Visual Immersion

In virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), visual immersion is achieved through high-resolution displays as well as a careful orchestration of field of view, depth cues, motion fidelity, and interactive elements that respond to the user's movements and actions. This chapter presents the relevant details of the human visual perception system, describing the physiological and neurological processes that underlie visual experiences. By examining how the eye and brain process visual information, it identifies the physiological and perceptual constraints that guide the development of VR and AR systems. The chapter discusses color vision and brightness and contrast perception, explaining how the three types of cone photoreceptors contribute to color differentiation and how luminance and contrast sensitivity shape our ability to perceive details under varying lighting conditions. Three types of cone photoreceptors include, each sensitive to different wavelengths of light: S-cones, M-cones, and L-cones.