SD&A 2020: The impact of radial distortions in VR headsets on perceived surface slant
Channel: IS&T Electronic Imaging (EI) Symposium
Date: 2020-07-22

This presentation was delivered at the 31st annual Stereoscopic Displays and Applications conference (27-29 January 2020) held in Burlingame, CA USA. For more information see: http://stereoscopic.org 

Title: The impact of radial distortions in VR headsets on perceived surface slant (HVEI-010)

Speaker: Jonathan Tong, York University (Canada)

Abstract: Modern virtual reality (VR) headsets use lenses that distort the visual field, typically with distortion increasing with eccentricity. While content is pre-warped to counter this radial distortion, residual image distortions remain. Here we examine the extent to which such residual distortion impacts the perception of surface slant. In Experiment 1, we presented slanted surfaces in a head-mounted display and observers estimated the local surface slant at different locations. In Experiments 2 (slant estimation) and 3 (slant discrimination) we presented stimuli on a mirror stereoscope, which allowed us to more precisely control viewing and distortion parameters. Taken together, our results show that radial distortion has significant impact on perceived surface attitude, even following correction. Of the distortion levels we tested, 5% distortion results in significantly underestimated and less precise slant estimates relative to distortion free surfaces. In contrast, Experiment 3 reveals that a level of 1% distortion is insufficient to produce significant changes in slant perception. Our results highlight the importance of adequately modeling and correcting lens distortion to improve VR user experience.

Biography: Jonathan Tong's main research interest is in the fundamentals of spatial perception, primarily approaching this topic with psychophysics and computational modelling techniques.  He started his academic journey as a PhD student in the lab of Dr. Daniel Goldreich, at McMaster University, where he studied tactile spatial acuity with a focus on probabilistic (Bayesian) models of perception.  Tong continued to pursue his interests in Bayesian modelling of spatial perception in Hamburg, Germany (University of Hamburg) as a post-doc in the lab of Dr. Brigitte Röder, where he expanded his scope of research to include the combination of multiple sensory systems: visuo-tactile and audio-visual perception.  With an interest in further expanding his scope of research to include perception of depth and applications of spatial perception in technology, he joined the lab of Dr. Laurie Wilcox as a postdoctoral researcher. He is now studying the perception of depth, with stereopsis and other cues, in virtual and augmented reality environments.

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