Horizontal fixation point oscillation and simulated viewpoint oscillation both increase vection in depth

• DOI: 10.1167/12.12.15
• Publication Date: 2012-11-27T06:55:45Z
• Authors: S. Palmisano; J. Kim; T. C. A. Freeman
• Keywords: Oscillation (cell signaling); Fixation point; Observer (physics); Relative Motion

Abstract Previous research has shown that vection can be enhanced by adding horizontal simulated viewpoint oscillation to radial flow. Adding a horizontally oscillating fixation target purely flow induces superficially similar illusion of self-motion, where the observer's perceived heading oscillates left and right as their eyes pursue moving target. This study directly compared induced these two conditions for first time. point were both found improve (relative no control displays). Neither advantage could explained in terms differences scene rigidity or motion adaptation. Our findings also provided little support notion pursuit eye-movements essential (since observers successfully fixated stationary, centrally- placed during current experiments). The strongest was proposal increasing global retinal motion.