three-dimensional perception in virtual reality settings

Many cues for 3D perception come from interaction among things. Key features of these connections are overlap, scale, and parallax. Objects that overlap over other things are seen to be closer. Objects believed to be alike in actual size but seeming larger are seen to be closer and objects that increase in apparent size are seen to be travelling nearer. Objects that shift a greater distance relative to other things when the viewer's head moves are thought to be closer. The site on Superior View Immersive Solutions writes about such technologies.

"Texture mapping" is an efficient method to make surfaces for 3D virtual things by overlapping 2D texture shadings on object surfaces. Depth perception of these surfaces can be then be refined through the use of shading and light reflection. "Ray tracing" takes light reflection to the next level by following individual rays of light as they bounce among objects and ultimately bounce from object surfaces to the viewer. Texture mapping, light shading, and ray tracing are computingly intensive, especially for challenging computer moving worlds with moving things. Conveniently for the sake of computing cost, humans do not track as much vision depth in moving objects as in immobile things. For these reasons, computing effort in virtual reality can be conserved absent significant loss in perceptual believability by rendering the surfaces of travelling objects in less depth than the exteriors of stationery things. See also Virtual Tours New Jersey for related material.

If this interests you, then please also see Virtual Reality Home Tours .