Brian M. Menges

Judged Distance to Virtual Objects in the near Visual Field

Errors in judged depth of nearby virtual objects presented via see-through, helmet mounted displays are examined as a function of monocular, biocular and stereoscopic viewing conditions, accommodative demand and subjects’ age. These errors are argued to be related to changes in binocular vergence. Suggestions for improved control of the judged distance to virtual objects and the cause of the judgment errors are briefly discussed.

The Relationship of Binocular Convergence and Errors in Judged Distance to Virtual Objects

Abstract Errors in judged depth of nearby virtual objects presented via see-through helmet mounted displays are shown to be linked to changes in binocular vergence. This effect varies measurably across the subjects examined and correlates with the magnitude of the subjects’ individual depth judgment errors. The relationship is demonstrated by visually superimposing computer-generated virtual objects on physical backgrounds in a manner similar to that suggested for some practical applications. Suggestions for improved control of virtual objects under these viewing conditions are briefly discussed.

Influence of Head Motion on the Judged Distance of Monocularly Presented Virtual Objects

Human subjects localized a monocularly viewed, space-stabilized virtual object presented on a head-mounted, see-through display. They either kept their head stationary or rocked it laterally to produce motion parallax. Their distance estimates had less variability in a head moving condition than in a head stationary condition, but in general were much less precise and much less accurate than comparable stereo-based localizations.