Relationship between perception of image resolution and peripheral visual field in stereoscopic images

High-resolution stereoscopic images are effective for use in virtual reality and teleoperation systems. However, the higher the image resolution, the higher is the cost of computer processing and communication. To reduce this cost, numerous earlier studies have suggested the use of multi-resolution images, which have high resolution in region of interests and low resolution in other areas. However, observers can perceive unpleasant sensations and incorrect depth because they can see low-resolution areas in their field of vision. In this study, we conducted an experiment to research the relationship between the viewing field and the perception of image resolution, and determined respective thresholds of image-resolution perception for various positions of the viewing field. The results showed that participants could not distinguish between the high-resolution stimulus and the decreased stimulus, 63 ppi, at positions more than 8 deg outside the gaze point. Moreover, with positions shifted a further 11 and 13 deg from the gaze point, participants could not distinguish between the high-resolution stimulus and the decreased stimuli whose resolution densities were 42 and 25 ppi. Hence, we will propose the composition of multi-resolution images in which observers do not perceive unpleasant sensations and incorrect depth with data reduction (compression).