Improvements in the Visualization of Stereoscopic 3D Imagery

Abstract

A pleasant visualization of stereoscopic imagery must take into account factors that may produce eye strain and fatigue. Fortunately, our binocular vision system has embedded mechanisms to perceive depth for extended periods of time without producing eye fatigue; however, stereoscopic imagery may still induce visual discomfort in certain displaying scenarios. An important source of eye fatigue originates in the conflict between vergence eye movement and focusing mechanisms. Today’s eye-tracking technology makes possible to know the viewers’ gaze direction; hence, 3D imagery can be dynamically corrected based on this information. In this paper, I introduce a method to improve the visualization of stereoscopic imagery on planar displays based on emulating vergence and accommodation mechanisms of binocular human vision. Unlike other methods to improve visual comfort that introduce depth distortions in the stereoscopic visual media this technique aims to produce a gentler and more natural binocular viewing experience without distorting the original depth of the scene.