Analyzing Depth Perception in Virtual Environments: A Comparative Study of Varied Scaling Factors
Beomjin Kim, Thomas Bolinger · 2023
With the advancement of computing and display technologies, 3D vision devices have been widely used in various fields. This state-of-the-art technology enables users to immerse themselves in photorealistic volumetric images within virtually simulated environments. However, due to known depth perception issues, its usage has been limited to qualitative purposes. Studies have been executed to enhance depth perception in virtual spaces. This paper comprehensively analyzes experimental studies for improving measurement accuracy in 3D spaces by incorporating artificially generated depth cues. We studied in-depth how scaling factors, applied to virtual environments, impact human depth perception. A series of experiments were performed in two strategically designed settings, where the content within 3D spaces was either minified or magnified for proper viewing. Our two-staged development and user tests revealed several noteworthy findings to develop and apply computer-generated techniques for enhancing depth perception accuracy. This paper summarizes the study outcomes with future research tasks to utilize the 3D technology beyond qualitative purposes.