Investigating binocular coordination during viewing of stereoscopic images.

A very important attribute of human vision is our ability to view objects in depth. In order for depth perception to occur, humans must move their two frontally placed eyes very precisely in relation to each other such that both eyes look at, or fixate, exactly the same object a particular distance away. Recently computer scientists have developed stereoscopic display screens on which it is possible to present images that have the attribute of depth. We propose to conduct a series of experiments in which we will very precisely measure the movements of both eyes in order to investigate how the eyes are controlled when real scenes and 3D stereoscopic displays are viewed. This work will allow us to better understand how the human visual system perceives depth, and how computer scientists might develop new algorithms to better represent depth in 3D displays.

Very little is known about the precise binocular coordination of the eyes during viewing of both 2D and 3D images (though see Liversedge et al. 2006a; Liversedge et al. 2006b). We outline a series of eye tracking experiments to investigate how the human oculomotor system responds when viewing 3D images presented on stereoscopic displays. The use of stereoscopic displays permits presentation of images in depth, thereby allowing the examination of binocular coordination, and in particular vergence eye movements, in real time during normal human viewing. In order to conduct these experiments it is necessary to bring together expertise in computer engineering (specifically, algorithms and data structures required to capture, edit transmit and display high quality stereo 3D images, Holliman), and human experimental psychology (specifically, highly accurate eye movement recordings and their analysis, as well as an understanding of the human visual and oculomotor systems, Liversedge; Rayner). As such, this proposal represents a cutting edge inter-disciplinary collaborative venture between Engineering and the Life Sciences.