Abstract
Stereoscopic displays are currently used in a number of military, surgical and entertainment applications. However, stereoscopic displays potentially introduce distortions in the metrics of the visual space by altering horizontal disparity and vergence cues. To assess the adaptability of the perceptual and perceptual-motor systems to alterations of three-dimensional space perception, we performed a series of psychophysical experiments using either base-out prisms or a telestereoscope to modify disparity and vergence. We observed a “compression” of visual-space during exposure to these optical distortions. By manipulating visual feedback, we were able to demonstrate that adaptation occurred at three different levels: oculomotor (changes in tonic vergence), perceptual (visual recalibration), and behavioral (reorganization of limb motor commands). The implications of these findings for applications of stereoscopic displays in ecological and operational environments are discussed.