Detektsioonikünnis

Detektsioonikünnis, also known as the detection threshold, refers to the minimum intensity or magnitude of a stimulus that is required for it to be detected by an observer or a measuring instrument. In human perception, it is the weakest stimulus that can be reliably identified as present. This concept is fundamental in fields like psychophysics, sensory science, and signal processing.

There are different types of detektsioonikünnis. The absolute threshold is the minimum stimulus energy needed to detect its presence 50% of the time. For example, the faintest light a person can see or the quietest sound they can hear. The difference threshold, or just-noticeable difference (JND), is the minimum change in a stimulus's intensity that can be detected. This means how much a sound needs to get louder or a light brighter for someone to notice a difference.

Factors influencing the detektsioonikünnis include the individual observer's sensory capabilities, their current state (e.g., fatigue, attention), the duration of the stimulus, and the presence of background noise or other distracting stimuli. In instrumentation, the detection threshold is determined by the sensitivity of the sensor and the noise floor of the system. It's a crucial parameter for evaluating the performance of detection systems and understanding the limits of perception.