A Survey of Perceptual Evaluations and Requirements of Three-Dimensional TV

Abstract

A high-quality three-dimensional (3-D) broadcast service (3-D TV) is becoming increasingly feasible based on various recent technological developments combined with an enhanced understanding of 3-D perception and human factors issues surrounding 3-D TV. In this paper, 3-D technology and perceptually relevant issues, in particular 3-D image quality and visual comfort, in relation to 3-D TV systems are reviewed. The focus is on near-term displays for broadcast-style single-and multiple-viewer systems. We discuss how an image quality model for conventional two-dimensional images needs to be modified to be suitable for image quality research for 3-D TV. In this respect, studies are reviewed that have focused on the relationship between subjective attributes of 3-D image quality and physical system parameters that induce them (e.g., parameter choices in image acquisition, compression, and display). In particular, artifacts that may arise in 3-D TV systems are addressed, such as keystone distortion, depth-plane curvature, puppet theater effect, cross talk, cardboard effect, shear distortion, picket-fence effect, and image flipping. In conclusion, we summarize the perceptual requirements for 3-D TV that can be extracted from the literature and address issues that require further investigation in order for 3-D TV to be a success.Index Terms-Image quality, measurement paradigms, stereoscopic artifacts, three-dimensional television (3-D TV), visual comfort.

Visual Discomfort and Visual Fatigue of Stereoscopic Displays: A Review

“…11,31,33,62 Visual discomfort and its dependence on individuals' self-appraisal must be evaluated on a perceptual basis. 3,62 Three subjective methods can be distinguished; namely, explorative studies, psychophysical scaling, and questionnaires. According to Meesters et al, 3 explorative studies can be used in the context of stereoscopic displays to: (1) generate evoked unprimed perceptions, (2) evaluate the added value of stereoscopic displays both with and without predefined criteria, and (3) determine the attributes that underlie multidimensional concepts such as visual discomfort.…”

“…2 For a successful market introduction, strain-free viewing must be guaranteed, and hence, both image quality and visual comfort must at least be comparable to conventional TV standards. 3 Since this promise has not yet been accomplished, extensive research to understand the factors underlying visual discomfort is needed. An overview of the current status of that research is provided in this paper.…”

“…They are not all discussed in detail here, as their technological causes and perceptual effects are well understood. Recent detailed descriptions of these geometrical stereoscopic distortions are provided by Meesters et al 3 and by IJsselsteijn et al 32 As crosstalk is an artifact that to some extent appears in nearly any 3D display, it is briefly discussed separately.…”

“…Especially with digital television content, since research has demonstrated that generated depth only has to approach reality to create an acceptable 3D percept. 3 Hence, development of these conversion algorithms is based on the assumption that geometrically accurate depth is not necessary and that a good depth impression on screen will suffice. This quasi depth ordering process relies on assumptions, estimations, and heuristic cues.…”

Paired comparison-based subjective quality assessment of stereoscopic images

“…In order to reach the goal of 3D content delivery with satisfactory quality of experience (QoE), reliable subjective and objective quality evaluation is essential. The issue of assessing perceived quality is particularly important in 3D content because, unlike 2D quality, degraded 3D quality may cause not only dissatisfaction but also serious discomfort [14,17].…”