Perceptual Graphics: The Integration of Perception Research and Computer Graphics Research

Real visual scenes specify an enormous amount of perceptually and behaviorally relevant information. Perception science investigates how the sensory systems of humans and animals extract, represent, and process such information. Computer graphics focuses on the visual simulation of such information, traditionally emphasizing a high degree of realism. Although these two fields have developed independently, they address similar fundamental problems and provide complementary methods for their solution. Furthermore, it is becoming increasingly apparent that specific research questions in either discipline cannot be solved without methods from the other. The fusion of these two complementary approaches not only helps to overcome the inherent limits of each approach, but also opens up entire new realms of scientific inquiry. This integrated approach is referred to as Perceptual Graphics. In this talk, I will provide an overview of how perception and computer graphics can help one another, both symbiotically and in a truly integrated fashion. I will also provide a brief look at several examples of current Perceptual Graphics research.