Many 3D images are as comfortable to view as 2D ones, says 3D boss

[by Andy Robinson, www.computerandvideogames.com]

Sony’s joined the debate over the short-term ill effects of stereoscopic 3D, claiming that in many cases its 3D images are as comfortable to view as 2D ones.

Yesterday, University of Cambridge imaging expert Dr. Neil A Dodgson spoke against tabloid reports, telling CVG that gamers vulnerable to suffering sore eyes or short-term headaches from the 3DS are “uncommon”.

Right on cue, Sony’s side of the argument has arrived with subscribers in the latest Edge magazine, which is on sale April 12.

Mick Hocking, head of Sony’s internal 3D development team told the mag: “Firstly, this is much less of a problem than many people imagine. For example, just wearing a pair of reading glasses will cause a much larger decoupling of your focus/convergence than a typical stereoscopic image will generate.

“Even so, in many stereoscopic images, the subject is placed close to the plane of the screen which makes the image as comfortable to view as a 2D image. We always ensure that the separation of focus and convergence in our games is set within a comfortable range.”

Hocking pointed out that Sony’s recommending that all 3D game developers include a slider to allow gamers to adjust the 3D effect to their own taste, “a bit like a volume control on an MP3 player”.

Asked if Sony has a rough estimate of how many consumers can see 3D without suffering ill effects, the 3D boss said:

“Everybody’s eyes will have differing abilities to focus, converge and perceive 3D, in a similar way that people have differing abilities to see 2D images. It does not necessarily mean that people can’t see 3D, but perhaps that their 3D vision is not as good as others’.”

Hocking concluded: “In our experience, we rarely come across anyone who cannot perceive 3D.”

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