Reducing binocular rivalry in the use of monocular head-mounted display

Monocular head-mounted displays (HMDs) can be used with wearable computers. However, such displays can cause binocular rivalry, a phenomenon in which the left and right images alternate, and is unstable. Binocular rivalry, when using HMD, causes the image of the environment to alternate with the HMD image, or even the total loss of perception of the image from the HMD. Binocular rivalry can occur with displays of any resolution. In this study, we used optokinetic nystagmus (OKN) to reduce binocular rivalry. A special stimulus synchronized to the occurrence of binocular rivalry was used to trigger OKN. The subject was asked to observe a visual stimulus and press a trigger button whenever binocular rivalry occurred. This initiated the presentation of a specific spatial frequency stimulus that broke up the rivalry. Electro-oculogram (EOG) electrodes recorded the observer's possible loss of perception of the HMD image, helping to confirm the occurrence of binocular rivalry. Sixteen subjects participated in the experiments. The results indicate that synchronizing special stimuli to the viewers' responses in order to induce OKN can reduce binocular rivalry.