Effects of an eyeglass-free 3-D display on the human visual system.

PURPOSE

To investigate the effect on the human visual system of viewing 3-dimensional (3-D) computer graphics (CG) images with an eyeglass-free rear-cross-lenticular-type 3-D display.

METHODS

Positive accommodation velocity (GRAD) during the accommodative step response was measured in ten healthy young adults before and after they viewed CG images. Although the distance between the viewer and the 3-D display was 600 mm, the apparent distance between the viewer and the virtual object was varied (515, 600, and 722 mm) by changing the visual disparity.

RESULTS

A significant slowdown of average GRAD was observed by 60 min after a 30-min 3-D viewing of 3-D CG images [P<0.05, analysis of variance (ANOVA)] but not after a 30-min viewing of the CG images on a 2-D display or after a 15-min 3-D viewing. When the virtual object was at 722 mm, a significant slowdown of average GRAD was observed only at 30 min after the 30-min 3-D viewing (P<0.05, ANOVA). When the virtual object was at 515 mm, a significant slowdown of average GRAD was observed at 30 and 60 min after the 3-D viewing (P<0.05, ANOVA).

CONCLUSIONS

The effect on the human visual system of 3-D viewing of 3-D CG images depends on both the duration of the viewing and the apparent distance between the viewer and the virtual objects.