Computation in Neural Systems:

Biological and Computational Vision

Thursdays 17.15 h to 19.00 h

(See plan here)

The course starts on Thursday, February 22, 2024 Room Y35-F-32
The lectures will be recorded and the recordings posted here.

Organizer: Prof. Daniel Kiper

This interdisciplinary course is open to all students of the University of Zurich and of the ETH Zurich. Typically, our students come from Biology, Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, and Psychology. Whether you intend to take the course for credit or to just sit in it, you do not have to ask permission, everybody is welcome. This is not a computer vision course, but one that explains the computations performed in biological visual systems.

Materials. The topics covered in each lecture are summarized in the slides used for each lecture, which are available on this website (in pdf format). The main material for the course is therefore your own notes, taken during the lectures. For some lectures, we have additional text, which is also distributed in class. People who would like to know more about vision may want to look at a book: Wandell, B. (1995) Foundations of Vision. Sunderland, MA: Sinauer. Here is a free access to the book.

Assistance. If you do not understand something, fix an appointment with the lecturer. If you miss a lecture, download the slides and ask a friend to explain them to you.

Exercises. The exercises will be explained as the semester progresses. Their nature ranges from online experiments to readings of papers.
The exercises are meant to help you evaluate your level of understanding. The correct answers to the exercises will be given in class. The exercises do not count for the final grade.

Language:

The course's official language is English, but you are free to ask questions in German. You can also speak German during the exam if you prefer.

Exam: The exam is a multiple choice exam, and will take place on May 30, 2024, at 5.15 pm, in room Y35-F-32 (i.e. the usual place and time). It lasts 60 minutes and is NOT open book.

Syllabus

The syllabus will be adjusted depending on progress

22.2 Intro and rapid overview of the visual pathway
Here are the slides.
Here is the recording.

29.2 Retina
Here are the slides
Here is the recording

7.3. Retina
This lecture takes place on Zoom only:
https://ethz.zoom.us/j/63660421929
Same slides as last week.
Here is the recording.

14.3 Introduction to V1
Here are the slides.
Due to a time collision with the Brainfair 2024, this lecture will last only 30 minutes (17.15-17.45)
Here is the first mandatory reading.
And the first exercise (do not hand it in, we will correct together in class next week).
Here is the recording.

21.3 V1 continued (same slides)
Here is the recording.

28.3 and 4.4 Easter break

11.4 End of V1, color vision
Here are the color vision slides
Here is a mandatory reading on linear systems
Here a few questions (exercises), similar to those you will have in the final exam.
Here is the recording.

18.4 End of color vision
Here is the recording