Chapter 3. The Mechanics of Sight

The amazing human eye is a marvel of engineering. Seventy percent of all of the body’s sensory receptors are located in the eyes. Forty percent of the cerebral cortex is thought to be involved in some aspect of processing visual information. To fully understand the key technologies behind augmented and virtual reality, it is important to understand the primary sensory mechanism these systems address. In this chapter we will explore the mechanics of human sight, highlighting the physiological processes enabling us to visually perceive real and virtual worlds.

The Visual Pathway

Everything starts with light. It is the key underlying stimulus for human sight. Light is a form of electromagnetic radiation that is ...

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