Abstract

The creation of an effective virtual visual environment requires an understanding of human vision that exceeds current knowledge, and it raises questions whose importance goes far beyond this specific application. In creating a virtual visual space, we must first know how the perceptual effects of that space differ from those of a real environment. Second, we must determine which of those differences are most important to conveying the desired percept. We will describe the differences between the two systems and report results of our studies on the relative importance of some of these differences, focussing on the perception of size and depth. Finally, we will discuss the problems that are unique to see-through helmet-mounted displays where the interaction between the two environments vividly reveals any discrepancies between the two.

© 1992 Optical Society of America