FovealCone

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HumanVision has a limited cone of only a couple degrees of arc which is actually in focus. While we think we see quite a wide range (about 180 degrees, of which 120 degrees are in colour), actually only this small part is normally attended to consciously in detail. A further 30 degrees or so is also consciously attended, but not in detail. The rest is peripheral information that is left to lower cognitive modes to consider.

This relativey tight FovealCone therefore constitutes our range of visual attention. For a long period of time, then, computer displays have only been created to fit this small range as it's quite difficult for the human mind to deal with active information outside the FovealCone. This is why we sit back from televisions as well as it is more comfortable.

However, suppose not every aspect of the display was used for highly detailed and dense graphical information. Then the remainder of our peripheral vision that is being left unused could be brought into use. A lot of research is going on in the area of large screen displays and wraparound VirtualReality glasses, but so far no one has made much progress. This may be because there is no theory of peripheral art like there is of foveal art. That is, the history of painting has been optimized around what is in focus rather than what is on the periphery; we make images to be looked at directly. Then again, Zen gardens are meant to be peripherally experienced as well, so they may offer insight.

Conversely, small PervasiveComputing devices are more tightly packed into the FovealCone, thus taking our awareness when we are outdoors away from the whole field of view back down to only the relatively tight FovealCone, say when playing video games on your cellphone on the subway or fiddling with your PDA in the park.

FovealCone

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