The statistics of local motion signals in naturalistic movies

Extraction of motion from visual input plays an important role in many visual tasks, such as separation of figure from ground and navigation through space. Several kinds of local motion signals have been distinguished based on mathematical and computational considerations (e.g., motion based on spatiotemporal correlation of luminance, and motion based on spatiotemporal correlation of flicker), but little is known about the prevalence of these different kinds of signals in the real world. To address this question, we first note that different kinds of local motion signals (e.g., Fourier, non-Fourier, and glider) are characterized by second-and higher-order correlations in slanted spatiotemporal regions. The prevalence of local motion signals in natural scenes can thus be estimated by measuring the extent to which each of these correlations are present in space-time patches and whether they are coherent across spatiotemporal scales. We apply this technique to several popular movies. The results show that all three kinds of local motion signals are present in natural movies. While the balance of the different kinds of motion signals varies from segment to segment during the course of each movie, the overall pattern of prevalence of the different kinds of motion and their subtypes, and the correlations between them, is strikingly similar across movies (but is absent from white noise movies). In sum, naturalistic movies contain a diversity of local motion signals that occur with a consistent prevalence and pattern of covariation, indicating a substantial regularity of their high-order spatiotemporal image statistics

The statistics of local motion signals in naturalistic movies

Extraction of motion from visual input plays an important role in many visual tasks, such as separation of figure from ground and navigation through space. Several kinds of local motion signals have been distinguished based on mathematical and computational considerations (e.g., motion based on spatiotemporal correlation of luminance, and motion based on spatiotemporal correlation of flicker), but little is known about the prevalence of these different kinds of signals in the real world. To address this question, we first note that different kinds of local motion signals (e.g., Fourier, non-Fourier, and glider) are characterized by second-and higher-order correlations in slanted spatiotemporal regions. The prevalence of local motion signals in natural scenes can thus be estimated by measuring the extent to which each of these correlations are present in space-time patches and whether they are coherent across spatiotemporal scales. We apply this technique to several popular movies. The results show that all three kinds of local motion signals are present in natural movies. While the balance of the different kinds of motion signals varies from segment to segment during the course of each movie, the overall pattern of prevalence of the different kinds of motion and their subtypes, and the correlations between them, is strikingly similar across movies (but is absent from white noise movies). In sum, naturalistic movies contain a diversity of local motion signals that occur with a consistent prevalence and pattern of covariation, indicating a substantial regularity of their high-order spatiotemporal image statistics

Airborne Acoustic Perception by a Jumping Spider.

Jumping spiders (Salticidae) are famous for their visually driven behaviors [1]. Here, however, we present behavioral and neurophysiological evidence that these animals also perceive and respond to airborne acoustic stimuli, even when the distance between the animal and the sound source is relatively large (∼3 m) and with stimulus amplitudes at the position of the spider of ∼65 dB sound pressure level (SPL). Behavioral experiments with the jumping spider Phidippus audax reveal that these animals respond to low-frequency sounds (80 Hz; 65 dB SPL) by freezing-a common anti-predatory behavior characteristic of an acoustic startle response. Neurophysiological recordings from auditory-sensitive neural units in the brains of these jumping spiders showed responses to low-frequency tones (80 Hz at ∼65 dB SPL)-recordings that also represent the first record of acoustically responsive neural units in the jumping spider brain. Responses persisted even when the distances between spider and stimulus source exceeded 3 m and under anechoic conditions. Thus, these spiders appear able to detect airborne sound at distances in the acoustic far-field region, beyond the near-field range often thought to bound acoustic perception in arthropods that lack tympanic ears (e.g., spiders) [2]. Furthermore, direct mechanical stimulation of hairs on the patella of the foreleg was sufficient to generate responses in neural units that also responded to airborne acoustic stimuli-evidence that these hairs likely play a role in the detection of acoustic cues. We suggest that these auditory responses enable the detection of predators and facilitate an acoustic startle response. VIDEO ABSTRACT

Airborne Acoustic Perception by a Jumping Spider

Jumping spiders (Salticidae) are famous for their visually driven behaviors [1]. Here, however, we present behavioral and neurophysiological evidence that these animals also perceive and respond to airborne acoustic stimuli, even when the distance between the animal and the sound source is relatively large (~3 m) and with stimulus amplitudes at the position of the spider of ~65 dB SPL. Behavioral experiments with the jumping spider Phidippus audax reveal that these animals respond to low frequency sounds (80 Hz; 65 dB SPL) by freezing—a common anti-predatory behavior characteristic of an acoustic startle response. Neurophysiological recordings from auditory-sensitive neural units in the brains of these jumping spiders showed responses to low-frequency tones (80 Hz at ~65 dB SPL); recordings that also represent the first record of acoustically-responsive neural units in the jumping spider brain. Responses persisted even when the distances between spider and stimulus source exceeded 3 m and under anechoic conditions. Thus, these spiders appear able to detect airborne sound at distances in the acoustic far-field region, beyond the near-field range often thought to bound acoustic perception in arthropods that lack tympanic ears (e.g. spiders) [2]. Further, direct mechanical stimulation of hairs on the patella of the foreleg was sufficient to generate responses in neural units that also responded to airborne acoustic stimuli—evidence that these hairs likely play a role in the detection of acoustic cues. We suggest that these auditory responses enable the detection of predators and facilitate an acoustic startle response