

Thresholds for stereoscopic-depth perception increase with decreasing spatial frequency below 2.5 cycles deg−1. Despite this variation of stereo threshold, suprathreshold stereoscopic-depth perception is independent of spatial frequency down to 0.5 cycle deg-1. Below this frequency the perceived depth of crossed disparities is less than that stimulated by higher spatial frequencies which subtend the same disparities. We have investigated the effects of contrast fading upon this breakdown of stereo-depth invariance at low spatial frequencies. Suprathreshold stereopsis was investigated with spatially filtered vertical bars (difference of Gaussian luminance distribution, or DOG functions) tuned narrowly over a broad range of spatial frequencies (0.15–9.6 cycles deg−1). Disparity subtended by variable width DOGs whose physical contrast ranged from 10–100% was adjusted to match the perceived depth of a standard suprathreshold disparity (5 min visual angle) subtended by a thin black line. Greater amounts of crossed disparity were required to match broad than narrow DOGs to the apparent depth of the standard black line. The matched disparity was greater at low than at high contrast levels. When perceived contrast of all the DOGs was matched to standard contrasts ranging from 5–72%, disparity for depth matches became similar for narrow and broad DOGs. 200 ms pulsed presentations of DOGs with equal perceived contrast further reduced the disparity of low-contrast broad DOGs needed to match the standard depth. A perceived-depth bias in the uncrossed direction at low spatial frequencies was noted in these experiments. This was most pronounced for low-contrast low-spatial-frequency targets, which actually needed crossed disparities to make a depth match to an uncrossed standard. This bias was investigated further by making depth matches to a zero-disparity standard (ie the apparent fronto-parallel plane). Broad DOGs, which are composed of low spatial frequencies, were perceived behind the fixation plane when they actually subtended zero disparity. The magnitude of this low-frequency depth bias increased as contrast was reduced. The distal depth bias was also perceived monocularly, however, it was always greater when viewed binocularly. This investigation indicates that contrast fading of low-spatial-frequency stimuli changes their perceived depth and enhances a depth bias in the uncrossed direction. The depth bias has both a monocular and a binocular component.


Perception ◽  
1986 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 259-273 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gordon L Shulman ◽  
Marc A Sullivan ◽  
Ken Gish ◽  
William J Sakoda

Adaptation and reaction-time techniques were used to examine the role of different spatial-frequency channels in the perception of local and global structure. Subjects were shown figures consisting of a large C composed of smaller Cs and asked to identify the orientation of either the global C or its local elements. Prior to performing the task subjects were adapted to different spatial frequencies and the effect on subsequent performance was assessed. Two main results were found. First, the adapting frequency that most affected the global task was often lower than that most affecting the local task, suggesting that high and low frequencies independently code the structure of an image. Second, reaction time to global figures was often faster than to local figures at all levels of detectability, again suggesting a role of low-frequency channels in global processing.


2021 ◽  
Vol 65 ◽  
pp. 86-90
Author(s):  
B Bhowmick ◽  
D Gaur ◽  
P Rastogi

Introduction: Vibration is a known aeromedical stressor in rotary-winged aircraft and is known to affect visual acuity (VA). In aerospace operational conditions, contrast sensitivity (CS) takes the upper hand over VA for optimal visual performance. Examination of the effects of low frequencies whole body vibration of short duration on CS was the desired objective of the study. Material and Methods: Thirty healthy volunteers were exposed to low frequency whole body vibration using Multi-axial Vibration Simulator. Vibration frequency along the Z-axis varied from 4 to 20 Hz over a period of 30 min. CS was recorded in no vibration, under vibration and 30 min following exposure to vibration using CSV-1000 equipment at spatial frequencies of 3, 6, 12, and 18 cycles per degree (cpd). Results: CS, after an initial degradation, gradually improved with the increase in frequencies of vibration for the lower spatial frequencies (3, 6 cpd). The increasing trend was also noticed for higher spatial frequencies (12, 18 cpd) till 16 Hz; thereafter, a significant dip (P = 0.048) was observed at 20 Hz of vibration. No significant difference was observed following 30 min of post exposure. Conclusion: In contrast to the popular belief, an improvement in CS with increasing frequencies of vibration could be concluded from the results of the study. However, the sudden decrement in CS at higher CPD at higher frequencies of vibration could adversely affect visual performance of an aircrew.


2017 ◽  
Vol 284 (1864) ◽  
pp. 20171670 ◽  
Author(s):  
Molly C. Womack ◽  
Jakob Christensen-Dalsgaard ◽  
Luis A. Coloma ◽  
Juan C. Chaparro ◽  
Kim L. Hoke

Sensory losses or reductions are frequently attributed to relaxed selection. However, anuran species have lost tympanic middle ears many times, despite anurans' use of acoustic communication and the benefit of middle ears for hearing airborne sound. Here we determine whether pre-existing alternative sensory pathways enable anurans lacking tympanic middle ears (termed earless anurans) to hear airborne sound as well as eared species or to better sense vibrations in the environment. We used auditory brainstem recordings to compare hearing and vibrational sensitivity among 10 species (six eared, four earless) within the Neotropical true toad family (Bufonidae). We found that species lacking middle ears are less sensitive to high-frequency sounds, however, low-frequency hearing and vibrational sensitivity are equivalent between eared and earless species. Furthermore, extratympanic hearing sensitivity varies among earless species, highlighting potential species differences in extratympanic hearing mechanisms. We argue that ancestral bufonids may have sufficient extratympanic hearing and vibrational sensitivity such that earless lineages tolerated the loss of high frequency hearing sensitivity by adopting species-specific behavioural strategies to detect conspecifics, predators and prey.


Geophysics ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 57 (6) ◽  
pp. 854-859 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao Ming Tang

A new technique for measuring elastic wave attenuation in the frequency range of 10–150 kHz consists of measuring low‐frequency waveforms using two cylindrical bars of the same material but of different lengths. The attenuation is obtained through two steps. In the first, the waveform measured within the shorter bar is propagated to the length of the longer bar, and the distortion of the waveform due to the dispersion effect of the cylindrical waveguide is compensated. The second step is the inversion for the attenuation or Q of the bar material by minimizing the difference between the waveform propagated from the shorter bar and the waveform measured within the longer bar. The waveform inversion is performed in the time domain, and the waveforms can be appropriately truncated to avoid multiple reflections due to the finite size of the (shorter) sample, allowing attenuation to be measured at long wavelengths or low frequencies. The frequency range in which this technique operates fills the gap between the resonant bar measurement (∼10 kHz) and ultrasonic measurement (∼100–1000 kHz). By using the technique, attenuation values in a PVC (a highly attenuative) material and in Sierra White granite were measured in the frequency range of 40–140 kHz. The obtained attenuation values for the two materials are found to be reliable and consistent.


2019 ◽  
Vol 219 (2) ◽  
pp. 975-994 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel Gribler ◽  
T Dylan Mikesell

SUMMARY Estimating shear wave velocity with depth from Rayleigh-wave dispersion data is limited by the accuracy of fundamental and higher mode identification and characterization. In many cases, the fundamental mode signal propagates exclusively in retrograde motion, while higher modes propagate in prograde motion. It has previously been shown that differences in particle motion can be identified with multicomponent recordings and used to separate prograde from retrograde signals. Here we explore the domain of existence of prograde motion of the fundamental mode, arising from a combination of two conditions: (1) a shallow, high-impedance contrast and (2) a high Poisson ratio material. We present solutions to isolate fundamental and higher mode signals using multicomponent recordings. Previously, a time-domain polarity mute was used with limited success due to the overlap in the time domain of fundamental and higher mode signals at low frequencies. We present several new approaches to overcome this low-frequency obstacle, all of which utilize the different particle motions of retrograde and prograde signals. First, the Hilbert transform is used to phase shift one component by 90° prior to summation or subtraction of the other component. This enhances either retrograde or prograde motion and can increase the mode amplitude. Secondly, we present a new time–frequency domain polarity mute to separate retrograde and prograde signals. We demonstrate these methods with synthetic and field data to highlight the improvements to dispersion images and the resulting dispersion curve extraction.


1996 ◽  
Vol 110 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
DavidP. Carey ◽  
Kevin Allan

2007 ◽  
Vol 38 (7) ◽  
pp. 11-17
Author(s):  
Ronald M. Aarts

Conventionally, the ultimate goal in loudspeaker design has been to obtain a flat frequency response over a specified frequency range. This can be achieved by carefully selecting the main loudspeaker parameters such as the enclosure volume, the cone diameter, the moving mass and the very crucial “force factor”. For loudspeakers in small cabinets the results of this design procedure appear to be quite inefficient, especially at low frequencies. This paper describes a new solution to this problem. It consists of the combination of a highly non-linear preprocessing of the audio signal and the use of a so called low-force-factor loudspeaker. This combination yields a strongly increased efficiency, at least over a limited frequency range, at the cost of a somewhat altered sound quality. An analytically tractable optimality criterion has been defined and has been verified by the design of an experimental loudspeaker. This has a much higher efficiency and a higher sensitivity than current low-frequency loudspeakers, while its cabinet can be much smaller.


2011 ◽  
Vol 133 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Wagner ◽  
M. E. Johnson ◽  
K. Idrisi ◽  
D. P. Bartylla

The heterogeneous (HG) blanket is a passive treatment used to reduce the low frequency transmission of sound through partitions. HG blankets, glued onto a structure, consist of an elastic medium with embedded mass inhomogeneities that mechanically replicate a mass-spring-damper system to reduce efficient radiating structural modes at low frequencies. The elastic layer typically used has sound absorption properties to create a noise control device with a wide bandwidth of performance. The natural frequency of an embedded dynamic vibration absorber is determined by the mass of the inhomogeneity as well as by its effective stiffness due to the interaction of the mass inclusion with the elastic layer. A novel analytical approach has been developed to describe in detail the interaction of the mass inclusions with the elastic layer and the interaction between the masses by evaluating special elastomechanical concepts. The effective stiffness is predicted by the analytical approach based on the shape of the mass inclusions as well as on the thickness and material properties of the layer. The experimental validation is included and a simplified direct equation to calculate the effective stiffness of a HG blanket is proposed. Furthermore, the stress field inside the elastic material will be evaluated with focus on the stresses at the base to assess the modeling of one or more masses placed on top of the elastic layer as dynamic vibration absorbers. Finally, the interaction between two (or more) masses placed onto the same layer is studied with special focus on the coupling of the masses at low distances between them.


1943 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. A85-A92
Author(s):  
C. O. Dohrenwend ◽  
W. R. Mehaffey

Abstract The measurement of dynamic strains of both high and low frequency give rise to a variety of problems in instrumentation. Two types of equipment and circuits designed and used by the authors are discussed in detail. The first type based on the amplitude-modulated method is for low frequencies from zero to about 15 per cent of the carrier frequency of 1025 cycles per sec. The equipment has application to strain measurements varying from static values to those produced in moving vehicles, various machine parts, structures such as crane bridges, in fact all strain measurements where the frequency is 150 cycles per sec or less. The second type of equipment discussed is a potentiometer type and is for high-frequency strain measurements from 100 cycles per sec to 8000 cycles per sec. This high-speed equipment is conveniently used for impact strain, such as produced in hammer blows, shock loading, forging equipment, and impact-factor determination. Both units are designed to be used with a cathode-ray oscillograph which lends itself to a variety of recording methods. The methods discussed include both the type where the time axis is obtained by sweeping the oscilloscope beam on a stationary film and where the time axis is obtained mechanically.


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