Dynamic stereo displays for research on the recovery of three-dimensional structure

Abstract

Research issues that can be addressed by combining stereoscopic and kinetic depth displays include cue conflict and recalibration, mutual constraints, specialization of cues, and differential effects of disparity and kinetic depth on other perceptions, such as size constancy. Methods of producing dynamic stereoscopic displays are reviewed, especially displays combining stereoscopic with orthographic projections of rotation in depth. A sample personal computer program in Pascal is provided.Two of the most important contributions of computer technology to vision research have been in the areas of stereoscopic depth perception (Julesz, 1960) and kinetic depth perception (Green, 1961). There are important reasons for bringing together these two areas of research, and during the past several years a number of investigators have made use of current computer technology to do so. This paper considers research issues that have been or can be addressed by combining binocular disparity and kinetic depth in dynamic stereoscopic displays. The first part reviews five major research issues, some of which overlap: cue conflict and recalibration, mutual constraints, specialization of cues, dynamic versus static disparity, and implications of disparity and kinetic depth for other perceptual judgments. The second part considers implementation. Calculations required for dynamic stereoscopic displays are discussed, including displays in which the stereo pairs are constructed from frames in the motion sequence. Methods of viewing these displays are reviewed, and a sample program in Pascal is provided in an Appendix.