Distance perception and visualization using virtual environments

Abstract

The studies in this thesis include experiments in training transfer, metric and visual feedback, field of view within the visual display, and cognitive relationships with distance perception. Participants were tested to show positive training transfer, retention of training, and organizational skills. Participants were trained to judge the distance perception in the in- depth plane, given a distance in a frontoparallel plane and also trained to judge perceived distances from themselves to an object. Experiment one shows that a positive training transfer exists from the virtual to the real world and visa versa. Experiments two and three show that perceptual feedback gives more information than metric feedback. Experiment four shows that between 30 - 60 degree geometric field of view setting should be used for optimal performance on distance estimation tasks using an HMD with 60-degree optical FOV. Experiment five shows that there is no correlation between how well participants organize symbols and how well they can be trained to judge distances. Experiments also confirm that as distances increased so did the amount of error.