Stereoscopic visualization in curved spacetime: seeing deep inside a black hole

TL;DR

This paper explores stereoscopic visualization in curved spacetime, proposing affine distance as a natural measure for depth inside a black hole, and discusses the potential of trinocular vision for improved depth perception.

Contribution

It introduces affine distance as a natural depth measure in curved spacetime and applies it to visualize the interior of a black hole, highlighting the limitations of binocular vision.

Findings

Affine distance aligns with flat spacetime intuition.

Binocular vision is limited in curved spacetime.

Trinocular vision could enhance depth perception.

Abstract

Stereoscopic visualization adds an additional dimension to the viewer's experience, giving them a sense of distance. In a general relativistic visualization, distance can be measured in a variety of ways. We argue that the affine distance, which matches the usual notion of distance in flat spacetime, is a natural distance to use in curved spacetime. As an example, we apply affine distance to the visualization of the interior of a black hole. Affine distance is not the distance perceived with normal binocular vision in curved spacetime. However, the failure of binocular vision is simply a limitation of animals who have evolved in flat spacetime, not a fundamental obstacle to depth perception in curved spacetime. Trinocular vision would provide superior depth perception.