Do 3D Visual Illusions Work for Immersive Virtual Environments?

Visual illusions are fascinating because visual perception misjudges the actual physical properties of an image or a scene. This paper examines the perception of visual illusions in three-dimensional space. Six diverse visual illusions were implemented for both immersive virtual reality and monitor based environments. A user-study with 30 healthy participants took place in laboratory conditions comparing the perceptual effects of the two different mediums. Experimental data were collected from both a simple ordering method and electrical activity of the brain. Results showed unexpected outcomes indicating that only some of the illusions have a stronger effect in immersive virtual reality, others in monitor based environments while the rest with no significant effects.