Skip to main content
Log in

Specification and evaluation of level of detail selection criteria

  • Published:
Virtual Reality Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Level of detail (LOD) is a technique where geometric objects are represented at a number of resolutions, allowing the workload of the system to be based upon an object's distance, size, velocity, or eccentricity. However, little is known about how to specify optimally when a particular LOD should be selected so that the user is not aware of any visual change, or to what extent any particular LOD scheme can improve an application's performance. In response, this paper produces a generic, orthogonal model for LOD based upon data from the field of human visual perception. The effect of this model on the system is evaluated to discover the contribution that each component makes towards any performance improvement. The results suggest that both velocity and eccentricity LOD should be implemented together (if at all) because their individual contribution is likely to be negligible. Also, it is apparent that size (or distance) optimisations offer the greatest benefit, contributing around 95% of any performance increment.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Clark JH. Hierarchical geometric models for visible surface algorithms. Communications of the ACM 1976;19(10):547–554

    Google Scholar 

  2. Carey R, Bell G. The Annotated VRML 2.0 Reference Manual Addison-Wesley Reading, Mass

  3. Chrislip CA, Ehlert Jr JF. Level of detail models for dismounted infantry in NPSNET-IV.8.1. Master's thesis, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif. 1995

    Google Scholar 

  4. Vince J. Virtual reality techniques in flight simulation. In Virtual reality systems. Farnshaw RA, Gigante MA, Jones H eds. London: Academic Press, 1993

    Google Scholar 

  5. Kemeny A. A cooperative driving simulator. Proceedings of the International Training Equipment Conference (ITEC) 1993;67–71

  6. Roehl B. AVRIL Technical Reference. On-line documentation for the AVRIL graphics package. Version 2.0, March 28, 1995

  7. Wernecke J. The inventor mentor: programming object-oriented 3D graphics with Open Inventor, Release 2. Addison-Wesley, Reading, Mass, 1993

    Google Scholar 

  8. Watson, B., Walker, N. and Hodges, L. F. (1995). A User Study Evaluating Level of Detail Degradation in the Periphery of Head-Mounted Displays. Proceedings of the FIVE '95 Conference: 203–212. QMW, University of London, UK

  9. Reddy M. Musings on Volumetric Level of Detail for Virtual Environments. Virtual Reality: Research, Development and Application 1995;1:49–56

    Google Scholar 

  10. Ohshima T, Yamamoto H, Tamura H. Gaze-directed adaptive rendering for interacting with virtual space. Proceedings of the IEEE Virtual Reality Annual International Symposium (VRAIS) 1996;103–110

  11. Funkhouser TA, Sèquin CH. Adaptive display algorithm for interactive frame rates during visualization of complex virtual environments. Computer Graphics (SIGGRAPH '93 Proceedings) 1993;27:247–254

    Google Scholar 

  12. Hitchner LE, McGreevy MW. Methods for user-based reduction of model complexity for virtual planetary exploration. Proceedings of the SPIE — The International Society for Optical Engineering 1993;622–636

  13. Amselem D. A window on shared virtual environments. Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments 1995;4:130–145

    Google Scholar 

  14. Rohlf J, Helman J. IRIS Performer: a high performance multiprocessing toolkit for real-time 3D graphics. Computer Graphics (SIGGRAPH '94 Proceedings) 1994;381–394

  15. Wloka MM, Incorporating update rates into today's graphics systems. Technical Report CS-93-56. Department of Computer Science, Brown University, Providence, R.I., 1993

  16. Airey JM, Rohlf JH, Frederick P, Brooks J. Towards image realism with interactive update rates in complex virtual building environments. ACM SIGGRAPH Special Issue on 1990 Symposium on Interactive 3D Graphics 1990;24:41–50

    Google Scholar 

  17. Holloway RL. Viper: a auasi-real-time virtual-worlds application. UNC Technical Report No. TR-92-004. Department of Computer Science, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C. 1991

    Google Scholar 

  18. Astheimer P, Pêche M-L. Level-of-detail generation and its application in virtual reality. Proceedings of the VRST '94 Conference 1994;299–309

  19. Reddy M. Perceptually modulated level of detail for virtual environments. Ph.D. Thesis (CST-134-97). University of Edinburgh, 1997

  20. Campbell FW, Robson JG. Application of Fourier analysis to the visibility of gratings. Journal of Physiology 1968;197:551–566

    Google Scholar 

  21. Kelly DH. Motion and Vision. II. Stabilized Spatio-Temporal Threshold Surface. Journal of the Optical Society of America 1979;69:1340–1349

    Google Scholar 

  22. Rovamo J, Virsu V. An estimation and application of the human cortical magnification factor. Experimental Brain Research 1979;37:495–510

    Google Scholar 

  23. Campbell FW, Hulikowski JJ, Levinson J. The effect of orientation on the visual resolution of gratings. Journal of Physiology 1966:187:427–436

    Google Scholar 

  24. Kelly DH. Spatial frequency selectivity in the retina. vision research 1975;15:665–672

    Google Scholar 

  25. Lamming D. Spatial frequency channels. In Vision and visual dysfunction: limits of vision, vol. 5. Cronly-Dillon JR ed. London: Macmillan, 1991

    Google Scholar 

  26. Maciel P, Shirley P. Visual navigation of large environments Using Textured Clusters. Symposium on Interactive 3D Graphics 1995;95–102

  27. Reddy M. A Measure for Perceived Detail in Computer-Generated Images. Technical Report ECS-CSG-19-96. Department of Computer Science, University of Edinburgh, 1996

  28. Carter RC. Calculate (don't guess) the effect of symbol size on usefulness of color. Proceedings of the Human Factors Society 33rd Annual Meeting: 1989;1368–1372

  29. Reddy M. The development and evaluation of a model of visual acuity for computer-generated imagery. Technical Report ECS-CSG-30-97. Department of Computer Science, University of Edinburgh, 1997

  30. Campbell FW, Gubisch RW. Optical quality of the human eye. Journal of Physiology 1966;186:558–578

    Google Scholar 

  31. Regan C. An investigation into nausea and other side-effects of head-coupled immersive virtual reality. Virtual Reality: Research. Development, Applications 1995;1:17–32

    Google Scholar 

  32. Frank LH, Casali JG, Wierwille WW. Effects of visual display and motion system delays on operator performance and uneasiness in a driving simulator. Human Factors 1988;30:201–217

    Google Scholar 

  33. Levoy M, Whitaker R. Gaze-directed volume rendering. ACM SIGGRAPH Special Issue on 1990 Symposium on Interactive 3D Graphics 1990; 24:217–223

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Reddy, M. Specification and evaluation of level of detail selection criteria. Virtual Reality 3, 132–143 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01417674

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01417674

Keywords

Navigation