Ideal observer analysis

Ideal observer analysis is a method for investigating how information is processed in a perceptual system.[1][2][3] It is also a basic principle that guides modern research in perception.[4][5]

The ideal observer is a theoretical system that performs a specific task in an optimal way. If there is uncertainty in the task, then perfect performance is impossible and the ideal observer will make errors.

Ideal performance is the theoretical upper limit of performance. It is theoretically impossible for a real system to perform better than ideal. Typically, real systems are only capable of sub-ideal performance.

This technique is useful for analyzing psychophysical data (see psychophysics).

  1. ^ Tanner Jr, Wilson P.; Birdsall, T. G. (1958). "Definitions of d′ and η as Psychophysical Measures". Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. 30 (10): 922–928. doi:10.1121/1.1909408. Archived from the original on February 26, 2013. Retrieved August 19, 2012.
  2. ^ Tanner Jr, W. P.; Jones, R. Clark (1960). "The ideal sensor system as approached through statistical decision theory and the theory of signal detectability". Visual search techniques: proceedings of a symposium, held in the Smithsonian Auditorium, Washington, D. C., April 7 and 8, 1959. United States National Academies. pp. 59–68. Retrieved August 19, 2012.
  3. ^ W. P. Tanner Jr. (1961). "Physiological implications of psychophysical data" (PDF). Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 89 (5): 752–65. doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.1961.tb20176.x. hdl:2027.42/73966. PMID 13775211. S2CID 7135400.
  4. ^ Knill, David C.; Whitman, Richards (1996). Perception as Bayesian Inference. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521461092. Retrieved August 19, 2012.
  5. ^ Pelli, D. G. (1993). "The quantum efficiency of vision". In Blakemore, Colin (ed.). Vision: Coding and Efficiency. Cambridge University Press. pp. 3–24. ISBN 9780521447690. Retrieved August 19, 2012.