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Fig. 3.2. Perceptual grouping through temporal coding. This schematic illustration shows how temporal coding can be used to bind and segment neural activity based on the phase of the periodic membrane potential. (a) The input image. (b) Activity of the two-dimensional map when all neurons representing the lamp are synchronized. (c) At a later time, all neurons representing the cup are synchronously turned on while the other neurons are off. (d) The membrane potential over time for three neurons representing the lamp and for three neurons representing the cup. The neurons representing the same object are synchronized and those representing different objects desynchronized. In this manner, temporal coding can be used to represent binding and segmentation. Adapted from Wang (1996).