Gaze-contingent ocular parallax rendering for virtual reality

ABSTRACT

Current-generation virtual reality (VR) displays aim to generate perceptually realistic user experiences by accurately rendering many perceptually important effects including perspective, disparity, motion parallax, and other depth cues. We introduce ocular parallax rendering, a technology that renders small amounts of gaze-contingent parallax capable of further increasing perceptual realism in VR. Ocular parallax, small depth-dependent image shifts on the retina created as the eye rotates, occurs because the centers of rotation and projection of the eye are not the same. We study the perceptual implications of ocular parallax rendering by designing and conducting a series of user experiments. We estimate perceptual detection and discrimination thresholds for this effect and demonstrate that it is clearly visible in most VR applications. However, our studies also indicate that ocular parallax rendering does not significantly improve depth perception in VR.

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Index Terms

• Computing methodologies

  • Computer graphics

    • Graphics systems and interfaces

      • Mixed / augmented reality

      • Perception

      • Virtual reality