Sensory Polymorphism and Behavior: When Machine Vision Meets Monkey Eyes

Polymorphism in the peripheral sensory system (e.g., congenital individual differences in photopigment configuration) is important in diverse research fields, ranging from evolutionary biology to engineering, because of its potential relationship to the cognitive and behavioral variability among individuals. However, there is a gap between the current understanding of sensory polymorphism and the behavioral variability that is an outcome of potentially complex cognitive processes in natural environments. Linking peripheral sensor properties to behavior requires computational models of nervous processes transforming sensory representations into actions, based on quantitative data from physiological and behavioral studies. Recently, studies based on machine vision approaches are shedding light on the quantitative relationships between sensory polymorphisms and the resulting behavioral variability. To reach a convergent understanding of the functional impacts of sensory polymorphisms in realistic environments, a close coordination among physiological, behavioral, and computational approaches is required. Aiming at enhancing such integrative researches, this paper provides an overview of the recent progress in those interdisciplinary approaches, and suggests effective strategies for such integrative paradigms.