Why focal rivalry is stopping XR from living up to its potential
AR has long been heralded as a transformative experience that will help skilled professionals in the healthcare arena perform intricate tasks with greater precision and care. And while researchers are working hard to improve XR capabilities, the reality is that we’re not there yet.
A recent report, based on the findings of a study conducted by the University of Pisa, found that the human eye was unable to keep both real and virtual objects in close proximity to each other in focus at the same time. We call this focal rivalry, these tests showed that participants performed better when relying on the naked eye, than they did when using Microsoft’s HoloLens, one of the most advanced XR systems on the market.
What these kind of AR solutions are lacking right now, are dynamic optics, which could solve the focal rivalry that occurs between real and virtual content, to create a genuine mixed reality experience. Manufacturers continue to enhance software, and screen resolution, but without dynamic lens systems it’s impossible to address all 23 visual cues that make up our perception of 3D space in the real world.
Adlens is innovating in the area of the optical interface between the eye, the display and reality. By integrating our dynamic lens systems with display technologies we have the potential to deliver a step change to the visual fidelity of the experience. There is a real opportunity to unlock the real potential of XR beyond the gaming if we fully engage our visual system.