Matteo Toscani

Dr Matteo Toscani

  • u_mtoscani at bournemouth dot ac dot uk
  • Senior Lecturer in Psychology
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Biography

Since 2021 I'm a Lecturer at Bournemouth University. I did my undergraduate work in Florence (Italy), followed by an MSc thesis on the electroencephalographic correlates of visual sensitivity and memory for facial emotions.

After my graduation I moved to Giessen (Germany) to work on perception of color, material properties, and peripheral vision with Karl Gegenfurtner and Matteo Valsecchi. There I also had the chance to collaborate with with Roland Fleming, Katja Dörschner and Knut Drewing, investigating visual and haptic perception of material properties, and haptic exploration.

Outside Giessen, I worked with Pascal Mamassian on metacognition in peripheral vision, and on appearance of complex materials with Claudio and Dar’ya Guarnera.

By working with Arash Akbarinia I was introduced to the vast potential of DNNs.

My approach combines eye movement recordings with computer graphics and machine learning. I'm currently pursuing my interests in colour vision and peripheral vision, including peripheral perception of facial expressions...

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Research

I work on Visual and Haptic perception

Perception is an active process: I'm interested in how things appear, depending on their physical properties and they way we sample them with our senses.

I'm interested in colour perception and perception of material properties, eye movements and peripheral vision, haptic perception and haptic exploration, face perception (just starting).

Assiciate Editor for Frontiers in Neuroscience

Journal Articles

  • Metzger, A., Dugan, C., Toscani, M., 2025. The similarity with a face presented in central vision improves face recognition in peripheral vision. Perception, 54 (12), 975-985.
  • Toscani, M., Chen, T., Guarnera, G.C., 2025. Evaluation of classic colour constancy algorithms on spectrally rendered ground-truth. I Perception, 54 (7), 478-502.
  • Hedjar, L., Toscani, M., Gegenfurtner, K.R., 2025. Importance of hue: the effect of saturation on hue–chroma asymmetries. Journal of the Optical Society of America A Optics and Image Science and Vision, 42 (5), B305-B312.
  • Hedjar, L., Toscani, M., Gegenfurtner, K.R., 2025. Importance of hue: color discrimination of three-dimensional objects and two-dimensional discs. Journal of the Optical Society of America A Optics and Image Science and Vision, 42 (5), B296-B304.
  • Hedjar, L., Toscani, M., Gegenfurtner, K.R., 2025. Importance of hue: the effect of saturation on hue–chroma asymmetries. J. Opt. Soc. Am. A, 42 (5), B305-B312.
  • Sharvashidze, N., Toscani, M., Valsecchi, M., 2025. Peripheral overconfidence in a scene categorization task. Journal of Vision, 25 (10).
  • Metzger, A., Ennis, R.J., Doerschner, K., Toscani, M., 2024. Perceptual task drives later fixations and long latency saccades, while early fixations and short latency saccades are more automatic. Perception, 53 (8), 501-511.
  • Rodríguez, R.G., Hedjar, L., Toscani, M., Guarnera, D., Guarnera, G.C., Gegenfurtner, K.R., 2024. Color constancy mechanisms in virtual reality environments. Journal of Vision, 24 (5), 1-28.
  • Toscani, M., Wolf, P., Gegenfurtner, K.R., Braun, D.I., 2023. Context effects on the perception of saturation of fruit colors in still-life paintings. Journal of Vision, 23 (13), 8.
  • Zoghlami, F., Toscani, M., 2023. Foveal to peripheral extrapolation of facial emotion. Perception, 52 (7), 514-523.
  • Hedjar, L., Toscani, M., Gegenfurtner, K.R., 2023. Perception of saturation in natural objects. Journal of the Optical Society of America A Optics and Image Science and Vision, 40 (3), A190-A198.
  • Metzger, A., Toscani, M., 2022. Unsupervised learning of haptic material properties. Elife, 11.
  • Gil Rodríguez, R., Bayer, F., Toscani, M., Guarnera, D., Guarnera, G.C., Gegenfurtner, K.R., 2022. Colour Calibration of a Head Mounted Display for Colour Vision Research Using Virtual Reality. SN Computer Science, 3 (1).
  • Metzger, A., Toscani, M., Akbarinia, A., Valsecchi, M., Drewing, K., 2021. Deep neural network model of haptic saliency. Scientific Reports, 11 (1).
  • Toscani, M., Mamassian, P., Valsecchi, M., 2021. Underconfidence in Peripheral Vision. Journal of Vision, 21 (6).
  • Metzger, A., Toscani, M., Akbarinia, A., Valsecchi, M., Drewing, K., 2021. Deep neural network model of haptic saliency. Scientific Reports, 11.
  • Isherwood, Z.J., Huynh-Thu, Q., Arnison, M., Monaghan, D., Toscani, M., Perry, S., Honson, V., Kim, J., 2021. Surface properties and the perception of color. Journal of Vision, 21 (2), 1-22.
  • Metzger, A., Toscani, M., Valsecchi, M., Drewing, K., 2021. Target Search and Inspection Strategies in Haptic Search. IEEE Transactions on Haptics, 14 (4), 804-815.
  • Guarnera, D., Guarnera, G.C., Toscani, M., Glencross, M., Li, B., Hardeberg, J.Y., Gegenfurtner, K.R., 2020. Perceptually Validated Cross-Renderer Analytical BRDF Parameter Remapping. IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, 26 (6), 2258-2272.
  • Toscani, M., Guarnera, D., Guarnera, G.C., Hardeberg, J.Y., Gegenfurtner, K.R., 2020. Three Perceptual Dimensions for Specular and Diffuse Reflection. ACM Transactions on Applied Perception, 17 (2).
  • Toscani, M., Milojevic, Z., Fleming, R.W., Gegenfurtner, K.R., 2020. Color consistency in the appearance of bleached fabrics. Journal of Vision, 20 (4).
  • Witzel, C., Toscani, M., 2020. How to make a #theDress. Journal of the Optical Society of America A Optics and Image Science and Vision, 37 (4), A202-A211.
  • Toscani, M., Yücel, E.I., Doerschner, K., 2019. Gloss and Speed Judgments Yield Different Fine Tuning of Saccadic Sampling in Dynamic Scenes. I Perception, 10 (6).
  • Toscani, M., Valsecchi, M., 2019. Lightness Discrimination Depends More on Bright Rather Than Shaded Regions of Three-Dimensional Objects. I Perception, 10 (6).
  • Metzger, A., Drewing, K., 2019. Effects of Stimulus Exploration Length and Time on the Integration of Information in Haptic Softness Discrimination. IEEE Transactions on Haptics, 12 (4), 451-460.
  • Milojevic, Z., Ennis, R., Toscani, M., Gegenfurtner, K.R., 2018. Categorizing natural color distributions. Vision Research, 151, 18-30.
  • Ennis, R., Schiller, F., Toscani, M., Gegenfurtner, K.R., 2018. Hyperspectral database of fruits and vegetables. Journal of the Optical Society of America A Optics and Image Science and Vision, 35 (4), B256-B266.
  • Ennis, R., Toscani, M., Gegenfurtner, K.R., 2017. Seeing lightness in the dark. Current Biology, 27 (12), R586-R588.
  • Toscani, M., Valsecchi, M., Gegenfurtner, K.R., 2017. Lightness perception for matte and glossy complex shapes. Vision Research, 131, 82-95.
  • Toscani, M., Gegenfurtner, K.R., Valsecchi, M., 2017. Foveal to peripheral extrapolation of brightness within objects. Journal of Vision, 17 (9).
  • Toscani, M., Gegenfurtner, K.R., Doerschner, K., 2017. Differences in illumination estimation in #thedress. Journal of Vision, 17 (1), 1-14.
  • Toscani, M., Zdravković, S., Gegenfurtner, K.R., 2016. Lightness perception for surfaces moving through different illumination levels. Journal of Vision, 16 (15).
  • Wiebel, C.B., Toscani, M., Gegenfurtner, K.R., 2015. Statistical correlates of perceived gloss in natural images. Vision Research, 115, 175-187.
  • Gegenfurtner, K.R., Bloj, M., Toscani, M., 2015. The many colours of 'the dress'. Current Biology, 25 (13), R543-R544.
  • Valsecchi, M., Toscani, M., Gegenfurtner, K.R., 2013. Perceived numerosity is reduced in peripheral vision. Journal of Vision, 13 (13).
  • Toscani, M., Valsecchi, M., Gegenfurtner, K.R., 2013. Selection of visual information for lightness judgements by eye movements. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, 368 (1628).
  • Toscani, M., Valsecchi, M., Gegenfurtner, K.R., 2013. Optimal sampling of visual information for lightness judgments. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 110 (27), 11163-11168.
  • Granzier, J.J.M., Toscani, M., Gegenfurtner, K.R., 2012. Role of eye movements in chromatic induction. Journal of the Optical Society of America A Optics and Image Science and Vision, 29 (2), A353-A365.
  • Righi, S., Marzi, T., Toscani, M., Baldassi, S., Ottonello, S., Viggiano, M.P., 2012. Fearful expressions enhance recognition memory: Electrophysiological evidence. Acta Psychologica, 139 (1), 7-18.
  • Toscani, M., Marzi, T., Righi, S., Viggiano, M.P., Baldassi, S., 2010. Alpha waves: A neural signature of visual suppression. Experimental Brain Research, 207 (3-4), 213-219.

Conferences

  • Rodriguez, R.G., Hedjar, L., Toscani, M., Guarnera, D., Guarnera, G.C., Gegenfurtner, K.R., 2024. Color Constancy: Color Interaction between Local Surround and Illumination in Virtual Reality Scenarios. Final Program and Proceedings is and T SID Color Imaging Conference, 32 (1), A1-A2.
  • Rodriguez, R.G., Hedjar, L., Toscani, M., Guarnera, D., Guarnera, G.C., Gegenfurtner, K.R., 2022. Context-dependent computations for color constancy. PERCEPTION, 51, 110.
  • Braun, D., Toscani, M., Latka, M., Bom, A.A.D.L.A.M., Doerschner, K., 2022. Looking for balance: The sampling of visual information when judging the composition of abstract art. PERCEPTION, 51, 137-138.
  • Guan, S.-C., Toscani, M., Gegenfurtner, K., 2022. How bright is your light? PERCEPTION, 51, 165.
  • Toscani, M., Metzger, A., 2022. A Database of Vibratory Signals from Free Haptic Exploration of Natural Material Textures and Perceptual Judgments (ViPer): Analysis of Spectral Statistics. Lecture Notes in Computer Science Including Subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics, 13235 LNCS, 319-327.
  • Toscani, M., Gil, R., Guarnera, D., Guarnera, G., Kalouaz, A., Gegenfurtner, K.R., 2019. Assessment of OLED head mounted display for vision research with virtual reality. Proceedings 15th International Conference on Signal Image Technology and Internet Based Systems Sisits 2019.
  • Metzger, A., Toscani, M., Valsecchi, M., Drewing, K., 2019. Dynamics of exploration in haptic search. 2019 IEEE World Haptics Conference Whc 2019, 277-282.
  • Metzger, A., Toscani, M., Valsecchi, M., Drewing, K., 2018. Haptic saliency model for rigid textured surfaces. Lecture Notes in Computer Science Including Subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics, 10893 LNCS, 389-400.
  • Toscani, M., Valsecchi, M., Gegenfurtner, K.R., 2015. Effect of fixation positions on perception of lightness. Proceedings of SPIE the International Society for Optical Engineering, 9394.

Invited Lectures

  • Color vision and tuning in the nervous system, University of Washington, 26 Apr 2022 more

Grants

  • Modelling peripheral vision in natural scenes. (British Academy, 01 May 2024). In Progress
  • From Spectra to Colour: a big-data computational approach (Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, 01 Feb 2023). In Progress

Journal Reviewing/Refereeing

  • Journal of Vision
  • Art and Perception
  • Psihologija
  • PLoS One
  • i-Perception
  • Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance
  • Optik
  • Journal of the Society for Information Display
  • Vision Research
  • IEEE Transactions on Haptics
  • Frontiers in Psychology
  • vision
  • Brain Sciences
  • Perception
  • Optical review
  • Behavioral Sciences
  • Behavior Research Methods
  • Color Research and Application
  • Nature Communications
  • Frontiers in Neuroscience
The data on this page was last updated at 05:00 on February 18, 2026.