The role of stereopsis in the perception of objects

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There are many sources of information regarding the distances between objects and across surfaces in our environment, but only stereopsis (the basis of 3D movies) can provide the compelling sense of the volume of space between points. This depth cue has been studied extensively, using very simple stimuli that allow us to isolate its contribution to human vision. Such experiments have shown that the percepts of depth from stereopsis are extremely precise, with reliable depth percepts obtained from stimuli that are displaced by only a hair's width. However, the world around us consists of objects and surfaces, and it is important that we understand how stereopsis is used when simple stimuli (lines, edges) are grouped to form objects. Therefore, the important next phase of my research program is to bridge the gap between experiments with isolated lines, to more naturalistic object-based stimuli to better understand how and when stereopsis is used in the real world. The focus of my research program is to understand how fundamental properties of stereoscopic depth perception are influenced by the presence of other such cues, in 3D images of natural scenes, or in real-world arrangements of objects. While this research focusses on how the brain achieves 3D depth perception, the results will be very relevant to the growing 3D media industry in Ontario as they work towards creating comfortable and effective 3D displays and content.