Comparing perceptions of a dimmable LED lighting system between a real space and a virtual reality display. (December 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rockcastle, S; Danell, M; Calabrese, E; Sollom-Brotherton, G; Mahic, A; Van Den Wymelenberg, K; Davis, R
• Is Part Of: Lighting research & technology. Volume 53:Number 8(2021)
• Page Start: 701
• Page End: 725
• Publication Date: 2021-12
• Subjects: Lighting -- Periodicals; 621.32
• DOI: 10.1177/1477153521990039
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1477-1535

Abstract

Over the last several decades, designers have used digital screens to view images of real and simulated spaces and make critical design decisions. Screen technology has improved during this time, as technologies like OLED have replaced legacy displays (CRT, plasma, and LCD). These new screens provide a higher pixel resolution, luminous output and contrast ratio. Immersive head-mounted displays now allow designers to view immersive images, and recent developments in real-time rendering have encouraged the uptake of virtual reality (VR) head-mounted displays in mainstream practice and design education. This paper presents an experiment on lighting perception using a series of LED lighting conditions in a real space and a virtual representation of those conditions captured using a 360° high-dynamic-range camera and presented on an HTC Vive Pro HMD. Fifty-three participants were asked to rate each lighting condition by viewing it in a real space (n = 30) or via immersive HDR photographs displayed in a VR HMD (n = 23). The results show that ratings of visual comfort, pleasantness, evenness, contrast and glare are similar between the HTC Vive Pro HMD and our real space when evaluating well-lit scenes, but significant differences emerge in dim and highly contrasted scenes for a number of rating scales.