The orthodox data concerning the contrast sensitivity estimation for sine-wave gratings were formally analyzed. The result of our analysis made feasible a threshold energy value (Delta) E -- energetic equivalent to quantum of perception -- as (Delta) E equals (alpha) (Delta) L(Delta) X2, where (alpha) is a proportionality coefficient, (Delta) L is a threshold luminance, and (Delta) X is a half-period of grating. The value of (Delta) E is a constant for a given value of mean luminance L of the grating and for a middle spatial frequency region. So the `exchange' between luminance threshold (Delta) L and spatial resolution (Delta) X2 values takes place; the increasing of one is followed by the decreasing of the other. We treated this phenomenon as a principle of uncertainty in human visual perception and proved its correctness for other spatial frequencies. Taking into account threshold wavelength ((Delta) (lambda) ) and time ((Delta) t) the uncertainty principle may be extended to a wider class of visual perception problems, including color and flicker objects recognition. So, we suggest the uncertainty principle proposed above is to be one of the cornerstones of the evolution of cognitive systems.

Date Published: 1 May 1994
PDF: 10 pages
Proc. SPIE 2179, Human Vision, Visual Processing, and Digital Display V, (1 May 1994); doi: 10.1117/12.172698

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 2179:
Human Vision, Visual Processing, and Digital Display V
Bernice E. Rogowitz; Jan P. Allebach, Editor(s)