The ability to automatically detect visually interesting regions in images has many practical applications, especially in the design of active machine vision and automatic visual surveillance systems. Analysis of the statistics of image features at observers' gaze can provide insights into the mechanisms of fixation selection in humans. Using a foveated analysis framework, we studied the statistics of four low-level local image features: luminance, contrast, and bandpass outputs of both luminance and contrast, and discovered that image patches around human fixations had, on average, higher values of each of these features than image patches selected at random. Contrast-bandpass showed the greatest difference between human and random fixations, followed by luminance-bandpass, RMS contrast, and luminance. Using these measurements, we present a new algorithm that selects image regions as likely candidates for fixation. These regions are shown to correlate well with fixations recorded from human observers.

Since publication in 1982, the 50-item National Adult Reading Test (NART; Nelson, 1982; NART–R; Nelson & Willison, 1991) has remained a widely adopted method for estimating premorbid intelligence both for clinical and research purposes. However, the NART has not been standardised against the most recent revisions of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-III; Wechsler, 1997, and WAIS-IV; Wechsler, 2008). Our objective, therefore, was to produce reliable standardised estimates of WAIS-IV IQ from the NART. Ninety-two neurologically healthy British adults were assessed and regression equations calculated to produce population estimates of WAIS-IV full-scale IQ (FSIQ) and constituent index scores. Results showed strong NART/WAIS-IV FSIQ correlations with more moderate correlations observed between NART error and constituent index scores. FSIQ estimates were closely similar to the published WAIS and WAIS-R estimates at the high end of the distribution, but at the lower end were approximately equidistant from the highly discrepant WAIS (low) and WAIS-R (high) values. We conclude that the NART is likely to remain an important tool for estimating the impact of neurological damage on general cognitive ability. We advise caution in the use of older published WAIS and/or WAIS-R estimates for estimating premorbid WAIS-IV FSIQ, particularly for those with low NART scores.

To evaluate impact of neurological injury on cognitive performance it is typically necessary to derive a baseline (or “premorbid”) estimate of a patient’s general cognitive ability prior to the onset of impairment. In this paper, we consider a range of common methods for producing this estimate, including those based on current best performance, embedded “hold/no-hold” tests, demographic information, and word reading ability. Ninety-two neurologically healthy adult participants were assessed on the full Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV; Wechsler, D. (2008). Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (4th ed.). San Antonio, TX: Pearson Assessment.) and on two widely used word reading tests: National Adult Reading Test (NART; Nelson, H. E. (1982). National Adult Reading Test (NART): For the assessment of premorbid intelligence in patients with dementia: Test manual. Windsor: NFER-Nelson.; Nelson, H. E., & Willison, J. (1991). National Adult Reading Test (NART). Windsor: NFER-Nelson.) and Wechsler Test of Adult Reading (WTAR; Wechsler, D. (2001). Wechsler Test of Adult Reading: WTAR. San Antonio, TX: Psychological Corporation.). Our findings indicate that reading tests provide the most reliable and precise estimates of WAIS-IV full-scale IQ, although the addition of demographic data provides modest improvement. Nevertheless, we observed considerable variability in correlations between NART/WTAR scores and individual WAIS-IV indices, which indicated particular usefulness in estimating more crystallised premorbid abilities (as represented by the verbal comprehension and general ability indices) relative to fluid abilities (working memory and perceptual reasoning indices). We discuss and encourage the development of new methods for improving premorbid estimates of cognitive abilities in neurological patients.

"DOVES: a database of visual eye movements" published on 01 Jan 2009 by Brill.