Search for Quantitative Parameters of Scan Path of Image Viewing by Biologically Motivated Model

Abstract

The model of viewing scan path formation to search for quantitative parameters of scan path type is presented. In computer simulations, it was revealed that the structure of artificial scan path (focal or spatial ones) significantly (p<0,05) correlates with the number of return fixations of input window on recently viewed image areas. It was revealed that with the decrease of the coefficient of IOR, the model in most cases forms trajectories of focal type. On the contrary, as the coefficient of the IOR increases, model spatial type trajectories dominated. In addition to differences in the number of return fixations of the input window of the model between focal and spatial trajectories, a trend of differences between the two types of model trajectories in the amplitude of window jumps was found. The model assumption about the possibility of a quantitative characteristic of the trajectory structure based on return fixations is confirmed at processing the results of psychophysical tests of free viewing and search for modified fragments of complex images. It was shown that the number of gaze return fixations is significantly (p<0,05) higher in tests of free image viewing compared to search tests. The results obtained allow us to consider the probability of return fixations as a quantitative criterion to determine of scan path type.