An experimental study of geometric properties of the visual space

Abstract Herein we report on the results of experiments aimed at investigating (a) the shapes of the physical loci of geodesics and equidistant horopters in the binocular visual space, (b) the effect of the light-points' size upon the construction of these curves, and (c) equipartitioning visual segments and constructing segments equal to a reference standard. The comparison of visual geodesics with the corresponding equidistants enables us to conclude, for many of our observers, that the binocular visual space is a space of constant or only slightly variable negative curvature, i.e. this space is hyperbolic. The increase of the light-points' size does affect the construction of visual geodesics and equidistants, being most manifest in the construction of the former. Equipartitioning visual segments and constructing visual segments equal to a standard reference segment is dependent on the locus of the standard segment with regard to the egocentre and the central median axis.

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