What This Document Is
This is a programming assignment for Computational Vision (PSY 5036W) at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, focused on exploring visual illusions through computational modeling. The assignment challenges students to recreate and investigate perceptual phenomena – specifically, adaptation to image blur and motion-induced blindness – using the Mathematica programming environment. It requires both practical coding skills and a foundational understanding of the underlying psychological principles.
Why This Document Matters
This assignment is crucial for students aiming to solidify their understanding of how computational methods can be used to model and explain human visual perception. It’s particularly valuable for those interested in the intersection of psychology, neuroscience, and computer science. Successfully completing this assignment will demonstrate your ability to translate theoretical concepts into functional programs, analyze visual phenomena, and formulate testable scientific hypotheses. It’s best utilized *after* covering the relevant lecture material on visual adaptation and perceptual illusions, and alongside the provided class web page demonstrations.
Common Limitations or Challenges
This assignment does not provide a step-by-step tutorial on Mathematica programming. It assumes a baseline level of proficiency in the software. While example demonstrations are referenced, the core task is to independently develop and implement the required programs. Furthermore, the assignment focuses on *demonstrating* the illusions and posing research questions, not on conducting a full-scale, statistically rigorous experiment. It also doesn’t offer pre-written code solutions or detailed debugging assistance.
What This Document Provides
* Two distinct programming problems, each centered around a specific visual illusion.
* Clear descriptions of the perceptual phenomena to be modeled (blur adaptation and motion-induced blindness).
* Guidance on utilizing Mathematica for creating dynamic visual displays and potentially exporting them as movie files.
* Requirements for formulating a scientific question related to each illusion.
* References to relevant research papers to inspire investigation and hypothesis generation.
* Instructions for structuring your submission, including both program implementation and a short written component.
