Vision for the Blind. Stat 19 SEM Talk 1. Vision for the Blind. Stat 19 SEM Talk 1. Alan Yuille. UCLA. Dept. Statistics and Psychology.

Goal of the Course. How can technology and neuroscience help the blind and disabled? How can technology and neuroscience help the blind and disabled? (A) Artificial Intelligence systems. (A) Artificial Intelligence systems. (B) Brain Implants. Neural Prostheses. (B) Brain Implants. Neural Prostheses. Introduce and review the state of the art. Introduce and review the state of the art. Today, an overview. Today, an overview.

Course Mechanisms. Maximum work load is 3 hours per week. Maximum work load is 3 hours per week. Grading: Pass/Fail. Grading: Pass/Fail. Requirement. Don’t miss more than 2 lectures. Requirement. Don’t miss more than 2 lectures. Reading assignments. Short reports. Reading assignments. Short reports.

My Research Interests are: Designing computer vision systems (artificial intelligence). Designing computer vision systems (artificial intelligence). Understanding how biological vision systems work. Understanding how biological vision systems work. I also work with a company that builds prototype systems for the blind. I also work with a company that builds prototype systems for the blind. Collaborate with the Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute (San Francisco). Collaborate with the Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute (San Francisco).

What is Vision? Aristotle “to know what is where by looking”. Aristotle “to know what is where by looking”. Vision is information processing. Vision is information processing. Light rays that reach your eyes carry information about the external world. Light rays that reach your eyes carry information about the external world. Vision decodes the light rays and reconstructs the world. Vision decodes the light rays and reconstructs the world. Vision is a very complex task. Harder than Mathematics? More on vision next lecture. Vision is a very complex task. Harder than Mathematics? More on vision next lecture.

What would you miss most if you went blind? Probably the ability to detect and read text. Probably the ability to detect and read text. Navigation is possible using a cane and/or Navigation is possible using a cane and/or guide dog. Recognize people by their voices. Hear oncoming traffic. guide dog. Recognize people by their voices. Hear oncoming traffic. Experiment: Spend an hour with your eyes closed.

What can blind people see if they recover their sight? Mike May is one of the very few people who attained his sight after being blind. Mike May is one of the very few people who attained his sight after being blind. (Successful businessman & skier). (Successful businessman & skier). But how well can he use vision to get information about the world? But how well can he use vision to get information about the world? Infant’s vision systems develop in stages. Some abilities develop at 1 month, others at 3 months, etc. Infant’s vision systems develop in stages. Some abilities develop at 1 month, others at 3 months, etc.

Mike May Mike May can see light, but required extensive training before he could distinguish a cube from a sphere. Mike May can see light, but required extensive training before he could distinguish a cube from a sphere. He cannot recognize faces (even his wife and children). He cannot recognize faces (even his wife and children). It took two years before his vision helped his skiing. It took two years before his vision helped his skiing. Handout. Interview with Mike May. Handout. Interview with Mike May. Mike Mays’ Journal: Mike Mays’ Journal: Radio Interview. Radio Interview.

How Big is the Problem? Legally Blind population of the US is ,000. (20/200 best correctly acuity). Legally Blind population of the US is ,000. (20/200 best correctly acuity). At least, 3,000,000 people have low vision. At least, 3,000,000 people have low vision. These numbers are predicted to double in the next ten years! These numbers are predicted to double in the next ten years! Eyesight gets worse with age – and people live longer. Eyesight gets worse with age – and people live longer.

Artificial Intelligence Solutions. Navigation: Global Positioning Satelites (GPS). (Loomis. UCSB). Navigation: Global Positioning Satelites (GPS). (Loomis. UCSB).

Computer Vision Digital Camera + Portable Computer + Digital Camera + Portable Computer + Speech Synthesizer. Speech Synthesizer.

Brain Implants. Artificial Retina: Artificial Retina: Connected to (i) the retina, (ii) the optic nerve, or (iii) the cortex. Connected to (i) the retina, (ii) the optic nerve, or (iii) the cortex. Dr. Dobelle. Dr. Dobelle. Portugal. Portugal.

Vision to Tactile. Dr. Bach y Rita. (Ex: Smith- Kettlewell). Dr. Bach y Rita. (Ex: Smith- Kettlewell) Project an image onto the back of a blind person. Claim: could recognize faces Project an image onto the back of a blind person. Claim: could recognize faces. Few tactile receptors on back. Better to use fingertips, lips, or tongue. Few tactile receptors on back. Better to use fingertips, lips, or tongue. Erik Weihenmayer. Climber. Erik Weihenmayer. Climber. Mt. Everest. Mt. Everest.

Neural Prostheses: Control by Thought. Control by Thought. Movement Planning Neurons. Movement Planning Neurons. Clint Eastwood film. Firefox. Clint Eastwood film. Firefox.

Summary. The course will describe these artificial intelligence and biological techniques. The course will describe these artificial intelligence and biological techniques. Can describe other topics: e.g. Cochlear implants. Can describe other topics: e.g. Cochlear implants. Mike Mays’s handout. Web journal: Mike Mays’s handout. Web journal: Radio Interview: Radio Interview: Contact information: Contact information: