1. 1B50 – Cognitive Vision Daniel J Hulme

2. Outline Cognitive Vision –Why do we want Computers to See? –Why can’t Computers See? –Introducing Percepts and Concepts Visual System –The Eye and Brain –Early Visual Processes –Edge Detection Percepts and Concepts –Late Visual Processes –Concepts

3. What is Cognitive Science? Cognitive science is usually defined as the scientific study either of mind or of intelligence Intelligence is the mental capacity to reason, plan, solve problems, think abstractly, comprehend ideas and language, and learn

4. Brains Early creatures had very simple wiring Then came more complicated wiring cnidarians Braitenberg's Vehicles

5. Cambrian Explosion Female Copilia Compound-eye Trilobite

6. So what? Why do we want computers that can see? It seems that the evolution of the eye was a catalyst for the rapid development of the brain. Practical applications Philosophical implications

7. Why can’t computers see? The humble Bumblebee 850,000 vs 100 billion neurons 3D navigation, colour vision, memory, communication, learning capacity, etc The brain of a bumblebee is a massively parallel processor with computation and storage capacities far superior to the most powerful supercomputer ever designed Bumblebee

9. Why can’t computers see? (2) Ambiguity: perceiving one form from a potentially infinite amount of possible forms “ We shall discuss violence on TV. ” VP V NP PP Ndiscuss violence on TV P VP V NP Ndiscuss violenceNP PP on TV P

10. Gestalt

11. Semantics of Perception We don’t actually see what is ‘out there’! Distal – the 3D thing ‘out there’ Proximal – 2D pattern of stimulus on retina

12. Semantics of Perception (2) We are bombarded by stimulus Passive and selective filtering Create a ‘useful’ perception –Early visual processes to extract features –Use experience to construct the scene Ontogenetic and Phylogenetic –Use concepts to rationalise and decision make

13. Dimples

17. Maths

18. Questions