week 5 reading response

human vision and computer vision is actually quite similar in a way. humans are especially attuned to detect even the most subliminal changes in their physical environment, be it sound or light or movement etc.

to illustrate just how important change is for our “vision”, next time you’re in a very dark room (when you go to bed tonight), try and stare at the far corner without blinking or moving your eyes. you’ll begin to notice that, gradually, a darkness is creeping up from your peripherals and slowly makes it way towards the centerpoint of your vision. i thought this was so cool when i first discovered it, felt like i was falling into a void. this happens because the rods in your eyes (which are attuned to both light and movement) and the cones (which are attuned to color) are almost completely deprived of stimulation. your brain figures you dont need your vision if theres nothing to detect.

this is also the reason why we are constantly moving our eyes. ever notice the little micromovements your eyes are always making when your attention is focused externally? they need the movement to help keep them stimulated enough to see. and also, ever notice how, when theres a noise that’s been going on for a long time, you only notice it when it suddenly stops? the brain kind of filters out stimuli that are continuous and unchanging. it’s looking for change, just like computer vision does.

it’s important to realize how inseparable technology and art both are from human biology, it’s all modeled off of our understanding of ourselves. the farther we progress in the fields of biology, medicine, neuroscience, and psychology, the greater capacity we have for advancements and inspiration in ai, computers, architecture, and, by extension, interactive media art.

Author: Remy Janabi

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