As 3D technology spreads, 3D imagery is being viewed in more diverse situations. Already, televisions and mobile devices are able to present 3D images, in addition to the cinema. Of these, mobile devices have the unique characteristic of requiring users to view images at close range. The authors conduct an experiment to examine the relationship between visual comfort and an individual observer's near phoria and interpupillary distance. The results show that observers with a higher degree of exophoria tend to prefer stereo images behind the screen because they cause less visual fatigue. On the other hand, observers with little exophoria or esophoria tend to prefer stereo images in front of the screen. Further, the results also show that observers with a greater interpupillary distance tend to prefer stereo images behind the screen. These findings suggest that the ability to adjust the depth of stereo images in advance based on personal phoria or interpupillary distance might help users achieve comfortable stereo viewing on mobile devices.

We conducted an experiment that examined how visual discomfort arises while viewing autostereoscopic displays in a practical viewing situation. Visual discomfort was evaluated by measuring subjective symptoms and accommodative step response before and after viewing displayed material. Subjective discomfort measurements showed that viewing autostereoscopic displays resulted in relatively less discomfort than viewing 3D television with active shutter glasses. Moreover, we calculated the correlations between subjective visual discomfort and accommodation amplitude to near and far visual targets using an infrared optometer. With an autostereoscopic display and a 2D display, there was moderate correlation, whereas 3D television showed no correlation. This suggests that the discomfort arising from viewing autostereoscopic and 2D displays could be related to accommodative response. However, the discomfort arising from viewing 3D TV probably derives from other factors in a practical viewing.

No abstract

In this study, a basic examination on psycho-physiological effects by display systems of stereoscopic 3D images 3D was carried out. Time-multiplexing and spatial-multiplexing systems were focused as major 3D display systems for consumer use. Characteristic artifacts of each system were extracted, and their psychophysiological effects were evaluated. Concretely, phantom array, pseudo parallax and flicker from time-multiplexing system, and binocular-rivalry, pseudo parallax and reduction of resolution from spatial-multiplexing system were defined as characteristic artifacts and represented by simple visual stimuli for experiments. From the results of the experiments, inductions of the artifacts were confirmed, and the psycho-physiological responses of the participants were changed by the intensity or combination of the artifacts. In addition, individual difference of the artifacts in the psycho-physiological effects and the interactions, and possibilities to reduce the effects by presentation methods were suggested.