Retiner 1.0: a software test bench to essay
and simulate retina models
By the CORTIVIS team for WP2 (Univ. of Granada , Spain
What for?
Retiner 1.0 is a software platform running under Matlab 6.5 intended for a highly parametric simulation of retina models.
It presents a friendly user interface allowing to set a variety of retina model
parameters, apply the model to an image source, and watch the results of the
processing performed in the form an array of spike events.
This
software has been developed to allow researchers to essay and adjust retina
models, predict its output, and compare it to the same output for biological
records under the same stimulus. This way, the team of experts involved in the
development of a cortical prosthesis for the CORTIVIS project has a tool useful for the design of the retinal
stage of the implantable device.
The fact
of being running on Matlab
allows almost any mathematical combination of filters to be applied to the
model.
The next
section describes some of the features of Retiner 1.0.
Features
- Multiple image sources:
allows feeding the retina model simulation with live video coming from a
web cam, AVI file videos, and several static image formats.
- Control of the gain for
every color channel of the source.
- Powerful filter designer:
conceived to create definitions of several kinds of spatial and temporal filters
(Differences of Gaussians, Laplacians, etc.),
and save them to create a user-customizable filter bank. Almost any combination
of filters is allowed. Different color-contrast
models (ON, OFF, ON-OFF).
- Configurable receptive
fields of different sizes and shapes: this allows to model foveated retinas, for example.
- User-defined output “electrode
array” dimensions.
- Full-screen output to
allow testing a retina model with a Head Mounted Display.
- Parametric spiking neuron
model.
- The user can save the
output to an AVI file.
- Detailed electrode record
viewer: allows selecting and watching electrodes and units for biological
records and for Retiner simulated outputs.
- On-line updates,
documentation and HTML help.
Some snapshots…
Source format menus:
The filter design menu:
Temporal filter definition:
Receptive fields design:
Spike events viewer:
Electrode and unit selection:
Retiner working…
