The Effects of Monocular Cues on a 3-D Target Acquisition Task

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of linear perspective, droplines, and shadows on 3-D target acquisition performance. A display was presented with and without a linear perspective cue. When linear perspective was presented, it could include droplines, shadows, or both. Participants moved a cursor ‘into’ a target on the display as quickly and accurately as possible using a 3-D input device. Movement time and path length to acquire each target, as well as its three display dimensions (azimuth, elevation, and range), were measured. Results showed that linear perspective alone did not enhance target acquisition performance. The effects of droplines and shadows were target location dependent — reducing movement times and path lengths to upper-front and lower-back targets by apparently facilitating range dimension acquisition. Movement trajectory analysis revealed that participants overlapped the target with the cursor and then acquired the target along the depth axis. The upper-back and lower-front targets were acquired with more direct paths than targets in other locations.