Retinal Computation summarizes current progress in defining the
computations performed by the retina, also including the synaptic
and circuit mechanisms by which they are implemented. Each chapter
focuses on a single retinal computation that includes the
definition of the computation and its neuroethological purpose,
along with the available information on its known and unknown
neuronal mechanisms. All chapters contain end-of-chapter questions
associated with a landmark paper, as well as programming exercises.
This book is written for advanced graduate students, researchers
and ophthalmologists interested in vision science or computational
neuroscience of sensory systems. While the typical textbook's
description of the retina is akin to a biological video camera, the
real retina is actually the world's most complex image processing
machine. As part of the central nervous system, the retina converts
patterns of light at the input into a rich palette of
representations at the output. The parallel streams of information
in the optic nerve encode features like color, contrast,
orientation of edges, and direction of motion. Image processing in
the retina is undeniably complex, but as one of the most accessible
parts of the central nervous system, the tools to study retinal
circuits with unprecedented precision are up to the task. This book
provides a practical guide and resource about the current state of
the field of retinal computation. Editorial Reviews: "...this book
is also a unique overview of our current understanding of the why
and the how of retinal computation and there is something here for
anyone with a grounding in vision science who recognises that there
is more to what the retina does than... meets the eye." -- Prof
Steven Dakin, New Zealand Optics, May 28, 2022. "I want to commend
Dr. Schwartz for assembling this incredible resource and strongly
recommend Retinal Computation to everyone who is a student of
vision. The vast majority of modern topics in retina are covered
yet in a fashion that is clear, and concise. The book covers the
cellular and circuit basis of computations ranging from those
covered by most textbooks, such as center-surround receptive field
or direction selectivity , to those you probably do not associated
with the retina such as "motion anticipation" and "threat
detection". Each chapter is self-contained, meaning you can easily
"pick and choose" the topics. A quick perusal of the chapter titles
are almost certainly going to pique your interest. For example, you
may know that the retina has single photon sensitivity but do you
know "How many photons does it take to create a percept"? (Chapter
1). How does the retina encode texture (i.e. spatial fluctuations
within the receptive field)? (Chapter 7). Is object motion
sensitivity related to Direction selectivity? (Chapter 12). The
list goes on. This book will also serve as a great resource for
those teaching advanced undergraduate or graduate level vision
courses for students with backgrounds in experimental or
computational vision science. Each chapter contains what Dr.
Schwartz's considers a "landmark paper" in the field, with a set of
questions that can be used as a guide for reading these papers. And
finally he includes programming exercises that can be easily
implemented in Matlab to address basic concepts introduced in the
chapter. The instructions are detailed so that even those new to
Matlab will be able to implement these exercises these
straightforward. It is this combination - textbook chapter +
primary literature + quantitative exercises that will solidify
these concepts. There are many vision science topics not covered in
the book. For example, there is little on retinal disease or
development. But these limitations are far outweighed by where the
book succeeds. The vast majority of the book is written by Dr.
Schwartz, giving it a uniformity that is welcome. Despite tackling
quite modern questions where there is ongoing progress, Dr.Schwartz
has extracted what are key findings that are likely to stand the
test of time. And finally, it is really interesting! For those who
think that the retina is "solved", think again. Retinal
computations is a fantastic way for all circuit neuroscientist to
learn how much computations can be achieved with very few
synapses." -- Marla B. Feller, Ph. D., Paul Licht Distinguished
Professor in Biological Sciences, Division of Neurobiology,
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology & Helen Wills
Neuroscience Institute University of California, Berkeley "This
fantastic new textbook from a rising star in the field clearly and
thoroughly updates our picture of what the retina computes. It is
detailed enough for senior researchers but also pedagogical,
providing a go-to reference for students. The illustrations within
the text and for the chapter headings are both beautiful and
informative." -- Stephanie E. Palmer, Ph.D., Associate Professor,
Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, Department of
Physics, University of Chicago "This book summarizes the impressive
recent progress in understanding how visual computations are
performed by retinal circuits. The book is an important resource
not only for retinal experts, but more generally for anyone seeking
to explain how the brain works at the level of neural circuits.
Greg Schwartz and his co-authors have made a major contribution to
the field." -- Sebastian Seung, Anthony B. Evnin '62 Professor,
Neuroscience Institute and Computer Science Dept., Princeton
University "This is a wonderful book from a true expert in the
retina field. It is a fantastic resource for researchers,
lecturers, and students alike. The book nicely covers the many
facets of how the retina processes the visual input that enters the
eye. Despite the richness in material, the presentation manages to
stay accessible and always connects back to fundamental questions
of visual processing. Each chapter by itself is a great entry point
into a particular area of how the neural network of the retina
deals with a specific set of visual challenges. I have thoroughly
enjoyed this wonderful overview of retinal computation, served on a
silver platter, and I will use the book both as background material
for research and as a resource for teaching. I particularly like
the sets of exercises that conclude each chapter." -- Dr. Tim
Gollisch, Professor for Sensory Processing in the Retina,
Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Goettingen
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
