Visual issues in the use of a head-mounted monocular display

Abstract

A miniature display device, recently available commercially, is aimed at providing a portable, inexpensive means of visual information communication. The display is head mounted in front of one eye with the other eye's view of the environment unobstructed. Various visual phenomena are associated with this design. The consequences of these phenomena for visual safety, comfort, and efficiency of the user were evaluated: (1) The monocular, partially occluded mode ofoperation interrupts binocular vision. Presenting disparate images to each eye results in binocular rivalry. Most observers can use the display comfortably in this rivalrous mode. In many cases, it is easier to use the display in a peripheral position, slightly above or below the line of sight, thus permitting normal binocular vision of the environment. (2) As a head-mounted device, the displayed image is perceived to move during head movements due to the response of the vestibulo-ocular reflex. These movements affect the visibility of small letters during active head rotations and sharp accelerations. Adaptation is likely to reduce this perceived image motion. No evidence for postural instability or motion sickness was noted as a result of these conflicts between visual and vestibular inputs. (3) Small displacements of the image are noted even without head motion, resulting from eye movements and the virtual lack of display persistence. These movements are noticed spontaneously by few observers and are unlikely to interfere with the display use in most tasks.