Cronly-Dillon J, Persaud K C, Blore R
Department of Optometry and Neuroscience, University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, Manchester M60 1QD, UK.
Proc Biol Sci. 2000 Nov 7;267(1458):2231-8. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2000.1273.
Blind (previously sighted) subjects are able to analyse, describe and graphically represent a number of high-contrast visual images translated into musical form de novo. We presented musical transforms of a random assortment of photographic images of objects and urban scenes to such subjects, a few of which depicted architectural and other landmarks that may be useful in navigating a route to a particular destination. Our blind subjects were able to use the sound representation to construct a conscious mental image that was revealed by their ability to depict a visual target by drawing it. We noted the similarity between the way the visual system integrates information from successive fixations to form a representation that is stable across eye movements and the way a succession of image frames (encoded in sound) which depict different portions of the image are integrated to form a seamless mental image. Finally, we discuss the profound resemblance between the way a professional musician carries out a structural analysis of a musical composition in order to relate its structure to the perception of musical form and the strategies used by our blind subjects in isolating structural features that collectively reveal the identity of visual form.
盲人（以前有视力）受试者能够对一些高对比度视觉图像进行分析、描述并以图形方式呈现，这些图像被重新转化为音乐形式。我们将一系列随机的物体和城市景观照片图像的音乐转换呈现给这些受试者，其中一些描绘了建筑和其他地标，这些地标可能有助于规划前往特定目的地的路线。我们的盲人受试者能够利用声音表示构建有意识的心理图像，这通过他们绘制视觉目标的能力得以体现。我们注意到视觉系统整合来自连续注视的信息以形成在眼动过程中稳定的表征的方式，与描绘图像不同部分的一系列图像帧（编码为声音）被整合以形成无缝心理图像的方式之间存在相似性。最后，我们讨论了专业音乐家对音乐作品进行结构分析以便将其结构与音乐形式的感知联系起来的方式，与我们的盲人受试者在分离结构特征以共同揭示视觉形式的身份时所使用的策略之间的深刻相似性。
