Visual discomfort has been the subject of considerable research in relation to stereoscopic and autostereoscopic displays. In this paper, the importance of various causes and aspects of visual discomfort is clarified. When disparity values do not surpass a limit of 1°, which still provides sufficient range to allow satisfactory depth perception in stereoscopic television, classical determinants such as excessive binocular parallax and accommodation-vergence conflict appear to be of minor importance. Visual discomfort, however, may still occur within this limit and we believe the following factors to be the most pertinent in contributing to this: (1) temporally changing demand of accommodation-vergence linkage, e.g., by fast motion in depth; (2) three-dimensional artifacts resulting from insufficient depth information in the incoming data signal yielding spatial and temporal inconsistencies; and (3) unnatural blur. In order to ad- equately characterize and understand visual discomfort, multiple types of measurements, both objective and subjective, are required. © 2009 Society for Imaging Science and Technology. DOI: 10.2352/J.ImagingSci.Technol.2009.53.3.030201

Visual Discomfort and Visual Fatigue of Stereoscopic Displays: A Review

Visual discomfort of 3D TV: Assessment methods and modeling

Perceived image quality is a standard evaluation concept for 2D imaging systems. When applied to stereoscopic 3D imaging systems, however, it does not incorporate the added value of stereoscopic depth. Higher level evaluation concepts (naturalness and viewing experience) are proposed that are sensitive to both image quality and stereoscopic depth. A 3D Quality Model is constructed in which such higher level evaluation concepts are expressed as a weighted sum of image quality and perceived depth. This model is validated by means of three experiments, in which stereoscopic depth (camera base distances and screen disparity) and image quality (white Gaussian noise and Gaussian blur) are varied. The resulting stimuli are evaluated in terms of naturalness, viewing experience, image quality and depth percept. Analysis revealed that viewing experience and naturalness incorporated variations in image quality to a similar extent, yet the added value of stereoscopic depth is incorporated significantly more by naturalness. This result classifies naturalness as the most appropriate concept to evaluate 3D quality of stereoscopic stills. The 3D Quality Model based on naturalness as evaluation concept is validly applicable to stereoscopic stills and the naturalness score is determined for approximately 75% by image quality and for approximately 25% by the added value of stereoscopic depth.

Evaluation of Stereoscopic Images: Beyond 2D Quality

The impact of video characteristics and subtitles on visual comfort of 3D TV

Reading performance as screening tool for visual complaints from stereoscopic content

Philips provides autostereoscopic three-dimensional display systems that will bring the next leap in visual experience,
adding true depth to video systems. We identified three challenges specifically for 3D image processing: 1) bandwidth
and complexity of 3D images, 2) conversion of 2D to 3D content, and 3) object-based image/depth processing. We
discuss these challenges and our solutions via several examples. In conclusion, the solutions have enabled the market
introduction of several professional 3D products, and progress is made rapidly towards consumer 3DTV.

Bart van Geest

Papers

Challenges in 3DTV image processing