PROCEEDINGS ARTICLE | February 24, 2012
Proc. SPIE. 8288, Stereoscopic Displays and Applications XXIII
KEYWORDS: Statistical analysis, Visualization, Cameras, Video, Scanning electron microscopy, LCDs, Telecommunications, Solids, Stereoscopic displays, Ranging
Two experiments were conducted to examine the visual comfort of stereoscopic images. The test video sequences
consisted of moving meteorite-like objects against a blue sky background. In the first experiment, a panel of viewers
rated stereoscopic sequences in which the objects moved back and forth in depth. The velocity of movement, disparity
(depth) range, and disparity type (i.e., depth position with respect to the screen plane: front, behind, or front/behind) of
the objects varied across sequences. In the second experiment, the same viewers rated stereoscopic test sequences in
which the target objects moved horizontally across the screen. Also in this case, the velocity, disparity magnitude, and
disparity type of the objects varied across sequences. For motion in the depth direction, the results indicate that visual
comfort is significantly influenced by the velocity, disparity range, and disparity type of the moving objects. We also
found significant interactions between velocity and disparity type and between disparity type and disparity range. For
motion across the screen in the horizontal plane, ratings of visual comfort depended on velocity and disparity
magnitude. The results also indicate a significant interaction between velocity and disparity. In general, the overall
results confirm that changes in disparity of stereoscopic images over time are a significant contributor to visual
discomfort. Interestingly, the detrimental effect of object velocity on visual comfort are manifested even when the
changes are confined within the generally accepted visual comfort zone of less than 60 arc minutes of horizontal
disparity.
