Use of cues in virtual reality depends on visual feedback

Jacqueline M Fulvio,Bas Rokers

doi:10.1038/s41598-017-16161-3

Jacqueline M Fulvio, Bas Rokers

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-16161-3

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Abstract

3D motion perception is of central importance to daily life. However, when tested in laboratory settings, sensitivity to 3D motion signals is found to be poor, leading to the view that heuristics and prior assumptions are critical for 3D motion perception. Here we explore an alternative: sensitivity to 3D motion signals is context-dependent and must be learned based on explicit visual feedback in novel environments. The need for action-contingent visual feedback is well-established in the developmental literature. For example, young kittens that are passively moved through an environment, but unable to move through it themselves, fail to develop accurate depth perception. We find that these principles also obtain in adult human perception. Observers that do not experience visual consequences of their actions fail to develop accurate 3D motion perception in a virtual reality environment, even after prolonged exposure. By contrast, observers that experience the consequences of their actions improve performance based on available sensory cues to 3D motion. Specifically, we find that observers learn to exploit the small motion parallax cues provided by head jitter. Our findings advance understanding of human 3D motion processing and form a foundation for future study of perception in virtual and natural 3D environments.

Highlights

We consider another possibility: that the sensitivity to 3D motion cues is context-dependent and needs to be learned for a given visual environment based on explicit visual feedback
Virtual reality (VR) provides the ideal tool to investigate sensitivity to 3D motion because it allows us to present sensory signals that closely approximate those in the real world, while maintaining tight experimental control
We manipulated the sensory cues thought to contribute to perception in VR environments and tested the role of experience and feedback on performance

Summary

Introduction

We consider another possibility: that the sensitivity to 3D motion cues is context-dependent and needs to be learned for a given visual environment based on explicit visual feedback. One of the compelling features of VR-based viewing is that it can provide motion parallax cues, i.e., head-motion contingent updating of the visual display. Such cues are not available in most traditional visual experiments. Observers were insensitive to the additional cues even after prolonged exposure to the stimuli This result is consistent with the notion that head jitter-based cues are too small, or too noisy to have a meaningful impact. Our results advance understanding of human visual processing in 3D environments These results help explain the varying levels of success 3D and virtual reality displays have enjoyed both in research and entertainment settings and suggest best practices in using VR technology

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