Computational models of the human stereo system' can provide insight into general information processing constraints that apply to any stereo system, either artificial or biological. In 1977, Marr and Poggio proposed one such computational model, that was characterized as matching certain feature points in difference-of-Gaussian filtered images, and using the information obtained by matching coarser resolution representations to restrict the search'space for matching finer resolution representations. An implementation of the algorithm and'its testing on a range of images was reported in 1980. Since then a number of psychophysical experiments have suggested possible refinements to the model and modifications to the algorithm. As well, recent computational experiments applying the algorithm to a variety of natural images, especially aerial photographs, have led to a number of modifications. In this article, we present a version of the Marr-Poggio-Gfimson algorithm that embodies these modifications and illustrate its performance on a series of natural images.

Binocular disparity and motion parallax are powerful cues to the relative depth between objects. However to recover absolute depth, either additional scaling parameters are required to calibrate the information provided by each cue, or it can be recovered through the combination of information from both cues (Richards, W. (1985). Structure from stereo and motion. Journal of the Optical Society of America, 2, 343 -- 349). However, not all tasks necessarily require a full specification of the absolute depth structure of a scene and so psychophysical performance may vary depending on the amount of information available, and the degree to which absolute depth structure is required. The experiments reported here used three different tasks that varied in the type of geometric information required in order for them to be completed successfully. These included a depth nulling task, a depth-matching task, and an absolute depth judgement (shape) task. Real world stimuli were viewed (i) monocularly with head movements, (ii) binocularly and static, or (iii) binocularly with head movements. No effect of viewing condition was found whereas there was a large effect of task. Performance was accurate on the matching and nulling tasks and much less accurate on the shape task. The fact that the same perceptual distortions were not evident in all tasks suggests that the visual system can switch strategy according to the demands of the particular task. No evidence was found to suggest that the visual system could exploit the simultaneous presence of disparity and motion parallax. 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.