Computational techniques enabling the perception of virtual images exclusive to the retinal afterimage

TL;DR

This paper explores computational methods to induce and control retinal afterimages for use in interactive visual art, leveraging eye-tracking in AR/VR to create shape displays exclusive to afterimages.

Contribution

It introduces novel computational techniques to generate shape displays that are solely perceived through retinal afterimages, excluding normal vision influence.

Findings

Developed algorithms for retinal afterimage-based shape display

Demonstrated real-time control using eye-tracking in AR/VR

Established methods to isolate afterimage perception from normal vision

Abstract

The retinal afterimage is a widely known effect in the human visual system, which has been studied and used in the context of a number of major art movements. Therefore, when considering the general role of computation in the visual arts, this begs the question whether this effect, too, may be induced using partly automated techniques. If so, it may become a computationally controllable ingredient of (interactive) visual art, and thus take its place among the many other aspects of visual perception which already have preceded it in this sense. The present moment provides additional inspiration to lay the groundwork for extending computer graphics in general with the retinal afterimage: Historically, we are in a phase where some head-mounted stereoscopic AR/VR technologies are now providing eye tracking by default, thereby allowing realtime monitoring of the processes of visual fixation that can induce the retinal afterimage. A logical starting point for general investigation is then shape display via the retinal afterimage, since shape recognition lends itself well to unambiguous reporting. Shape recognition, however, may also occur due to normal vision, which happens simultaneously. Carefully and rigorously excluding this possibility, we develop computational techniques enabling shape display exclusive to the retinal afterimage.