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Depth Perception and Spatial Vision

Depth Perception and Spatial Vision

Depth perception is the ability to perceive objects three-dimensionally. It relies on two types of cues: binocular and monocular. Binocular cues depend on the combination of images from both eyes and how the eyes work together. Since the eyes are in slightly different positions, each eye captures a slightly different image. This disparity between images, known as binocular disparity, helps the brain interpret depth. When the brain compares these images, it determines the distance to an object.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 5, 2026

Assessing Binocular Central Visual Field and Binocular Eye Movements in a Dichoptic Viewing Condition

Assessing Binocular Central Visual Field and Binocular Eye Movements in a Dichoptic Viewing Condition

Published on: July 21, 2020

Gaze-grasp coordination in obstacle avoidance: differences between binocular and monocular viewing.

¹The Henry Wellcome Laboratories for Vision Research, Division of Optometry and Visual Science, City University London, Northampton Square, London, EC1V 0HB, UK. s.grant@city.ac.uk.

Experimental Brain Research

|August 24, 2015

Summary

Binocular vision enhances obstacle avoidance during reaching tasks by improving gaze and hand coordination. Losing depth perception with monocular vision requires more attention and alters movement strategies.

Keywords:

Eye movements Reaching Stereopsis Visual fixation Visuomotor behaviour

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Last Updated: Apr 5, 2026

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Published on: July 21, 2020

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Published on: August 22, 2025

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Human Motor Control
Perception

Background:

Adults adeptly navigate cluttered environments, skillfully avoiding obstacles.
Gaze and hand movement coordination is crucial for everyday tasks like reaching and grasping.
Binocular depth information plays a role in obstacle avoidance, but its specific contribution is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the coordination of gaze and hand movements during obstacle avoidance.
To determine how the absence of binocular depth information affects these coordinated movements.
To explore the impact of obstacle location and visual conditions on reaching and grasping strategies.

Main Methods:

Simultaneous recording of visual fixations and hand movement kinematics.
13 right-handed subjects performed reaching and grasping tasks with a target object and a potential obstacle.
Tasks were performed under both binocular and monocular viewing conditions, with varying obstacle locations.

Main Results:

Gaze and hand movement strategies significantly differed between binocular and monocular vision, and by obstacle location.
Binocular vision facilitated faster hand movements and more precise grips, with gaze shifting to the grasp site.
Monocular vision led to altered gaze behavior, increased movement variability, and challenges in collision avoidance, especially with obstacles behind the target.

Conclusions:

Binocular vision offers significant advantages for collision avoidance, particularly when objects are close in depth.
The loss of binocular depth information necessitates increased perceptual and attentional resources.
Findings have implications for individuals with impaired binocular stereopsis, highlighting the importance of depth cues in motor control.