A two dimensional field theory for motion computation (Q1108223)

The local extraction of motion information from brightness patterns by individual movement detectors of the correlation-type is considered in the first part of the paper. A two-dimensional field theory of movement detection is developed by treating the distance between two adjacent photoreceptors as a differential. The linear dependence on pattern properties is represented by a two by two tensor consisting of elements which are nonlinear, local functionals of the moving pattern. In the second part of the paper the tensor relation leading to the output of a movement detector pair is spatially integrated. The result of the integration is an approximation to a summation of the outputs of an array of detector pairs. The spatially integrated detector tensor relates the translatory motion vector to the resultant output vector. In the discussion of the paper the limits of the field theory for motion computation as well as its higher approximations are pointed out in some detail.