Depth interactions between inclined and slanted surfaces in vertical and horizontal orientations.

Depth interactions between a frontal test surface and an adjacent induction surface were measured as a function of the type of disparity in the induction surface and of the vertical/horizontal orientation of the boundary between the surfaces. The types of disparity were 4 degrees horizontal-shear disparity, 4 degrees vertical-shear disparity, and 4 degrees rotation disparity; 4% horizontal-size disparity, 4% vertical-size disparity, and 4% overall-size disparity. Depth contrast in a frontal surface was produced by surfaces containing horizontal-size disparity but not by those containing horizontal-shear disparity. Vertical-shear and vertical-size disparities produced induced effects in both the induction and the test surface, which is here explained in terms of deformation-disparity processing. Effects of rotation disparity on the test surface can be accounted for in terms of cyclovergence, deformation disparity, and perhaps also depth contrast. The fact that horizontal-size disparity produced more depth contrast than horizontal-shear disparity is due to an anisotropy of disparity processing rather than the relative orientation of the surfaces. Ground surfaces appeared more slanted than ceiling surfaces. Surfaces containing horizontal disparities produced a sharp boundary with the test surface because horizontal disparities are processed locally. Surfaces with vertical disparities produced a gradual boundary with the test surface because vertical disparities are processed over a wider area.

Types of shear disparity and the perception of surface inclination.

A study is reported of (i) the perceived inclination of a textured surface in depth about a horizontal axis as a function of disparity magnitude for horizontal-shear disparity, vertical-shear disparity, and rotation disparity; and (ii) interactions between patterns with shear or rotation disparity and superimposed or adjacent patterns or lines with zero disparity. Horizontal-shear disparity produced strong inclination which was enhanced by superimposed or adjacent zero-disparity stimuli. It produced little or no inclination contrast in superimposed or adjacent zero-disparity stimuli. Vertical-shear disparity produced inclination in the opposite direction (induced effect) which was reduced to near zero by a superimposed zero-disparity pattern. Adjacent vertical-shear and zero-disparity patterns appeared inclined at slightly different angles with a wide curved boundary. This suggests that vertical-shear disparities are averaged over a wide area. Rotation disparity produced minimal inclination. A superimposed or adjacent zero-disparity line appeared strongly inclined. A superimposed or adjacent zero-disparity pattern appeared vertical and caused the pattern with rotation disparity to appear inclined. Four mechanisms are proposed to account for the results: depth contrast, depth enhancement, deformation-disparity processing, and disparity transfer arising from cyclovergence.

Types of size disparity and the perception of surface slant.

We examined (i) perceived slant of a textured surface about a vertical axis as a function of disparity magnitude for horizontal-size disparity, vertical-size disparity, and overall-size disparity; and (ii) interactions between patterns with various types and magnitudes of size disparity and superimposed or adjacent zero-disparity stimuli. Horizontal-size disparity produced slant which increased with increasing disparity, was enhanced by superimposed zero-disparity stimuli, and induced contrasting slant in superimposed or adjacent zero-disparity stimuli. Vertical-size disparity produced opposite slant (induced effect) which was reduced to near zero by a superimposed zero-disparity pattern and both patterns appeared as one surface. Adjacent vertical-size-disparity and zero-disparity patterns appeared as separate surfaces with a wide curved boundary. Overall-size disparity produced slant which was enhanced by a superimposed zero-disparity pattern and less so by a zero-disparity line, and induced more slant in a zero-disparity line than in a zero-disparity pattern. The results are discussed in terms of depth underestimation of isolated surfaces, depth enhancement, depth contrast, and the processing of deformation disparity.

An integrated system for measuring static and dynamic accommodation with a Canon Autoref R-1 refractometer.

An integrated system is described which we have found useful for efficiently collecting and analyzing both static and dynamic accommodation data using the Canon Autoref R-1 refractometer. The system consists of hardware modifications and software designed to both facilitate the measurement of accommodation and to process the resulting data. Several features of the Canon R-1, which may not be evident to some users, are also described. A program written in Microsoft C/C++ running under DOS, and designed for use on a PC, is available from the authors upon request.

Toxic shock syndrome.

Eight cases of toxic shock syndrome, confirmed by Center for Disease Control criteria, involved women who were menstruating and were tampon users. Each patient had severe febrile illness with rash, associated hypotension, renal and liver function abnormalities, pharyngitis and vaginitis. An examination of the literature indicates that cases that were reported as adult Kawasaki disease may actually have been toxic shock syndrome.