Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Facts on optic flow

  • Published:
Biological Cybernetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We employ an optimal solution to both the “shape from motion problem” and the related problem of the estimation of self-movement on a purely optical basis to deduce practical rules of thumb for the limits of the optic flow information content in the presence of perturbation of the motion parallax field. The results are illustrated and verified by means of a computer simulation.

The results allow estimates of the accuracy of depth and egomotion estimates as a function of the accuracy of data sampling and the width of field of view, as well as estimates of the interaction between rotational and translational components of the movement.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bruss AR, Horn BKP (1983) Passive navigation. Comput Vision Graph Image Process 21:3–20

    Google Scholar 

  • Gibson JJ (1950) The perception of the visual world. Houghton Mifflin, Boston, Mass

    Google Scholar 

  • Koenderink JJ, Doorn AJ van (1976) Local structure of movement parallax of the plane. J Opt Soc Am 66:717–723

    Google Scholar 

  • Koenderink JJ, Doorn AJ van (1981) Exterospecific component of the motion parallax field. J Opt Soc Am 71:953–957

    Google Scholar 

  • Koenderink JJ (1986) Optic flow. Vision Res 26:161–180

    Google Scholar 

  • Longuet-Higgins HC, Prazdny K (1980) The interpretation of moving retinal images. Proc R Soc London Ser B208:385–387

    Google Scholar 

  • Mach E (1962) Analysis of sensations (English translation 1962; originally published in 1886). Dover, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Maybank SJ (1986) Algorithm for analyzing optical flow based on the least-squares method. Image Vision Comp 4:38–42

    Google Scholar 

  • Nakayama K (1985) Biological image motion processing: a review. Vision Res 25:625–660

    Google Scholar 

  • Ullman S (1979) The interpretation of structure from motion. Proc R Soc London Ser B 203:405–426

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical and Physiological Physics, Physics Laboratory, RUU, NL-3584 CC, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    J. J. Koenderink & Andrea J. van Doorn

Authors
  1. J. J. Koenderink
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Andrea J. van Doorn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Koenderink, J.J., van Doorn, A.J. Facts on optic flow. Biol. Cybern. 56, 247–254 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00365219

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00365219

Keywords

Search

Navigation