Stereoscopic stimuli are not used in absolute distance evaluation to proximal objects in multicue virtual environment

Many authors report that binocular vision plays an important role in the evaluation of the distance to scenery objects. Furthermore, it was observed that narrow (<20°) angular visual observation field, called field of view, causes underestimation of distances to objects in natural scenes. In a series of experiments we studied if distances were underestimated for larger fields of views (60°, 90° and 120°) and if binocular vision could correct distance estimation. We have also studied distance estimation in virtual environments in the same observation conditions as it is known that it may be poorer because of the lack or bias of visual stimuli. Observers had to estimate proximal distances in real and virtual (large fields of view head mounted display and power wall) scenes of a car interior. We have found that there is a strong underestimation of distances in observing proximal objects (≤50cm) in a reduced field of view for both real and virtual scenes and more the field of view is reduced, more observers underestimate distances. Furthermore underestimation is stronger in virtual environments for the same objects than in real ones. We have also compared distance estimations between monocular and binocular observation conditions and found no significant differences for all fields of view. Our results show that binocular vision is not allowing better distance estimation than monocular vision. These results suggest an unexpectedly weak effect of binocular vision on the observation of distances of proximal objects in multi-cue environments.

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