Research Expertise and Interest

stereopsis, virtual reality, optometry, multisensory interactions, self-motion perception, vision, depth perception, displays, picture perception, visual ergonomics

Research Description

Martin Banks received his PhD in Developmental Psychology from the University of Minnesota in 1976. His research involves three topics: The use of stereoscopic and other information to determine the spatial layout of the visible environment and one's motion through that environment; the combination of information from more than one sense modality (e.g., vision and touch); the construction and evaluation of devices for creating useful virtual environments (e.g., vision, vestibular, and touch). In all cases, he is particularly interested in determining how efficiently humans utilize the available stimulus information while performing perceptual tasks and also in applying the results to emerging technologies such as augmented reality, virtual reality, and stereo 3D cinema/television.