Last Updated : April 29, 2008

Portrait of Prof. Robert M. Steinman

ROBERT MARTIN STEINMAN

E-mail: drrmsteinman@gmail.com 
Telephone: 301-221-9668

EDUCATION:

 


Dental School, St. Louis University                    D.D.S.


1948

Graduate Faculty, New School University         M.A. 

1962 

Graduate Faculty, New School University         Ph.D. 

1964 

N.I.H. Postdoctoral Fellow (UPENN: Prof. J. Nachmias, Sponsor) 

1962-64 

   

EXPERIENCE IN DENTISTRY AND HIGHER EDUCATION:

 



Private Dental Practice, NYC, NY
Military Service, US ARMY Dental Corps (France)



1948-52: 1954-58
1952-1954

Teaching Fellow, Graduate Faculty, New School University 

1959-61 

Research Associate, University of Pennsylvania 

1961-64 

Assistant Professor, University of Maryland at College Park 

1964-67 

Associate Professor, University of Maryland at College Park

1967-72 

Professor, University of Maryland at College Park

1972-2008

Visiting Scholar, Purdue University

2007-2008

Emeritus Professor, University of Maryland at College Park

2008-

   

AWARDS:

 
   

Lindback Award for Teaching Excellence

1967 

Elected Fellow of American Association for Advancement of Science

1980

Elected Fellow of Optical Society of America

1981

Elected Fellow of American Psychological Society

1994

Sigma Xi, UMCP, Lifetime Contribution to Science Award 

1996 




MEMBERSHIPS:

   

American Association for Advancement of Science

American Psychological Society

Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology

Cognitive Science Society

Optical Society of America

Psychonomic Society

Society for Neuroscience

 

BOOK:

 

Pizlo, Z., Li, Y., Sawada, T. & Steinman, R.M. (2014) Making a machine that sees like us. Oxford University Press. New York.

   

PUBLICATIONS IN REFEREED JOURNALS:

 

(The titles are links to PDF-files. They are intended to provide a single copy for personal use only. Reprints, when still available, will be sent in response to email or snailmail requests.)

 

Nachmias, J. & Steinman, R. M. (1963). Study of absolute visual detection by the rating-scale method. Journal of the Optical Society of America, 53, 1206-1213. 

 

Nachmias, J. & Steinman, R. M. (1965). An experimental comparison of the method of limits and the staircase method. American Journal of Psychology, 78, 112-115. 

 

Nachmias, J. & Steinman, R. M. (1965). Brightness and discriminability of light flashes. Vision Research, 5, 545-558. 

 

Steinman, R. M. (1965) Effect of target size, luminance and color on monocular fixation. Journal of the Optical Society of America, 55,1158-1165. 

 

Steinman, R. M., Cunitz, R. J., Timberlake, G.T.. & Herman, M. (1967) Voluntary control of microsaccades during maintained monocular fixation. Science, 155, 1577-1579.

 

Steinman, R. M. & Cunitz, R. J. (1968) Fixation of targets near the absolute foveal threshold. Vision Research, 8, 277-286. 

 

Puckett, Jane deWeese & Steinman, R. M. (1969) Tracking eye movements with and without saccadic correction. Vision Research, 9, 695-703. 

 

Cunitz, R. J.. & Steinman, R. M. (1969) Comparison of saccadic eye movements during fixation and reading. Vision Research, 9, 683-693. 

 

Steinman, R. M., Skavenski, A. A. & Sansbury, R.V. (1969) Effect of lens accommodation on holding the eye in place without saccades. Vision Research, 9, 629-631. 

 

Steinman, R. M., Skavenski, A. A. & Sansbury, R.V. (1969) Voluntary control of smooth pursuit velocity. Vision Research, 9, 1167-1171.

 

Skavenski, A. A. & Steinman, R. M. (1970) Control of eye position in the dark. Vision Research, 10, 193-203. 

 

Skavenski, A. A., Haddad, G. & Steinman, R. M. (1972) The extraretinal signal for the visual perception of direction. Perception & Psychophysics, 11, 287-290. 

 

Timberlake, G. T., Wyman, D., Skavenski, A. A. & Steinman, R. M.(1972) The oculomotor error signal in the fovea. Vision Research, 12,1059-1064. 

 

Haddad, G. M. & Steinman, R. M. (1973). The smallest voluntary saccade: Implications for fixation. Vision Research, 13, 1075-1086. 

 

Kupin, J. J., Haddad, G. M., & Steinman, R. M. (1973) Saccades in Neal's Square of Three. Perception & Psychophysics, 14, 298-300. 

 

Sansbury, R. V., Skavenski, A. A., Haddad, G. M. & Steinman, R. M.(1973) Normal fixation of eccentric targets. Journal of the Optical Society of America, 63, 612-614. 

 

Wyman, D. & Steinman, R. M. (1973) Small step tracking: Implications for the oculomotor "dead zone". Vision Research, 13, 2165-2172. 

 

Wyman, D. & Steinman, R. M. (1973) Latency characteristics of small saccades. Vision Research, 13, 2165-2172. 

 

Steinman, R. M., Haddad, G. M., Skavenski, A. A. & Wyman, D. (1973) Miniature Eye Movement. Science, 181, 810-819. 

 

Murphy, B. J., Haddad, G. M. & Steinman, R. M. (1974) Simple forms and fluctuations of the line of sight: Implications for motor theories of form processing. Perception & Psychophysics, 16, 557-563. 

 

Murphy, B. J., Kowler, E. & Steinman, R. M. (1975) Slow oculomotor control in the presence of moving backgrounds. Vision Research, 15,1263-1268. 

 

Skavenski, A. A., Robinson, D.A., Steinman, R. M. & Timberlake,G. T. (1975) Miniature eye movements in rhesus monkey. Vision Research,15, 1269-1273. 

 

Kowler, E. & Steinman (1977) The role of small saccades in counting. Vision Research, 17, 141-146. 

 

Winterson, B. J.,  & Steinman, R. M. (1978) The effect of luminance on human smooth pursuit of perifoveal and foveal targets. Vision Research, 18, 1165-1172. 

 

Kowler, E., Murphy, B. J. & Steinman, R. M. (1978) Velocity matching during smooth pursuit of different targets on different backgrounds. Vision Research, 18, 603-605. 

 

Kowler, E. & Steinman, R. M. (1979) Miniature saccades: eye movements that do not count. Vision Research, 19, 105-108. 

 

Kowler, E. & Steinman, R. M. (1979) The effects of expectations on slow oculomotor control - I : Periodic target steps. Vision Research, 19, 619-632. 

 

Kowler, E. & Steinman, R. M. (1979) The effects of expectations on slow oculomotor control - II: Single target displacements. Vision Research, 19, 33-646. 

 

Skavenski, A. A., Hansen, R. M., Steinman, R. M. & Winterson, B. J. (1979) Quality of retinal image stabilization during small natural and artificial rotations in man. Vision Research, 19, 678-683. 

 

Winterson, B. J.., Collewijn, H. & Steinman, R. M. (1979) Compensatory eye movements to miniature rotations in the rabbit: implications for retinal image stability. Vision Research, 19, 1155-1159. 

 

Winterson, B. J. & Steinman, R. M. (1979) Proprioceptive information neither improves fixation stability nor reduces autokinesis. Vision Research, 19, 1289-1291. 

 

Kowler, E. & Steinman, R. M. (1980) Small saccades serve no useful purpose: Reply to a letter by R. W. Ditchburn. Vision Research, 20, 273-276. 

 

Steinman, R. M. & Collewijn, H. (1980) Binocular retinal image motion during active head rotation. Vision Research, 20, 415-429.

 

Kowler, E. & Steinman, R. M. (1981) The effect of expectations on slow oculomotor control III - Guessing unpredictable target displacements. Vision Research, 21, 191-203. 

 

Collewijn, H., Martins, A. J. & Steinman, R. M. (1981) The time course of adaptation of human compensatory eye movements. Documenta Ophthalmologia, 30, 123-133. 

 

Steinman, R. M., Cushman, W. B. & Martins, A. J. (1982) The precision of gaze. Human Neurobiology, 1, 97-109. 

 

Collewijn, H., Martins, A. J.. & Steinman, R. M. (1983) Compensatory eye movements during active and passive head movements: Fast adaptation to changes in visual magnification. Journal of Physiology (London), 340, 259-286. 

 

Cushman, W. B., Tangney, J. F., Steinman, R. M. and Ferguson, J. L. (1984) Characteristics of smooth eye movements with stabilized targets. Vision Research, 24, 1003-1009. 

 

Steinman, R. M., Levinson, J. Z., Collewijn, H. and Van der Steen, J. (1985) Vision in the presence of known natural retinal image motion. Journal of the Optical Society of America A, 2, 226-233. 

 

Collewijn, H., Van der Steen, Steinman, R. M. (1985) Human eye movements associated with blinks and prolonged eye-lid closure. Journal of Neurophysiology, 54, 11-27. 

 

Steinman, R. M. (1986) The need for an eclectic, rather than systems, approach to the study of the primate oculomotor system. Vision Research, 26, 101-112. 

 

Steinman, R. M. (1986) Eye movement. Vision Research, 26, 1389-1400. 

 

Collewijn, H. Erkelens, C. J. & Steinman, R. M. (1988) Binocular co-ordination of human horizontal eye movements. Journal of Physiology (London), 404, 157-182. 

 

Collewijn, H., Erkelens, C. & Steinman, R. M. (1988) Binocular co-ordination of human vertical saccadic eye movements. Journal of Physiology (London), 404, 183-197. 

 

Erkelens, C., Van der Steen, J., Steinman, R. M., & Collewijn, H. (1989 a) Ocular vergence under natural conditions. I. Continuous changes of target distance along the median plane. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B, 236, 417-440. 

 

Erkelens, C. Steinman, C. & Collewijn, H. (1989 b) Ocular vergence under natural conditions. II. Gaze-shifts between real targets differing in distance and direction. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B, 236, 441-465. 

 

Erkelens, C., Collewijn, H. & Steinman, R. M. (1989 c). Asymmetrical adaptation of human saccades to anisometropic spectacles. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 30, 1132-1145. 

 

Steinman, R. M., Kowler, E. & Collewijn, H. (1990) New directions for oculomotor research. Vision Research, 30, 1845-1864. 

 

Dell' Osso, L. F., Van der Steen, Steinman, R. M. and Collewijn, H.(1992) Foveation dynamics in congenital nystagmus: I. Fixation. Documenta Ophthalmologia, 79, 1-24. 

 

Dell' Osso, L. F., Van der Steen, Steinman, R. M. & Collewijn,H. (1992) Foveation dynamics in congenital nystagmus: II. Smooth Pursuit. Documenta Ophthalmologia, 79, 25-50. 

 

Dell' Osso, L. F., Van der Steen, Steinman, R. M. & Collewijn, H. (1992). Foveation dynamics in congenital nystagmus: III. VOR. Documenta Ophthalmologia, 79, 51-70. 

 

Epelboim, J., Booth, J. & Steinman, R. M. (1994) Reading unspaced text: implications for theories of reading eye movements. Vision Research, 34, 1735-1766. 

 

Collewijn, H., Erkelens, C. J. & Steinman, R. M. (1995) Voluntary binocular gaze-shifts in the plane of regard: Dynamics of version and vergence. Vision Research, 35, 3335-3358. 

 

Epelboim, J., Kowler, E., Steinman, R. M., Collewijn, H. Erkelens,C. J. & Pizlo, Z. (1995) When push comes to shove: Compensation for passive perturbations of the head during natural gaze shifts. Journal of Vestibular Research, 5, 421-442.

 

Epelboim. J., Steinman, R. M., Kowler, E., Edwards, M., Pizlo, Z., Erkelens, C. J. & Collewijn, H. (1995) Visual search and memory in sequential looking tasks. Vision Research, 35, 3401-3422. 

 

Epelboim, J., Booth, J. & Steinman, R. M. (1996) Much ado about nothing: the place of space in text. Vision Research, 36, 461-470. 

 

Collewijn, H., Erkelens, C. J. & Steinman, R. M. (1997) Trajectories of the human binocular fixation point during conjugate and non-conjugate gaze-shifts. Vision Research, 37, 1049-1069. 

 

Epelboim. J., Steinman, R. M., Kowler, E., Edwards, M., Pizlo, Z., Erkelens, C. J.& Collewijn, H. (1997) Gaze-shift dynamics in two kinds of sequential looking tasks. Vision Research, 37, 2597-2607.

 

Epelboim, J., Booth, J. R., Ashkenazy, R., Taleghani, A. & Steinman, R. M. (1997) Fillers and spaces in text: The importance of word recognition during reading. Vision Research, 37, 2899-2914. 

 

Malinov, I. V., Epelboim, J., Herst, A. H. & Steinman, R. M. (2000) Characteristics of saccades and vergence in two kinds of looking tasks. Rapid communication. Vision Research, 40, 2083-2090.

 

Steinman, R. M., Pizlo, Z. & Pizlo, F. J. (2000) Phi is not beta, and why Wertheimer's discovery launched the Gestalt revolution: Mini Review. Vision Research, 40, 2257-2264.

 

Herst, A. H., Epelboim, J. & Steinman, R. M. (2001) Head and eye coordination during a natural sequential tapping task. Vision Research, 41, 3307-3319.

 

Logvinenko, A. D., Epelboim, J. & Steinman, R. M. (2001) The role of vergence in the perception of distance: A fair test of the Bishop Berkeley's claim. Spatial Vision, 15, 77-97.

 

Logvinenko, A.D. & Steinman, R.M. (2002) Fixation on fixation impedes cognition: Reply to a Commentary by Kohly & Ono. Spatial Vision, 15, 387-391

 

Steinman, R. M., Pizlo, Z., Forofonova, T. I., Epelboim, J. (2003) One fixates accurately in order to see clearly not because one sees clearly. Spatial Vision, 16, 225-241.


Pizlo, Z., Li, Y. & Steinman, R.M. (2008) Binocular disparity only comes into play when everything else fails; a finding with broader implications that one might suppose. Spatial Vision 21, 495-508.


Li, Y., Pizlo, Z. & Steinman, R.M. (2009) A computational model that recovers the 3D shape of an object from a single 2D retinal representation. Vision Research 49, 979-991.


Pizlo, Z., Sawada, T., Li, Y., Kropatsch, W.G. & Steinman, R.M. (2010) New approach to the perception of 3D shape based on veridicality, complexity, symmetry and volume. Minireview. Vision Research 50, 1-11.


Li, Y., Sawada, T., Latecki, L.J., Steinman, R.M. & Pizlo, Z. (2012) A tutorial explaining a machine vision model that emulates human performance when it recovers natural 3D scenes from 2D images. Journal of Mathematical Psychology 56, 217-231.


BOOK CHAPTERS:

 

Steinman, R. M. (1975) Oculomotor effects on vision. In: Ocular Motility and Its Clinical Implications. Edited by Bach y Rita and Lennerstrand,Wenner-Gren Symposium Series, Pergamon, Oxford, pp. 395-415. 

 

Steinman, R. M. (1976) The role of eye movements in maintaining a phenomenally clear and stable visual world. In: Eye Movements and PsychologicalProcesses. Edited by Monty and Senders, Hillsdale, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, pp.121-154. 

 

Collewijn, H., Martins, A. J. & Steinman, R. M. (1981) The time course of adaptation of human compensatory eye movements, In: Documenta Opthalmologica Proceedings Series 30. Edited by H. E. Henkes, Dr W. Junk  Publishers, London.  pp 123-133. 

 

Collewijn, H., Martins, A. J. & Steinman, R. M. (1981) Natural retinal image motion: Origin and change, Annals of the New York Academy of Science, 374, 312-329. 

 

Steinman, R. M. & Levinson, J. Z. (1990) The role of eye movement in the detection of contrast and detail. In: Eye Movements and their Role in Visual and Cognitive Processes. Edited by E. Kowler, Elsevier Science (Biomedical Division), Amsterdam. Pp. 115-212. 

 

Collewijn, H., Steinman, R. M., Erkelens, C. J. & Regan, D. (1991) Binocular fusion, stereopsis and stereoacuity with a moving head. In: Vision and Visual Dysfunction, vol. 10A: Binocular Vision. (Edited by D. Regan), MacMillan, London, pp. 121-136. 

 

Kowler, E., Pizlo, Z., Zhur, G. J. Erkelens, C. Steinman, R. M. &Collewijn, H. (1992) Coordination of head and eyes during the performanceof natural (and unnatural) visual tasks. In: The Head-Neck Sensory MotorSystem. Edited by Berthoz, A., Vidal, P. P. and Graf, W., Oxford University Press, London, pp. 419-426. 

 

Collewijn, H., Steinman, R. M., Erkelens, C.J., Pizlo, Z. & Van der Steen (1992) The effect of freeing the head on eye movement characteristics during 3-D shifts of gaze and tracking. In: The Head-Neck Sensory MotorSystem. Edited by Berthoz, A., Vidal, P.P. and Graf, W., Oxford University Press, London, pp. 412-418

 

Collewijn, H., Steinman, R. M. Erkelens, C.J., Kowler E. & J. Van der Steen (1992) Binocular gaze control under free-head conditions. In:Vestibular and Brain Stem Control of Eye, Head and Body Movements, Edited by Shimazu, H. and Shinoda, Y. Karger, Basel, pp. 203-220. 

 

Collewijn, H., Erkelens, C. J., Pizlo, Z. & Steinman, R. M.(1994) Binocular gaze movements: coordination of vergence and version.In: Eye Movements in Reading, Edited by Ygge, J. & Lennerstrand, G., (Wenner-Gren International Science Series: Vol. 64), Pergamon, Oxford,pp. 97-115. 

 

Steinman, R. M. (1995) Moveo ergo video: Natural retinal image motion and its effect on vision. In: Exploratory Vision: The ActiveEye, Edited by Landy, M. S., Maloney, L. T. and Pavel, M., Springer-Verlag,New York, pp. 3-50. 

 

 Steinman, R.M. (2003) Gaze Control Under natural Conditions.  in The Visual Neurosciences, edited by Chalupa, L.M. & Werner, J.S.; MIT Press, Cambridge, pp. 1339-1356.

 

 Steinman, R.M., Menezes, W. & Herst, A.N. (2005) Handling Real Forms in Real Life. In: Seeing Spatial Form. Edited by Jenkin, M. & Harris, L, Oxford University Press, Oxford., pp.  187-212.

 

 Li, Y., Sawada, T., Shi, Y., Steinman, R.M. & Pizlo, Z. (2013) Symmetry is the sine qua non of shape. In: Shape perception in human and computer vision. Edited by Dickinson, S.J. & Pizlo, Z. Springer, London. pp. 21-40.


RELATED PAPERS:

 

(Research done in Steinman's laboratory, closely related to work done there, or related to an exchange of  Letters)

 

Ditchburn, R. W. (1980) The function of small saccades. Vision Research, 20, 271-272.

 

Epelboim, J. & Kowler, E. (1993) Slow control with eccentric targets: Evidence against a position-corrective model. Vision Research, 33, 361-380.

 

Epelboim, J.  (1998) Gaze and retinal-image-stability in two kinds of sequential looking tasks. Vision Research, 38, 3773-3784.

 

Epelboim, J. & Suppes P. (2001) A model of eye movements and visual working memory during problem solving in geometry. Vision Research, 41, 1561-1574.

 

Haddad, G. M. & Winterson, B. J. (1975) Effect of flicker on oculomotor performance. In: Basic Mechanisms of Ocular Motility and Their Clinical Implications, Edited by Lennerstrand, G. & Back-Y-Rita, P., Pergamon, Oxford & New York, pp. 489-493. 

 

Kohly, R. & Ono, H.  (2002) Fixating on the wallpaper illlusion: a commentary on 'The role of vergence in the perception of distance: a fair test of Bishop Berkeley's claim by Logvineko et al (2001). Spatial Vision, 15, 377-386. 

 

Kowler, E., Martins, A.J. & Pavel, M.  (1984) The effect of expectations on slow oculomotor control IV - Anticipatory smooth eye movements depend on prior target motions. Vision Research, 24, 197-210. 

 

Kowler, E., Van Der Steen, J., Tamminga, E.P. & Collewijn, H. (1984) Voluntary selection of the target for smooth eye movement in the presence of superimposed, full-feild stationary and moving stimuli. Vision Research, 24, 1789-1798. 

 

Kowler, E., (1990) The role of visual and cognitive processes in the control of eye movement. In: Eye Movements and Their Role in Visual and Cognitive Processes, Edited by Kowler, E., Elsevier Science, Amsterdam, pp. 1-70. 

 

Kowler, E., (1995) Cogito Ergo Moveo: Cognitive control of eye movement. In: Exploratory Vision: The ActiveEye, Edited by Landy, M. S., Maloney, L. T. and Pavel, M., Springer-Verlag,New York, pp. 51-77. 

 

Martins, A. J., Kowler, E. & Palmer, C., (1985) Smooth pursuit of small-amplitude sinusoidal motion. Journal of the Optical Society of America A, 2, 234-242.

 

Murphy, B. J., (1978) Pattern thresholds for moving and stationary gratings during smooth eye movement. Vision Research, 18, 521-530.

 

Rayner, K. & Pollatsek, A. (1996) Reading unspaced text is not easy: Commentson the implications of Epelboim et al.'s (1994) study for models of eye movement control in reading. Vision Research, 36, 461-470.

 

Skavenski, A. A., (1971) Extraretinal correction and memory for target position. Vision Research, 11,743-746.                       

 

Skavenski, A. A., (1972) Inflow as a source of extraretinal eye position information. Vision Research, 12,221-229.                       

 

Winterson, B. J. & Robinson, D. A., (1975) Fixation by the alert but solitary cat. Vision Research, 15,1349-1352.                       

 

Collewijn, H., & Kowler, E. (2008). The significance of microsaccades for vision and oculomotor control. Journal of Vision, 8(14):20.

   

EXTRAMURAL GRANTS:

 
   

NIH, NEI Grant "Stimulus Variables in Monocular Fixation"

1965-77

Renewed 1969, 1974, 1977 but declined in 1977

 
   

NSF "Human Oculomotor Capacity".

1977-83

Renewed but declined in 1983

 
   

Visiting Scientist Travel Grant from the Netherlands Z.W.O.

1978

   

NIH, NEI Grant "Human Oculomotor Capacity"

1983-89

   

Visiting Scientist Travel Grant from the Netherlands MEDIGON

1989

   

AFOSR Grant "Coordinated Action in 3-D Space"

1990-94

   

AASERT Training Grant (supplement to AFOSR above)

1992-95

   

AFOSR Grant "Coordinated Action in 3-D Space II"

1994-97

   

AFOSR Grant "Coordinating Actions in Nearby 3-D Space"

1997-00

   

AASERT Training Grant (supplement to AFOSR just above)

1997-00

   

AFOSR Computer Analysis Equipment Grant

1999

   

AFOSR Funded extension of "Coordinating Actions..."

2000

   

AFOSR Grant "Natural Head-Eye Coordination"

2002-2005

   

DoD/AFOSR Grant "Robotic navigation emulating human performance" (consultant)

2009-2011