Stereopsis & Seeing in “Stereo”

It all started with the idea of stereopsis. Putting it simply, stereopsis is a term that refers to the perception of depth and 3D concerning the fact that we have not one but two eyes. Think about it: since we see with both eyes, two slightly different images are always being projected to the retina of the eye.

Compare it to sound: back in the early ’50s, speakers were monophonic, meaning there was only one sound source per record. But when stereo was created, most records became stereophonic, with two different sound sources. This made for a higher depth in sound: the music just sounded wider and more authentic.