Vision-Realistic Rendering: Simulation of the Scanned Foveal Image with Elimination of Artifacts due to Occlusion and Discretization

We introduce the concept of

vision-realistic rendering

– the computer generation of synthetic images that incorporate the characteristics of a particular individual’s entire optical system. Specifically, this paper develops a method for simulating the scanned foveal image from wavefront data of actual human subjects, and demonstrates those methods on sample images.

First, a subject’s optical system is measured by a Shack-Hartmann wavefront aberrometry device. This device outputs a measured wavefront which is sampled to calculate an object space point spread function (OSPSF). The OSPSF is then used to blur input images. This blurring is accomplished by creating a set of depth images, convolving them with the OSPSF, and finally compositing to form a vision-realistic rendered image.

Although processing in image space allows an increase in speed, the images may have artifacts introduced due to

occlusion

or

discretization

. Two approaches for object identification to properly blur the scene are discussed.

Applications of vision-realistic rendering in computer graphics as well as in optometry and ophthalmology are discussed.