Reducing Visual Discomfort with HMDs Using Dynamic Depth of Field

• Published in: IEEE computer graphics and applications Vol. 35; no. 5; pp. 34 - 41
• Main Authors: Carnegie, Kieran, Taehyun Rhee
• Format: Magazine Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States IEEE 01.09.2015; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Blurring; computer graphics; Data Display; depth of field; Depth Perception; Devices; Discomfort; Displays; Dynamic tests; Dynamics; Exposure; Female; Hardware; head mounted display; Humans; Imaging, Three-Dimensional - adverse effects; Imaging, Three-Dimensional - methods; immersive stereoscopic content; Male; Middle Aged; Motion Sickness - etiology; Motion Sickness - prevention & control; Photic Stimulation - adverse effects; Photic Stimulation - methods; Software; Stereo image processing; Stereoscopic; User-Computer Interface; Video Games - adverse effects; Virtual reality; Visual; Visual systems; Visualization; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0272-1716; 1558-1756; 1558-1756
• DOI: 10.1109/MCG.2015.98

Although head-mounted displays (HMDs) are ideal devices for personal viewing of immersive stereoscopic content, exposure to VR applications on them results in significant discomfort for the majority of people, with symptoms including eye fatigue, headaches, nausea, and sweating. A conflict between accommodation and vergence depth cues on stereoscopic displays is a significant cause of visual discomfort. This article describes the results of an evaluation used to judge the effectiveness of dynamic depth-of-field (DoF) blur in an effort to reduce discomfort caused by exposure to stereoscopic content on HMDs. Using a commercial game engine implementation, study participants report a reduction of visual discomfort on a simulator sickness questionnaire when DoF blurring is enabled. The study participants reported a decrease in symptom severity caused by HMD exposure, indicating that dynamic DoF can effectively reduce visual discomfort.