A stereoscopic augmented reality system for the veridical perception of the 3D scene layout

The recent diffusion of the stereoscopic 3D technologies has yielded the development of affordable and of everyday use devices for the visualization of such information. This has paved the way for powerful human and computer interaction systems based on augmented reality environment where humans can interact with both virtual and real tools. However, an observer freely moving in front of a 3D display could experience a misperception of the depth and of the shape of virtual objects. Such distortions can have serious consequences in scientific and medical fields, where a veridical perception is required, and they can cause visual fatigue in consumer and entertainment applications. Here, we propose a novel augmented reality system capable to correctly render 3D virtual objects, without adding significant delay, to an observer that changes his position in the real world and acts in the virtual scenario. The correct perception of the scene layout is assessed through two experimental sessions with several observers.