Biologically inspired image processing

The rapidly advancing subject of visual science is discussed, including its inherent interdisciplinary nature and the benefits to be gained by those involved in digital image processing being aware of the subject and its key results. The remainder of the paper is dedicated to a discussion of how image processing can be inspired by the form, system or strategy of the visual systems of man and animals. In discussing form inspired image processing, the authors concentrate on the log polar mapping that results from the spatial distribution of sensors in the periphery of the human eye. Some original work in this field was reported in Wilson and Hodgson (1992). For examples of effective image processing inspired by natural systems, reference is made to the books and papers of Ian Overington. He is one of the pioneers of biologically inspired image processing. Finally, biological systems are considered as sources of high level strategy in image processing. The example taken is concerned with the application of instructional design theories developed for humans being applied to neural networks, a second biologically inspired computing paradigm