Supra-threshold Peripheral LOD

Level of detail (LOD) is managed in many systems to ensure interactivity. LOD manipulations are usually quite visible, and yet systems for managing this detail are based on perceptual research on the thresholds of visibility, the points at which objects are only becoming visible. How should LOD be managed above threshold? We find that supra-threshold LOD should not be proportional to LOD size or frequency, but rather contrast only. Moreover, we find evidence that low contrast or peripheral LOD should not be eliminated as quickly as perceptibility might indicate.

Project members: Ben Watson (NU), Larry Hodges (UNCC) & Neff Walker (UNICEF).

Sponsors: NSF award 0093172.

Publications

B.A. Watson, N. Walker & L.F. Hodges (2004). Supra-threshold control of peripheral LOD (pdf). ACM Trans. Graphics, special issue Proc. ACM SIGGRAPH 2004. To appear.

Imagery

	Results from experiment 1 Here the results of the first discrimination experiment. Note that all detail frequencies have similar effect, and that maintaining detection performance requires more LOD as periphery increases and contrast drops.
	View from experiment 2 A view from experiment 2, the search experiment. Here we show four distractors using a 20x15 pixel periphery and a low contrast background. Participants sought a face with the mouth closed.