Individual Differences in 3-D Visual Functions

Abstract

Regarded from the perspective of human visual characteristics, 3-D ­television differs from conventional flat TV in that the viewer employs 3-D visual functions to perceive the image depth. Various measurements of these 3-D visual functions have been made to investigate the basic characteristics of the visual functions. It is now more important than before to grasp the characteristics of the visual functions to view 3-D images in order to further develop this field. The abstracts, based mainly on clinical ophthalmological tests of 3-D visual functions, are outlined below. Additionally, in anticipation of future 3-D television broadcasting services provided for large, various audiences, it is essential to grasp individual differences and variability in visual functions. For example, human visual system has limits to fuse left and right images with binocular parallax, and when the binocular parallax was greater than the limits, diplopia (double vision) is perceived. At the same time, depth perception also fails and the result is extremely unpleasant for the viewer. It is therefore necessary to grasp the limits to the binocular parallax within which left and right images can be fused by binocular vision. The individual differences of the 3D visual functions are very large, and this makes it important to grasp individual differences in 3-D visual functions across a large sample of people. The results for various 3-D visual functions are presented here for large populations.