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Article
The Right View from the Wrong Location: Depth Perception in Stereoscopic Multi-User Virtual Environments
IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics
  • Brice Pollock, Iowa State University
  • Melissa Burton, Iowa State University
  • Jonathan W. Kelly, Iowa State University
  • Stephen B. Gilbert, Iowa State University
  • Eliot H. Winer, Iowa State University
Document Type
Article
Publication Version
Accepted Manuscript
Publication Date
4-1-2012
DOI
10.1109/TVCG.2012.58
Abstract

Stereoscopic depth cues improve depth perception and increase immersion within virtual environments (VEs). However, improper display of these cues can distort perceived distances and directions. Consider a multi-user VE, where all users view identical stereoscopic images regardless of physical location. In this scenario, cues are typically customized for one "leader" equipped with a head-tracking device. This user stands at the center of projection (CoP) and all other users ("followers") view the scene from other locations and receive improper depth cues. This paper examines perceived depth distortion when viewing stereoscopic VEs from follower perspectives and the impact of these distortions on collaborative spatial judgments. Pairs of participants made collaborative depth judgments of virtual shapes viewed from the CoP or after displacement forward or backward. Forward and backward displacement caused perceived depth compression and expansion, respectively, with greater compression than expansion. Furthermore, distortion was less than predicted by a ray-intersection model of stereo geometry. Collaboration times were significantly longer when participants stood at different locations compared to the same location, and increased with greater perceived depth discrepancy between the two viewing locations. These findings advance our understanding of spatial distortions in multi-user VEs, and suggest a strategy for reducing distortion.

Comments

This is a manuscript of an article published as Pollock, Brice, Melissa Burton, Jonathan W. Kelly, Stephen Gilbert, and Eliot Winer. "The right view from the wrong location: Depth perception in stereoscopic multi-user virtual environments." IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics 18, no. 4 (2012): 581-588. DOI: 10.1109/TVCG.2012.58. Posted with permission.

Rights
© 2012 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works.
Copyright Owner
IEEE
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Citation Information
Brice Pollock, Melissa Burton, Jonathan W. Kelly, Stephen B. Gilbert, et al.. "The Right View from the Wrong Location: Depth Perception in Stereoscopic Multi-User Virtual Environments" IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics Vol. 18 Iss. 4 (2012) p. 581 - 588
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/jonathan_kelly/10/