	  	The thesis examines tilt illusions and aftereffects in  	<a href="http://www.cs.utexas.edu/users/nn/web-pubs/htmlbook96/sirosh/"> 	RF-LISSOM</a> (Sirosh and Miikkulainen, 1995), a self-organizing model  	of the primary visual cortex that incorporates such lateral interactions.   	It is demonstrated that the self-organizing principles driving RF-LISSOM 	result in aftereffects which are qualitatively and quantitatively 	similar to those measured in humans.  On the basis of these results, 	a new explanation for so-called ``indirect effects'' (interactions 	between lines with very different orientations) is proposed in the 	thesis.  The self-organizing model should also apply to other figural 	aftereffects, such as spatial frequency aftereffects, which we predict 	result from the same lateral interaction processes. </blockquote>  A preliminary report of the research is available as <a href="http://www.cs.utexas.edu/users/nn/pages/publications/abstracts.html#miikkulainen.visual-cortex.ps.Z"> a PostScript file</a>.  I am also beginning my doctoral research, which will include further simulations of detailed low-level visual behavior, using an extension of the RF-LISSOM model.  </blockquote>  <a name="contact"> <h2>
