Full-field Distortion Measurement of Virtual-reality Devices Using Camera Calibration and Probe Rotation

Abstract

A compact virtual-reality (VR) device with wider field of view provides users with a more realistic experience and comfortable fit, but VR lens distortion is inevitable, and the amount of distortion must be measured for correction. In this paper, we propose two different full-field distortion-measurement methods, considering the characteristics of the VR device. The first is the distortion-measurement method using multiple images based on camera calibration, which is a well-known technique for the correction of camera-lens distortion. The other is the distortion-measurement method by measuring lens distortion at multiple measurement points by rotating a camera. Our proposed methods are verified by measuring the lens distortion of Google Cardboard, as a representative sample of a commercial VR device, and comparing our measurement results to a simulation using the nominal values.