Foveal detection and approximation for singularities. (Q1399097)

The distribution of photoreceptors on the retina is not uniform. The visual resolution is highest at the center (fovea) of the retina, but falls off away from the fovea. This effect is modelled by foveal approximation spaces introduced in this interesting paper. For example, the piecewise constant foveal approximation space at the center \(u\in \mathbb{R}\) is the set of all functions which are constant on \([u- 2^{j+1}, u- 2^j)\) and \((u+ 2^j, u+2^{j+1}]\) for any \(j\in\mathbb{Z}\). Projections in a foveal approximation space approximate functions with a resolution that decreases proportionally to the distance from \(u\). Foveal approximation spaces are defined by dilating a finite family of foveal wavelets, which are not translated. In this paper, the author studies foveal approximation spaces constructed with only 2 generating functions. The properties of such spaces are studied and illustrated with spline functions. Orthogonal bases are constructed with foveal wavelets of compact support and high regularity. Foveal wavelet coefficients give a pointwise characterization of nonoscillatory singularities. An algorithm to detect singularities and to choose foveal points is derived. Precise approximations of piecewise regular functions are obtained by foveal approximations centered at singularity locations.