Real-world illumination and the perception of surface reflectance properties

• DOI: 10.1167/3.5.3
• Publication Date: 2005-02-02T11:48:13Z
• Authors: Roland W. Fleming; Ron O. Dror; Edward H. Adelson
• Keywords: Gloss (optics)

Under typical viewing conditions, we find it easy to distinguish between different materials, such as metal, plastic, and paper. Recognizing materials from their surface reflectance properties (such lightness gloss) is a nontrivial accomplishment because of confounding effects illumination. However, if subjects have tacit knowledge the statistics illumination encountered in real world, then possible reject unlikely image interpretations, thus estimate even when precise unknown. A matching task was used measure accuracy human estimation. The results demonstrate that can match reliably accurately absence context, long realistic. Matching performance declines are not representative world. Together these findings suggest do use stored assumptions about real-world reflectance. Systematic manipulations pixel wavelet illuminations reveal visual system's intermediate complexity (e.g., presence edges bright light sources), rather than high recognizable objects environment).