The basic mechanisms by which a skill controls and utilizes perception

Perception of gravity and vision are two types of perception that complement each other.

Perception of gravity is 'always on', and does not appear to require any action. It provides a vector from approximately the eyes to the centre of the earth. (For modeling convenience, we shall also assume such a vector from the waist (centre of gravity) to the centre of the earth.

Vision, on the other hand, relies on action. The head as well as the eyeballs may have to be turned, and the lens has to be focused. Also, we can daydream or not pay attention, so that the input is not always provided.

• vision requires action to orient the head and the eyeballs for the line of vision
• head and eyeball orientation combines with the visual content (images) to provide information
• dependence of vision on action: An animation of a walk that illustrates how the line of sight might move because of head movements, assuming there is no compensating movement of the eyeballs
• dependence of vision on action: An animation of a walk that illustrates how the line of sight might move because of head movements, assuming there is compensating movement of the eyeballs
• vision also requires focusing, which requires action on the lens of the eyeballs

Vision converts optical information in the world into neural (binary) information in the brain.

• The first stage is a raster-scan conversion from optics to electronics, rather like a video camera.
• the resultant information is pixellated, rather like the output of a video camera - especially the 3D versions
• the information is updated about 18 times a second (the flicker frequency)
• The next stage deals with converting the information into a form that allows it to be integrated with the action, so it can influence the action
• There is a lot of neuroscience research on information extraction and conversion, so I will pick simple and minimal pieces for the skills under consideration
• To simplify the models, I will skip the stages in information processing - but the information conversions assumed in these models must be compatible with the research
• The next stage deals with the integration of the information from perception with the information needed to control skilled action