A model of motion, stereo, and monocular depth perception

Abstract

Visual cortical processing is segregated into pathways each consisting of several cortical areas. We identified key mechanisms of local competitive interaction, feedforward integration and modulatory feedback as common principles of integration and segregation of ambiguous information to implement a principle of evidence accumulation and feedback hypothesis testing and correction. In a previous work we demonstrated that a model of recurrent VI-MT interaction disambiguates motion estimates by filling-in. Here we show that identical mechanisms along the ventral VI-V2-V4 pathway are utilized for the interpretation of (1) stereoscopic disparity and (2) relative depth segregation of partially overlapping form. The results show that absolute and relative depth ambiguities are resolved by propagation of sparse depth cues. Lateral inhibition emerges at locations of unambiguous information and initiates the recurrent disambiguation process. Our simulations substantiate the proposed model with key mechanisms of integration and disambiguation in cortical form and motion processing. © Springer-Verlag 2004.