Interactive Impossible Objects: Designing Physical Interaction with Impossible Objects Using Binocular Disparity Adjustment and Redirection

We present Interactive Impossible Objects, a system that transforms classic impossible objects into walkable and touchable experiences in Virtual Reality (VR). While impossible objects have been extensively studied for their visual illusions, limited research has examined physical interaction with such objects. Our approach solves two core challenges: preserving the illusion of binocular disparity and maintaining interactivity. We achieve this by rendering distinct 3D models for each eye to preserve the visual illusion and applying redirection techniques that map a single continuous physical object onto a seemingly discontinuous or distorted virtual shape. In our demonstrations, users successfully navigate an “endless” staircase and interact with impossible objects in VR while engaging with corresponding real-world counterparts, maintaining a seamless illusion throughout the experience.