Veiling glare and perceived black in high dynamic range displays

Area of Science:

• Visual perception
• Display technology
• Image quality

Background:

• High dynamic range (HDR) displays present challenges for viewing dark details near bright areas.
• Intra-ocular glare from external light sources can impair perception of image contrast.
• Understanding these effects is crucial for optimizing visual experience on modern displays.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the visibility of black-level differences under glare conditions.
• To develop a model for predicting contrast visibility in high-contrast scenarios relevant to HDR displays.
• To investigate the impact of glare on visual difference thresholds.

Main Methods:

• A perceptual experiment was conducted in a controlled environment.
• Visual difference thresholds for dark, shadow-detail images were adaptively measured.
• Intra-ocular glare was induced using an external LED lamp at varying eccentricities.
• Data were modeled using CIE glare equations, DICOM contrast visibility, and adaptation luminance.

Main Results:

• Difference thresholds were determined for various glare conditions and eccentricities.
• The study provides quantitative data on the visibility of black-level differences.
• A model combining existing and new components was developed to predict visibility.

Conclusions:

• The findings provide insights into the visibility of dark details in the presence of glare on HDR displays.
• The developed model can aid in predicting and improving image quality in challenging viewing environments.
• This research is relevant for both display design and understanding visual perception in real-world settings.