is a foundational work by Ian P. Howard that serves as a definitive technical review of the biological and psychophysical processes allowing humans and animals to navigate a three-dimensional world.
Howard details historical display systems like panoramas, peepshows, and the invention of the stereoscope, which first allowed humans to artificially simulate depth. Perceiving in Depth Volume 1 Basic Mechanisms
The text follows the visual signal from the eye through the Lateral Geniculate Nucleus (LGN) to the visual cortex. It pays specific attention to the columnar organization of the cortex, which is specialized for depth-related processing. is a foundational work by Ian P
A detailed analysis covers how disruptions during these critical periods—such as strabismus (crossed eyes) or monocular deprivation—can lead to permanent defects like amblyopia (lazy eye) or a total loss of stereoscopic vision. The text follows the visual signal from the
Howard provides a comprehensive review of how depth perception matures from the embryonic stage to post-natal life.
As the first entry in a three-volume series, it focuses exclusively on the sensory and physiological "building blocks" of depth perception, moving from historical discovery to the latest in neural plasticity.
A significant portion of the work is dedicated to the anatomy and physiology of the primate visual system.