Visual accommodation and subject performance during a stereographic object task using liquid crystal shutters.

Virtual reality has become popular in a variety of fields. Three experiments to study visual accommodation and task performance during stereographic vision were carried out in order to better understand the human response to virtual reality. Visual accommodation to stereograms on CRT was studied. Subjects could see the target on the CRT display binocularly through liquid crystal shutters. Accommodation to a stereogram with step changes in distance was tested first. As the second experiment, accommodation to a stereogram with gradual changes in distance, and comparison of ability to perform a colour photograph stereogram task were tested. Finally, accommodation and subject performance during a prolonged stereographic object task were observed for 30 min. A virtual 'gate' was formed at a position 1.2m from the subject. The virtual target moved forward and backward through this gate between the positions of 0.8m and 2.0m. The subjects were asked to focus on the target and press a button as it moved through the virtual gate. Subjective response to the task and the error between the position where the button was pressed and the gate was recorded. It was concluded that there are some people who exhibit large changes in accommodation while performing a stereographic task. There is a tendency to accommodate to a distance nearer than the baseline. Prolonged stereoscopic viewing caused visual fatigue or loss of accommodation and diminished task performance.