Visual Perception and Processing of Textures

库克博士研究的总体目的是了解不同类型的模式识别系统如何感知和处理视觉信息。这个项目通过研究鸽子的视觉感知来实现这一重要目的。鸟类是比较视觉研究的理想对象，因为飞行需要准确和快速的视觉感知。这种要求，再加上把体重降到最低的需要，使鸟类拥有了一个在结构上不同于哺乳动物的小而紧凑的视觉系统。库克博士的研究调查了鸽子如何区分不同种类的电脑生成的视觉刺激。他正在使用一种新型的视觉辨别任务，这种任务特别允许直接比较鸽子和人类的视觉感知。这些实验的结果将揭示人类的视觉机制是否也存在于鸽子身上，或者鸟类是否使用了一套完全不同的机制来产生它们异常敏锐的视觉。因此，该项目将提供关于特定视觉信息处理原理和机制的类型、数量、范围和普遍性的证据。这些信息将有助于更好地理解人类的视觉，并有助于在计算机中实现视觉模式识别。这些信息也将有助于制定诊断和补救人类与视觉有关的健康问题的程序，例如计算机视觉假体或盲人替代品。

The overall purpose of Dr. Cook's research is to understand how different kinds of pattern recognition systems perceive and process visual information. This project contributes to that important purpose by studying visual perception in pigeons. Birds are ideal for comparative visual studies because flight requires accurate and rapid visual perception. This requirement, combined with the need to minimize body weight, has produced in birds a small, compact visual system that is structurally different from that of mammals. Dr. Cook's research investigates how pigeons discriminate different kinds of computer-generated visual stimuli. He is using a new type of visual discrimination task, which specifically allows the direct comparison of visual perception in pigeons and humans. The results of these experiments will reveal whether the mechanisms proposed for vision in humans are present in pigeons, or whether the birds use an entirely different set of mechanisms for producing their extraordinarily keen vision. Thus, the project will supply evidence on the type, number, range and generality of specific visual information-processing principles and mechanisms. Such information will lead to a better understanding of vision in humans and aid in the implementation of visual pattern recognition in computers. This information will also be useful for developing diagnostic and remedial procedures for visual-related health problems in humans, such as computerized visual prostheses or substitutes for the blind.