ISO/TC 159/SC 4/WG 12 - Image safety

This document establishes the requirements and recommendations for image contents and electronic display systems to reduce visually induced motion sickness (VIMS), while viewing images on electronic displays. This document is applicable to electronic display systems, including flat panel displays, projectors with a screen, and virtual reality (VR) type of head mounted displays (HMDs), but not including HMDs that present electronic images on/with real-world scenes. NOTE 1 This document assumes the images are viewed under appropriate defined conditions. See Annex B for the appropriate viewing conditions. NOTE 2 This document is useful for the design, development, and supply of image contents, as well as electronic displays for reducing VIMS. NOTE 3 ISO 9241‑392[3] provides guidelines for stereoscopic 3D displays, of which the methods are also used in HMDs. NOTE 4 The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) generally sets the standards for broadcasting.

This document gives the scientific summaries of visually induced motion sickness resulting from images presented visually on or by electronic display devices. Electronic displays include flat panel displays, electronic projections on a flat screen, and head-mounted displays. Different aspects of human-system interaction are covered in other parts of the ISO 9241 series (see Annex A).

ISO 9241-391:2016 provides requirements and recommendations for reducing photosensitive seizures (PSS), while viewing images on electronic displays. The requirements and recommendations in this part of ISO 9241 are designed to be applied to image contents. By image contents, reference is made to the images independent of the device or environment in which they are displayed. The requirements and recommendations in this part of ISO 9241 are for the protection of the vulnerable individuals in the viewing population who are photosensitive and who are therefore liable to seizures triggered by flashing lights and regular patterns, including certain repetitive images. NOTE 1 ITU considers the image safety issues in relation to broadcasting. Some of these are described in ITU-R BT.1702.[2] NOTE 2 There are some related recommendations in ISO/IEC 40500:2012, W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, for web contents accessibility. NOTE 3 Photosensitive seizures and photosensitive epilepsy, that is, chronic conditions characterized by those repeated seizures are medical conditions. Clinical aspects of photosensitivity appear in Annex C. Visually induced seizures are equivalent to PSS.

ISO 9241-392:2015 establishes recommendations for reducing the potential visual discomfort and visual fatigue experienced during viewing of stereoscopic images under defined viewing conditions. Visual fatigue and discomfort might be produced by the stereoscopic optical stimulus of disparate images that were presented binocularly. ISO 9241-392:2015 is also applicable to the final products of stereoscopic presentations which depend on stereoscopic image content and stereoscopic displays when viewed under appropriate defined conditions. Therefore, the recommendations are intended for people responsible for the design, development, and supply of stereoscopic image content as well as stereoscopic displays. NOTE 1 See Annex B for appropriate viewing conditions. The recommendations in this part of ISO 9241 are applicable to stereoscopic displays such as those with glasses and two-view autostereoscopic displays, stereoscopic head-mounted displays, and stereoscopic projectors. Moreover, they are applicable to stereoscopic image content intended to be presented on the above-mentioned stereoscopic displays and stereoscopic presentations that are realized by the combinations of these images and displays. NOTE 2 Annex C presents numerical criteria as an informative reference. NOTE 3 Other guidance might need to be established by referring to this part of ISO 9241 when requirements and recommendations specific to each type of stereoscopic image content or stereoscopic display become necessary. NOTE 4 ITU generally sets the standards for broadcasting. NOTE 5 ISO 9241‑303:2011, Annex E provides guidelines for virtual displays which are intended for stereoscopic head-mounted displays.