Mitigating Detrimental Effects of Vergence Accommodation Conflict in Stereo Displays

Modern augmented reality (AR) head-mounted displays (HMDs) display stereo images to the two eyes through a beam splitter and optical lenses that project the images onto a fixed focal plane. When 3D content is rendered at a depth different from this focal plane, users must accommodate to the display distance while converging their eyes to the perceived target depth, creating a mismatch known as the vergence–accommodation conflict (VAC). This mismatch, absent in natural viewing, has been shown to reduce depth judgment accuracy and impair pointing and selection performance in stereo systems.

To mitigate the VAC, researchers have proposed using varifocal stereo displays, which dynamically alter the focal distance based on real-time gaze tracking However, prior work has focused on evaluating visual perception improvements, such as depth realism or visual comfort, rather than interaction performance. Consequently, the implications of varifocal displays for interactive AR experiences remain largely unexplored.

In this project, we aim to investigate whether varifocal stereo displays can eliminate the interaction performance disadvantages introduced by the VAC in current AR systems. By systematically comparing user performance across varifocal and fixed-focus display conditions, our study will bridge the gap between perceptual display research and interaction-centric human–computer interaction studies.

Faculty Supervisor:

Anil Ufuk Batmaz

Student:

Partner:

Nara Institute of Science and Technology

Discipline:

Computer science

Sector:

Information and Communications Technology (ICT); Life Sciences (not health)

University:

Concordia University

Program: