orthoscopic

Orthoscopic is an adjective used in geometry, optics, and related fields. It derives from Greek orthos meaning straight or true and skopein meaning to view. In mathematics and technical drawing, orthoscopic commonly refers to a projection in which projecting lines are perpendicular to the projection plane, yielding what is also called an orthographic or orthogonal projection. This projection preserves true lengths along directions parallel to the projection plane and does not include perspective foreshortening. As a result, shapes and angles are preserved in the projection, making it useful for engineering plans, architectural drawings, and computer-aided design where a true-to-size representation is required. The term emphasizes fidelity of the projection rather than perceptual distortion.

In practice, orthoscopic projection is often explained by comparing it with perspective projection, in which lines converge and distant parts of the object appear smaller. An orthoscopic view can be generated by parallel projection with projection lines perpendicular to the view plane, producing an image free of perspective distortion.

Outside technical drawing, the word orthoscopic is less common but can appear in discussions of imaging, projection methods, or perceptual experiments that seek distortion-free representations; however, such uses are less standardized and highly context-dependent.