Perception of high-contrast blurred edges

Abstract

Observer sensitivity to edge blur has been examined by experimental measurements of threshold blur as a function of contrast. An extension of previous results from Watt and Morgan for high-contrast blur edges is discussed and analyzed. We propose a psychophysical test based on a two-alternative forced choice test. The results found for three adult observers show a comparable behavior. A tendency for the blur threshold to reach an average value as contrast increases is mainly discussed. These results complement previous ones from other authors for which low- and intermediate-contrast ranges were analyzed. The observed behavior suggests a need to improve algorithms for image quality assessment, extending the actual range of contrast values to high-contrast ones.