A Stimulus-Response Processing Framework for Pupil Dynamics Assessment during Iso-Luminant Stimuli

Pupil size is governed by the synergic action of the Autonomic Nervous System. Pupil Diameter (PD) is primarily influenced by the light level and it is responsive to variations of global luminance level. However, recent studies have shown that there is also a high-level interpretation which could modulate this physiological response. In this paper, we develop an ad-hoc protocol based on iso-luminant stimuli and validate its effectiveness for the analysis of high-level modulation of pupil response. A visual illusion was reproduced from literature and adapted in two different colors. Prior to the response analysis, a reconstruction of the missing data due to blinks and other artifacts were reconstructed by using a recently developed signal reconstruction algorithm (Iterative - Single Spectrum Analysis: I-SSA); then both time and frequency domain parameters were extracted from the PD signal. Results indicate that there are peculiarly different responses to iso-luminant stimuli with different image structures and dominating colors, thus indicating a possible high-level processing mechanism. Our results pave the way for future evaluation of comatose or generic unconscious state based on non-contact pupil dynamics assessment.