Stereoscopic 3D exploration of freeform architecture

As freeform architecture becomes popular, the observation method for complex geometries is also becoming important. In particular, stereoscopic 3D is one of the most useful approaches to explore 3D space realistically with extrusion and depth feelings. In this work, we propose a stereoscopic 3D exploration to observe an internal space structure of freeform architecture effectively. For a visually comfortable stereoscopic 3D navigation, we analyze causes of visual discomfort and control perceived depth by adjusting virtual camera separation and virtual screen depth in a stereo scene. Since a user notices rapid changes of a scene, we measure JND Oust Noticeable Difference) for the optimal changes of virtual camera separation and virtual screen depth. For the camera movement in complex and curved pathways, we use automated navigation utilizing cubic Bezier curves. During the navigation, the camera parameters are controlled automatically in order to produce visually comfortable stereoscopic 3D scenes. We also performed a user study to verify the effectiveness of the proposed explorations using famous freeform architectural models such as the Guggenheim Museum and the Jubilee Church. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.