Vision Science on Computers (VSOC) Project

Berkeley VSOC project has been established to deliver computer-based educational tools for vision science.  Our first project is Gabori Attack, a contrast sensitivity test program that is presented as a video game.  We have also released VNS, a real-time visual neuron simulator. This allows you to explore receptive fields of artificial visual neurons almost as if you are playing with real neurons in the brain.

Developed by Matthew Peterson and Izumi Ohzawa

1. Gabori Attack  (Contrast Sensitivity Game)
2. VNS (Visual Neuron Simulator)  - also for Windows 95/98/NT

Summary

Gabori Attack is a program for testing contrast sensitivity functions.  It is presented as a video game that even a 4-5 year-old can play, but is also instructive for college-level students.  The task is to squish "Gaboris" that slowly emerge from the gray background as quickly as possible with mouse clicks. Due to uncertainty of the position, spatial frequency, and reaction time delay, it tends to underestimate contrast sensitivity.  Therefore, contrast sensitivity functions obtained will be shifted downward compared with those measured by more rigorous methods.

Disclaimer

Gabori Attack is an educational tool and comes with NO WARRANTY.  It has NOT been designed or scientifically tested for use in clinical diagnostics or vision screening for job and drivers license applicants.  Any uses other than instructional uses are strongly discouraged.

Download

• Macintosh (MacOS/PowerPC) version (1.6MB, BinHex'ed self-extracting archive)
• Windows 95/98/NT version (1.8MB, ZIP file)

• Gabori Attack relies on Adobe Acrobat Reader (free software) for report display and printing.  If it is not installed on your computer, please download Acrobat Reader 4.0 (3.0x is OK too) from the Adobe site and install it first.  There is no need for you to run Acrobat Reader directly.  It will be used automatically after a test is completed.
• Your computer's video adapter must be set to allow "millions of colors" or "true color" mode.
• The viewing distance should be 57cm (where 1 cm = 1 deg arc).
• There is now a QUIT button.
• Bug reports, suggestions, comments on Gabori Attack to: gabori@neurovision.berkeley.edu.

MacOS:
Dowloading the above file with MS InternetExplorer should create a self-extracting StuffIt archive named GaboriInstaller.sea in the download directory or the DeskTop.  Double-clicking on it should automatically create a folder "Gabori Attack".  Inside this folder, there is a file indicated by a Gabor function icon.  This is the game program.

Windows:
Download the ZIP file from the above link.  Unzipping it will create a folder named "Gabori".  Double-clicking on the gabori.exe icon will start up the program.
 

Bugs

• (Not really a bug), but there is no provision for CRT gamma correction.  Because of this, the highest spatial frequency pattern (where your contrast sensitivity is low) may exhibit luminance artifact (you may notice a broad Gaussian blob first, before you see the high frequency grating).

• Matthew Peterson - (matthew@neurovision.berkeley.edu)
• Jesse Paquette
• Izumi Ohzawa - (ohzawa@bpe.es.osaka-u.ac.jp)

Summary

VNS is a real-time visual neuron simulator. This allows you to explore receptive fields of artificial visual neurons almost as if you are playing with real neurons in the brain..

Download

• MacIntosh (MacOS/PowerPC) version (1.8MB, BinHex'ed self-extracting archive, needs MacOS 7.6 or later)
• Windows 95/98/NT version (1.8MB, ZIP file)

Design Team

• Matthew Peterson - (matthew@neurovision.berkeley.edu)
• Izumi Ohzawa - (ohzawa@bpe.es.osaka-u.ac.jp)