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Miniature eye movements enhance fine spatial detail

Author

Listed:
  • Michele Rucci

    (Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA)

  • Ramon Iovin

    (Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA)

  • Martina Poletti

    (Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA)

  • Fabrizio Santini

    (Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA)

Abstract

An eye for detail The function of fixational eye movements, the tiny involuntary eye movements or 'retinal jitters' that occur when we fix our gaze on something, has been a matter of debate since they were first recognized in the 1950s. Using a combination of psychophysical experiments with statistical analysis of the visual signals entering the eye to counteract the visual effects of the eye movements, Rucci et al. show that without them, perception of fine-grained information is reduced. This suggests that fixational eye movements are part of a strategy used by the brain to extract fine details of visual information.

Suggested Citation

  • Michele Rucci & Ramon Iovin & Martina Poletti & Fabrizio Santini, 2007. "Miniature eye movements enhance fine spatial detail," Nature, Nature, vol. 447(7146), pages 852-855, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:447:y:2007:i:7146:d:10.1038_nature05866
    DOI: 10.1038/nature05866
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    Cited by:

    1. Nadav Ben-Shushan & Nimrod Shaham & Mati Joshua & Yoram Burak, 2022. "Fixational drift is driven by diffusive dynamics in central neural circuitry," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, December.
    2. Eric G. Wu & Nora Brackbill & Colleen Rhoades & Alexandra Kling & Alex R. Gogliettino & Nishal P. Shah & Alexander Sher & Alan M. Litke & Eero P. Simoncelli & E. J. Chichilnisky, 2024. "Fixational eye movements enhance the precision of visual information transmitted by the primate retina," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-15, December.
    3. Sheng Zhang & Miguel P Eckstein, 2010. "Evolution and Optimality of Similar Neural Mechanisms for Perception and Action during Search," PLOS Computational Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(9), pages 1-11, September.

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