Continuous symmetry: a model for human figural perception.

Symmetry is usually viewed as a discrete feature: an object is either symmetric or non-symmetric. In this presentation, symmetry is treated as a continuous feature and a continuous measure of symmetry (the Symmetry Distance) is defined. This measure can be easily evaluated for any shape or pattern in any dimension. A preliminary study presented here shows that the Symmetry Distance is commensurate with human perceptual experience. Good correlation is found between the continuous symmetry values and the perceived goodness of figures.