To reflect the range of interests and career goals of VSS attendees, we are pleased to offer our popular ‘Connect with Industry’ event at VSS 2023. This is an opportunity for our members to interact with representatives of industry and government agencies. Representatives from a range of organizations and industries will be present to discuss opportunities for vision scientists in their companies and to answer questions about collaborating with, and working within, their organizations. No advance sign-up is required.
Representatives from companies including Apple, Exponent, Magic Leap, and Meta, will be present to discuss opportunities for vision scientists in their companies and to answer questions about collaborating with and working within, their organizations.
First authors are required to register and present their talk in their assigned session. VSS policy holds that if the first author is unable to attend the meeting, the abstract must be withdrawn. See Abstract Withdrawal for more information.
Presentation Instructions
All talk sessions at VSS 2023 will be recorded and made available to VSS attendees. The talk session recordings will be posted after the VSS meeting and available on the VSS website through August 31, 2023.
Each presenter will present their slides from their own laptop. As in the past, each speaker’s laptop will be connected to a switch box that controls sending the video feed to the projector. The switchbox is controlled by the AV Technician.
A video camera will be pointed at the lectern to capture video of you speaking. The video of you speaking will be inset into the upper right corner of the video from your laptop. This “picture-in-picture” video is what will be recorded and made available on the VSS website after VSS. It’s important that speakers remain at the lectern while presenting so they remain within the frame of the inset recording.
Important: You should leave some open space in the upper right corner of your slides so the video inset (picture-in-picture) does not overlap your slide content.
There will be a large (70 inch) comfort monitor on the floor in front of you as you present. This monitor will display the same content as is being displayed on the screen in the room. The purpose of this monitor is two-fold. First, this makes it easier for speakers to present while facing the audience (not looking at the projection screen), which will result in a better picture-in-picture recording. Second, for many presenters, moving your laptop to the lectern may not be necessary.
If you require ‘Presenter View’ on your laptop screen while you present, then you will need to move your laptop to the lectern. If not, you can leave your laptop on the table and control the advancing of your slides using an ‘air mouse’ connected to your laptop via a USB dongle. If you don’t have an air mouse, we can provide one.
Because we are recording the display from your laptop merged with the inset of you speaking, we discourage the use of using a physical laser pointer to point to locations on the projection screen as this will not be visible in the recording. Instead, you should use your on-screen mouse pointer. You may also wish to use words or slide animations to clarify where the viewer should focus their attention on your slides.
Prior to Your Talk
You must arrive at the talk room no less than 30 minutes before the start of your session to check in, receive final instructions, and test your presentation on the projector.
Presentations are made from your Mac or PC laptop. Laptops are connected to the projector through a switch box via a numbered HDMI cable, where the number on the cable corresponds to the presentation order.
The Setup Process
The technician will connect your laptop to a HDMI switch box in the presentation order. If your laptop does not have a HDMI port, you will need an adapter. If you did not bring an adapter, check with the technician in the room. A limited number of adapters are available.
If you are playing audio, plug the audio cable into your headphone jack and test it.
Test the microphone at the lectern. Ensure that you can adjust the height correctly. A Lavaliere (wireless lapel microphone) is also available. See Tips for Using the Lavaliere below.
The technician will control the switch box that sends your laptop’s video to the projector.
Perform a quick test of your slides. Verify the following:
Slides project onto the screen correctly, fill the screen, and do not extend off the screen.
Slides are legible and not missing any text or graphics.
If color is important, verify how colors are projected.
Test embedded videos to verify that they play correctly.
Test audio. The technician in the room can make volume adjustments.
Test the remote control used for forwarding your slides.
Tips for Using the Lavaliere
If you cannot adjust the lectern microphone to your height, you may want to use the wireless lapel microphone (Lavaliere). Ask the technician in the room to help you with the Lavaliere. For best sound pickup, mount the Lavaliere as high as possible on your shirt/blouse, positioned to face your mouth. Turn the Lavaliere off when connecting/disconnecting as handling it while on makes a lot of noise.
Giving Your Talk
Speakers typically sit in the front row while waiting for their turn to present. When the previous talk has ended, the technician will put your laptop screen live, displaying the title slide (first slide) of your presentation. The moderator will step to the lectern and announce your talk.
Wait until the moderator has introduced you and started the talk timer, then step to the lectern to begin your presentation. It’s important that you remain at the lectern during your presentation so that you will be within the frame of the video camera.
Use the ‘air mouse’ to advance your slides. The ‘air mouse’ can also be used to point at items on your slide.
When your talk has ended, leave the lectern so the moderator can introduce the next speaker.
Talk Timing
Talk timing is the same as in previous years. Each talk is twelve minutes followed by a three-minute question and answer period. A timer is provided to help you keep time. There is no transition time allotted between talks, so it’s important that your talk start and end on time.
VSS has talk timers to help keep talks on schedule. The moderator is responsible for setting/starting/stopping the timers. The timer at the speaker podium has an LCD time display and colored lights. The talk timer counts UP from zero to 15. Here’s what the talk timing lights mean:
Talk Time – From 0 to 10 minutes: The GREENlight is on during your talk time.
Wrap Up – At 10 minutes: The YELLOW light displays and two-short beeps indicate that 2 minutes of talk time remains.
Discussion – At 12 minutes: The REDlight displays and two short beeps indicate that talk time has ended and the 3-minute question and answer period has started.
Talk Ended – At 15 minutes: The FLASHING REDlight and two long-beeps indicate that your presentation time has ended. You must stop immediately to allow the next speaker to start on time.
To facilitate the next speaker starting on time, we suggest that the next speaker go to the stage and prepare to set up during the previous speaker’s 3-minute question and answer period.
Slides Format
VSS 2023 is using widescreen projection (16:9 aspect ratio) in the main talk rooms. To take full advantage of the new larger screens, you should prepare your talk presentation using widescreen slides. The projection screens are 14 feet wide by 8 feet high.
You can still use standard (4:3 aspect ratio) slides. Your slides will fill the height of the screen, but there will be blank space on each side of your slides. We will not be able to make adjustments between speakers to accommodate differing slide aspect ratios; the projection screen will be set only for widescreen slides.
Only the screens in Talk Room 1 and Talk Room 2 are widescreen. If you are giving a presentation in another room where a pop-up screens is used, the aspect ratio is 4:3. For the best quality display, set your video resolution to widescreen 1080p resolution (1920×1080). This is the native resolution of the video projector. Other resolutions will work, but the projector will need to adjust the resolution for projection. This can sometimes result in a lower quality image.
Meeting Room Equipment
Each of the main talk rooms is equipped with:
Data/video projector with eight-port video switch box.
Wireless Lavaliere (lapel microphone), lectern microphone, and audience microphones.
Talk timers (see Talk Timing above).
Recommendations
As a precaution, always bring two copies of your presentation with you to the meeting. Bring a copy of your presentation with you to the talk room on a USB flash drive. Should you encounter a problem using your own computer, this facilitates presenting on another computer. A spare PC laptop is available in each talk room and connected to the projector.
We recommend that no critical information be near the edge of your slide. Alignment of the video projector and screen can vary, which can cause the edge of the projected image to be cut off.
Your laptop must have a way to connect to a standard HDMI cable. If your laptop requires a HDMI adapter, be sure to bring it and know how to use it; otherwise, connection to the projector may not be possible. VSS has a limited number of HDMI adapters, and we cannot guarantee that we will have the one you need.
Insure that you know how to activate the external video port of the laptop. Instructions should be in your operator’s manual. Generally on PCs, a Function Key (or Shift plus a Function Key) activates the external port.
If you use a Macintosh laptop, be sure you know how to keep the external port active. Macintosh computers automatically detect the presence of a video projector when the computer boots and the external port is activated. Unfortunately, if the projector is disconnected while the computer is awake, the port is deactivated and a time-consuming reboot is necessary. To avoid this problem, test your presentation before your session and, before disconnecting the projector from the computer, put the computer into Sleep mode. If you do not wake the computer before the projector is reattached, the external port will stay active.
Technical Assistance
A technician is in each talk room at all times during the talk sessions (and 30 minutes before). If you have a problem of any kind, let the technician and the session moderator know.
To reach the VSS Technical Manager, please call Jeff Wilson at 415-302-4107, or send someone to the Registration Desk. The Registration Desk can also be reached by calling 727.367.6461 extension 7814, or dialing 7814 from a house phone.
We encourage you to join the VSS Board of Directors for the Annual Business Meeting. During this meeting, the VSS leadership will provide an overview of the Society, including the outlook and priorities for next year’s meeting.
The Business Meeting is an opportunity for VSS members to ask questions of the VSS Board of Directors and bring up issues of concern to the general membership.
You may send questions before the start of the Business Meeting to .
VSS is one of the many member societies of FABBS, the Federation of Associations in Behavioral and Brain Sciences. VSS has been invited to contribute articles to an issue of the FABBS journal, Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences (PIBBS). The issue will consist of 23 invited articles, selected from submitted abstracts, that summarize an area of vision research, along with its implications for public policy. Instructions for submitting abstracts for consideration, and other relevant details, are contained in this message.
FABBS is a coalition of scientific societies, including VSS, that share an interest in advancing the sciences of mind, brain, and behavior. FABBS communicates the importance and contributions of research in these areas to policy makers, research funding agencies, and the public. FABBS has advocated on behalf of vision science in relation to levels of funding and the interpretation of policies regarding clinical studies.
PIBBS publishes brief, reader-friendly summaries of contemporary research findings that are relevant to efforts to promote new policies and/or new funding directions. Articles must contain brief statements describing or suggesting policy implications of the work. Articles are citable.
Where can I find examples of PIBBS articles?
Check the PIBBS website. Each article contains a summary of the research and ends with a brief, general implication for policy.
What does “policy” refer to?
Policies may include advocacy for research or funding directions, industry-academic partnerships to accomplish shared goals, formal establishment of new international collaborations, or new practices or guidelines relevant to education, health, or the workplace.
What types of research in vision might have policy implications?
Many research directions in vision science have practical implications for policies. Some examples:
Application of perceptual research involving VR or other emerging visual technologies to benefit education, the workplace or health;
Applications of research on perceptual learning, visual memory or perceptual aspects of reading to education policies, practices or funding;
Use of research on perception to develop technologies or practices relevant to young, aging, or special populations;
Application of research on face perception to identify biases in judgments that may impact social policies;
Development of effective visual presentations of publicly-available data.
What is the value to vision science or to me in submitting an article to PIBBS?
FABBS circulates PIBBS to policy makers and funding agencies. A PIBBS article is also a citable publication that may be useful to you in disseminating the applications of your work to a wide audience.
Who can submit?
This opportunity is open to any 2022 or 2023 VSS member from any country, including student and postdoctoral members. Even though FABBS is a US-based organization, it is interested in policies that enhance international collaborations and cooperation.
What is the process?
Any VSS member (2022 or 2023) can submit an abstract (no more than 200 words) for consideration. Your abstract should summarize the previously-published research that will be reviewed in your article and include a description of the policy implications or applications. (Abstracts presenting new unpublished findings will not be considered.) Include title, authors, authors’ affiliations, authors’ contact information, and a brief bibliography. Indicate which author(s) are VSS members (one or more must be a 2022 or 2023 VSS member). Send your abstract as a PDF file attachment to by January 17, 2023. From the submitted abstracts, 23 will be invited to prepare and submit a manuscript.
Are there costs?
There is no cost to authors.
What is the timeline?
Abstracts are due January 17, 2023. Invitations to prepare an article will be sent to those selected by the end of January. Articles will be due May 1, 2023. The submitted articles will then be reviewed with an eye to acceptance. FABBS manages the process in collaboration with the VSS Board.
Please check the FAQ to see if your question has already been answered. If you do not find a sufficient answer to your question, please contact us at .
The meeting registration includes an Opening Night Reception on Friday evening, which features a full buffet dinner, as well as a Demo Night Dinner on Monday evening. There will also be continental breakfasts, mid-morning coffee breaks, and afternoon coffee breaks with a light snack (popcorn, granola bar, etc.) for attendees.
If an attendee wishes to bring a guest to the social events and meals, a VSS Friends and Family Pass can be purchased at the VSS Registration Desk. Passes are $60.00 for adult guests and $20.00 for children ages 6 through 12. Children under the age of 6 are free. Passes are required for all social events and meals.
Yes, VSS provides free wired and wireless internet access in the VSS Social Lounge. A limited number of laptop computers will also be available for those who did not bring their own computers. Free wireless internet access is provided in the meeting space, lobby and restaurant areas of the hotel.
The TradeWinds is a family-friendly hotel, and we hope that you will want to bring your family with you. The VSS guest policy is as follows:
Scientific Program: Guests are allowed complimentary entry into one VSS session (for the purposes of seeing the poster or talk of the person they are a guest of). For a guest pass to a scientific session, please inquire at the VSS Registration Desk onsite.
Social & Food Events: A VSS Friends and Family Pass can be purchased at the VSS Registration Desk. This pass will allow your family and friends to attend the Opening Night Reception, all coffee & snack breaks, and the daily continental breakfast. Passes are $60.00 for adult guests and $20.00 for children ages 6 through 12. Children under the age of 6 are free. Passes are required for entrance to all social events and meals.
Note: The VSS Family & Friends Social Pass does not cover entrance to the scientific sessions. For a guest pass to a scientific session, please inquire at the VSS Registration Desk onsite.
Yes, you must be a current member in good standing. Please see Membership. You may become a member at the same time that you submit your abstract. If you try to submit and you are not a member, you will be directed to the membership application.
There is no longer a separate charge for submitting an abstract; the abstract submission is now rolled into the membership fee. This portion of the membership fee ($40) covers the administrative costs involved in receiving and reviewing the abstracts and the online abstract submission system. It also helps to cover the publishing of the abstracts in the Journal of Vision. Membership fees are not refundable.
Online registration opens on December 15, 2022 and is available through April 21, 2023. Early (discounted) registration runs through February 28, 2023. If you do not register online, registration is available onsite beginning Friday, May 19, 2023.
The winning image of the Website Banner Competition will also be used for the program covers, onsite signage, PowerPoint slides, bulk emails, printed materials, and other places where needed.
The winning image of the T-Shirt Design Competition will be used on the VSS 2023 T-shirt and may also be used for other purposes, such as tote bags, pens, hats, and mugs/water bottles.
You may submit more than one image for consideration and you are allowed to enter images in both competitions. You may submit the same image to both competitions as long as the file format requirements can be met.
Images may be related to scientific content, the Vision Sciences Society, or St. Pete Beach and the surrounding area. The image may include the VSS logo or be an alteration of the VSS logo.
The winner of each competition grants VSS unlimited rights to copy, publish, edit, print, and use the images for any purpose, including publishing images online and on other electronic and hard-copy media.
Winning images are chosen by a vote of the VSS Board of Directors. Winners will be notified by September 22, 2022.
Submissions for Website Banner Competition must be received no later than September 1, 2022. Submissions for the T-Shirt Design Competition must be received no later than January 10, 2023. You must be a current VSS member to submit an image for consideration.
Website Banner Competition
The Website Banner Competition is a contest to select an image that will serve as the brand, or theme, of the annual meeting by providing imagery that will be used throughout the VSS meeting. Although the winning image will be used for many purposes, to enter the competition you need to submit proposed images for the primary website banner and the secondary page website banner. Other items will be created using variations of the winning image.
Your proposed primary website banner design will replace the current banner on the VSS website home page. Your secondary page website banner will replace the banner shown at the top of this page. At a minimum, your proposed banner image should include the name of the society and the dates of the meeting.
To enter the Website Banner Competition, please submit two full-color raster image in .jpg or .png format.
The primary website banner image must be 3070 pixels by 534 pixels. The secondary page website banner must be 3070 pixels by 178 pixels.
If your image is chosen as the winning design, in addition to the banner image, you will be asked to provide variations of your image for use on the printed program cover, signs, and other purposes.
The winner of the Website Banner Competition will be awarded $500 USD and will be recognized in the meeting program, on the meeting website, and at the Awards session at the VSS meeting.
Deadline to submit an image for the Website Banner Competition is September 1, 2022. You must be a current member to submit an image.
The T-Shirt Design Competition is a contest to select an image for the VSS t-shirt. The image may also be used on other items that require line art.
Two images are needed for the t-shirt: one for the back and one for the breast. The maximum print area for the back image is approximately 11 inches square; the breast image print area is 3″ square. You can submit one image for both purposes or separate images. The images will be printed on black t-shirts and white t-shirts, so the image must be usable on both black an white backgrounds.
The images should include at least the name and year of the meeting (eg: VSS 2023), but may also include other information, such as the meeting dates and location.
T-shirts are printed using a silkscreen process, so the image must be line art that uses a maximum of four spot colors (solid colors, not composite colors). Large areas of solid colors are discouraged as these are more difficult to print and result in an image with a plastic feel that is not comfortable to wear.
To enter the T-Shirt Design Competition, please submit a PDF of your proposed design showing your images as they would appear on a white background and a black background.
If your image is chosen as the winning design, you will be asked to provide your artwork in a scalable vector graphic file, such as Adobe Illustrator or compatible.
The winner of the T-Shirt Design Competition will be awarded $500 USD and will be recognized in the meeting program, on the meeting website, and at the Awards session at the VSS meeting.
Deadline to submit an image for theT-shirt Design Competition is January 10, 2023. You must be a current member to submit an image.
Email your images to as an attachment. One email per submission, please. Specify which competition you are entering. You may optionally include a brief description of your image that the board will consider when reviewing the submitted images.
Schedule Deadline to submit an image for Website Banner Competition: September 1, 2022 Website Banner Competition image chosen: by October 3, 2022 Deadline to submit an image for T-shirt Design Competition: January 10, 2023 T-shirt image chosen: by January 31, 2023
