A Computational Model of Afterimages based on Simultaneous and Successive Contrasts

TL;DR

This paper presents a computational model explaining negative afterimages by integrating simultaneous and successive contrast effects, validated through human experiments, to predict afterimage colors in various visual scenarios.

Contribution

The novel model combines simultaneous and successive contrast mechanisms to accurately estimate negative afterimage colors in complex visual conditions.

Findings

Model successfully predicts afterimage colors in diverse cases.

Experimental validation confirms model accuracy.

Enhances understanding of afterimage formation mechanisms.

Abstract

Negative afterimage appears in our vision when we shift our gaze from an over stimulated original image to a new area with a uniform color. The colors of negative afterimages differ from the old stimulating colors in the original image when the color in the new area is either neutral or chromatic. The interaction between stimulating colors in the test and inducing field in the original image changes our color perception due to simultaneous contrast, and the interaction between changed colors perceived in the previously-viewed field and the color in the currently-viewed field also affects our perception of colors in negative afterimages due to successive contrast. Based on these observations we propose a computational model to estimate colors of negative afterimages in more general cases where the original stimulating color in the test field is chromatic, and the original stimulating color in the inducing field and the new stimulating color can be either neutral or chromatic. We validate our model with human experiments.