Motion Parallax and Angle of Declination as Visual Depth Cues in Low Vision
Safely and effectively navigating is a concern of primary importance, and individuals with low vision face a unique set of challenges when navigating complex environments. Past research has indicated that motion parallax and angle of declination may be especially useful cues for individuals with low vision. This experiment examines the efficacy of motion parallax and angle of declination in gauging the relative distance between target objects. Low vision participants viewed targets in a visual field while either stationary, or moving laterally. A suspended reference object was kept at a constant location throughout trials while target objects were placed at different depths, in line with the reference object, sometimes elevated using clear support structures. Participants verbally reported estimated relative distance between the objects. Preliminary analysis indicates that object lift had a significant impact on absolute error of relative distance estimates, supporting the idea that angle of declination is an important cue in spatial navigation.