The Perceptually-Supported and the Subjectively-Preferred Viewing Distance of Projection-Based Light Field Displays

As the research efforts and development processes behind light field visualization technologies advance, potential novel use cases emerge. These contexts of light field display utilization fundamentally depend on the distance of observation, due to the sheer technological nature of such glasses-free 3D systems. Yet, at the time of this paper, the number of works in the scientific literature that address viewing distance is rather limited, focusing solely on 3D visual experience based on angular density. Thus far, the personal preference of observers regarding viewing distance has not been considered by studies. Furthermore, the upcoming standardization efforts also necessitate research on the topic in order to coherently unify the methodologies of subjective tests. In this paper, we investigate the perceptually-supported and the subjectively-preferred viewing distance of light field visualization. We carried out a series of tests on multiple projection-based light field displays to study these distances, with the separate involvement of experts and regular test participants.