Systematic characterization and optimization of 3D light field displays.

Hekun Huang,Hong Hua

doi:10.1364/oe.25.018508

Abstract

One of the key issues in conventional stereoscopic displays is the well-known vergence-accommodation conflict problem due to the lack of the ability to render correct focus cues for 3D scenes. Recently several light field display methods have been explored to reconstruct a true 3D scene by sampling either the projections of the 3D scene at different depths or the directions of the light rays apparently emitted by the 3D scene and viewed from different eye positions. These methods are potentially capable of rendering correct or nearly correct focus cues and addressing the vergence-accommodation conflict problem. In this paper, we describe a generalized framework to model the image formation process of the existing light-field display methods and present a systematic method to simulate and characterize the retinal image and the accommodation response rendered by a light field display. We further employ this framework to investigate the trade-offs and guidelines for an optimal 3D light field display design. Our method is based on quantitatively evaluating the modulation transfer functions of the perceived retinal image of a light field display by accounting for the ocular factors of the human visual system.

Highlights

Conventional stereoscopic three-dimensional displays (S3D) stimulate the perception of 3D space and shapes from a pair of two-dimensional (2D) perspective images, one for each eye, with binocular disparities and other pictorial depth cues of a 3D scene seen from two slightly different viewing positions
The generalized model of a light field 3D (LF-3D) display described above enables us to quantify the perceived retinal image quality of a LF-3D display by an observer, assess whether the eye would properly accommodate at the depth of a 3D reconstruction, quantify the accuracy of the resulted focus cues when viewing a LF-3D display, and investigate how key system design parameters such as view density and fill factor of each elemental view will influence the retinal response in viewing LF-3D displays
We describe a generalized framework to model the image formation process of light field display methods and present a systematic method to simulate and characterize the retinal image quality and accommodation response rendered by a LF-3D display

Summary

Introduction

Conventional stereoscopic three-dimensional displays (S3D) stimulate the perception of 3D space and shapes from a pair of two-dimensional (2D) perspective images, one for each eye, with binocular disparities and other pictorial depth cues of a 3D scene seen from two slightly different viewing positions They can create compelling depth perceptions, the S3Dtype displays are subject to a well-known vergence-accommodation conflict (VAC) problem due to the inability to render correct focus cues, including accommodation and retinal blur effects, for 3D scenes [1,2]. It is worth mentioning that the methods and results can be generally applicable to both the emerging head-mounted LF-3D displays and the better-established eyewear-free direct-view LF-3D displays

Generalized model and image formation process of light field displays

Characterizing the perceived retinal images of a light field display

Characterizing the accommodative response of a 3D light field display

Optimal view sampling of light-field displays

Findings

Conclusion