Information-Based Analysis of the Relation Between Visual Stimuli and Human Eye Movements

Abstract

Analysis of the influence of external stimuli on human eye movements is an important challenge in vision research. In this paper, we investigate the influence of applied visual stimuli on variations of eye movements. For this purpose, we employ information theory, which provides us with tools such as Shannon entropy as the indicator of information content of process. This study for the first time reveals the relation between the information content of eye movements and the information content of visual stimuli. Based on the performed analysis, the information content of eye movements time series shifts toward the information content of applied visual stimuli, where the greater variation in Shannon entropy of visual stimuli causes the greater variation in the Shannon entropy of eye movements time series. The observed behavior is explained through nervous system. As a rehabilitation purpose, the employed methodology in this research can be investigated in case of patients with vision problems, with the aim of improving patients’ vision.