2/6/2025 | 8:30 AM - 10:30 AM | Regency A

From Polaroid to augmented reality: The enduring avantages of whiteborders

Author(s)

Michael Murdoch | Rochester Institute of Technology

Abstract

Ubiquitous throughout the history of photography, white borders on photo prints and vintage Polaroids remain useful as new technologies including augmented reality emerge for general use. In novel optical see-through augmented reality (OST-AR) displays, physical transparency limits the visibility of dark stimuli. However, image manipulations as simple as white borders have a strong visual effect, making the dark objects appear darker and more opaque. In this work, the practical value of known, inter-related effects including lightness induction, glare illusion, Bartleson-Breneman effect, and simultaneous contrast are explored. The results show promising improvements to visibility and visual quality in future OST-AR interfaces.