Factors influencing the choice of projection textures for displaying layered surfaces

ABSTRACT

We report on an experiment designed to examine the effect of type and size of projection textures on the ability of human subjects to correctly estimate the surface normal on each of two terrain-like layered surfaces. Normal estimation was determined by the ability to correctly orient a probe so that it is aligned with the normal local to the surface to which it is attached. All presentations were optimized for layered surface viewing, being displayed on a high resolution stereoscope and with a rocking motion to provide motion cues. Three texture types were examined, each at both coarse and fine scales. One texture consisted of random dots, containing no consistent structural pattern. The other two texture types provided structure in two orthogonal directions, with one being a regular square grid, and the other parallel hatch marks arranged in ranks to form perceptual lines orthogonal to the hatches. The experiment demonstrates that structured patterns, indicating shape in two orthogonal directions, are superior to random dots. Using a grid on the bottom layer significantly improves perception of the bottom surface. However, between grids and hatches, there is no other statistically significant evidence that using differing texture type or scale across the two surfaces enhances the ability to estimate shape.

REFERENCES

• 1: Bair, A., and House, D. 2007. A grid with a view: optimal texturing for perception of layered surface shape. IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics (Proceedings of Visualization 2007) 3, 6, 1656--1663.
• 2: Bair, A., House, D., and Ware, C. 2006. Texturing of layered surfaces for optimal viewing. IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics (Proceedings of Visualization 2006) 12, 5, 1125--1132.
• 3: Berbaum, K., Bever, T., and Chung, C. S. 1983. Light source position in the perception of object shape. Perception 12, 1, 411--416.
• 4: Campbell, F., and Green, D. 1965. Optical and retinal factors affecting visual resolution. J. Physiol. 181, 576--593.
• 5: Cumming, B., Johnston, E., and Parker, A. 1993. Effects of different texture cues on curved surfaces viewed stereoscopically. Vision Research 33, 827--838.
• 6: Feichtinger, H., and Strohmer, T. 1998. Gabor Analysis and Algorithms: theory and applications. BirkhŁuser.
• 7: Gibson, J. 1950. Effects of different texture cues on curved surfaces viewed stereoscopically. Amer. J. Psychology 63, 367--384.
• 8: Gibson, J. 1950. The Perception of the Visual World. Houghton Mifflin, Boston, Mass.
• 9: House, D., and Ware, C. 2002. A method for the perceptual optimization of complex visualizations. In Proceedings of Advanced Visual Interfaces (AVI 02), 148--155.
• 10: House, D., Bair, A., and Ware, C. 2005. On the optimization of visualizations of complex phenomena. In Proceedings of IEEE Visualization 2005, 87--94.
• 11: House, D., Bair, A., and Ware, C. 2006. An approach to the perceptual optimization of complex visualizations. IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics 12, 4, 509--521.
• 12: Interrante, V., and Kim, S. 2001. Investigating the effect of texture orientation on the perception of 3d shape. Proceedings of Human Vision and Electronic Imaging VI SPIE 4200, 300--339.
• 13: Interrante, V., Fuchs, H., and Pizer, S. 1997. Conveying the 3d shape of smoothly curving transparent surfaces via texture. IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics 3, 2, 98--117.
• 14: Interrante, V., Kim, S., and Hagh-Shenas, H. 2002. Conveying 3d shape with texture: recent advances and experimental findings. In Proceedings of Human Vision and Electronic Imaging VII, vol. SPIE 4662, 197--206.
• 15: Kim, S., Hagh-Shenas, H., and Interrante, V. 2003. Showing shape with texture: two directions seem better than one. In Proceedings of Human Vision and Electronic Imaging VIII, SPIE, vol. SPIE 5007, 332--339.
• 16: Kim, S., Hagh-Shenas, H., and Interrante, V. 2004. Conveying shape with texture: experimental investigations of the textures effects on shape categorization judgments. IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics 10, 4, 471--483.
• 17: Kleffner, D., and Ramachandran, V. 1992. On the perception of shape from shading. Perception and Psychophysics 52, 1, 18--36.
• 18: Koenderink, J., and Doorn, A. V. 1995. Relief: pictorial and otherwise. Image and Vision Computing 13, 5, 321--334.
• 19: Li, A., and Zaidi, Q. 2000. Perception of three-dimensional shape from texture is based on patterns of oriented energy. Vision Research 40, 2, 217--242.
• 20: Mingolla, E., and Todd, J. T. 1986. Perception of solid shape from shading. Biological Cybernetics 53, 3, 583--595.
• 21: Nefs, H., Koenderink, J., and Kappers, A. 2006. Shape-from-shading for matte and glossy objects. Acta Physologica 121, 297--316.
• 22: Saunders, J., and Backus, B. 2006. Perception of surface slant from oriented textures. Journal of Vision 6, 882--897.
• 23: Saunders, J., and Knill, D. 2001. Perception of 3d surface orientation from skew symmetry. Vision Research 41, 3163--3183.
• 24: Sweet, G., and Ware, C. 2004. View direction, surface orientation and texture orientation for perception of surface shape. In Proceedings of the 2004 Conference on Graphics interface. ACM International Conference Proceeding Series, vol. 62, 97--106.
• 25: Todd, J. T., and Mingolla, E. 1983. The perception of surface curvature and direction of illumination from patterns of shading. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance 9, 583--595.
• 26: Todd, J. T., and Reichel, F. 1990. Visual perception of smoothly curved surfaces from double-projected contour patterns. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance 16, 3, 665--674.
• 27: Wheatstone, C. 1838. Contributions to the physiology of vision. part the first. on some remarkable and hitherto unobserved phenomena of binocular vision. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society 128, 371--394.

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.3 COMPUTER GRAPHICS
      I.3.3 Picture/Image Generation

Additional Classification:
  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.6 SIMULATION AND MODELING
      I.6.6 Simulation Output Analysis

Keywords:
layered surfaces, perception and performance, projection textures, stereo display, visualization design