The Role of 2-D and 3-D Task Performance In the Design and Use of Visual Displays

Abstract

Recent advances in computerized graphics capabilities have led to increased development and use of 3-D displays. In this paper we will discuss a survey of results from the visual perception literature that compares 3-D and 2-D task performance. The basic trend of this research suggests that designers of visual displays must recognize that the internal representations observers extract from 3-D displays will be distinctly different, and perhaps more qualitative, than the computer representations or models used to generate these displays. Finally, the surveyed literature indicates that crucial information in 3-D displays should not be encoded as differences in magnitudes of depth, orientation, or curvature. Instead designers should try to encode important task dimensions within more qualitative 3-D distinctions such as ordinal depth, deviations from co-planarity, and the presence of flat versus curved surfaces.