A novel method to calculate looming cue for threat of collision

Visual looming is related to an increased projected size of an object on a viewer´s retina as the relative distance between the viewer and the object decreases. Psychologists have reported about subjects avoiding collision using this information by reacting defensively. In this paper we present a quantitative approach to visual looming and describe a novel method to measure this visual cue using visual fixation and studying the relative change in irradiance in the image. This visual cue can be used in the sense of a threat of collision for autonomous obstacle avoidance