Perceptual Cycle

In the Model Human Processor framework, the perceptual cycle is the time required for a person to perceive and register a stimulus from their environment, such as seeing a visual change on screen. The perceptual cycle time for both able-bodied and motor-impaired users is approximately 100 milliseconds. Understanding perceptual cycle times is important in accessibility because interface timing — such as how long to display feedback or how quickly elements change — must accommodate the perceptual processing speeds of all users.