Driving while distracted: the effects of experience, age and gender
Understanding the nature and issues involved in usability and driver distraction is essential for minimizing complexity and driver distraction from in-car systems and road-related issues. This project encompasses theoretical and experimental studies of the interactions between gaze (looking) and cognitive awareness (seeing). The Looking & Seeing Project is based on a series of specific experiments to build our knowledge of brain electrical activity changes which may occur when visual targets change, and/or attention changes in the visual field. In order to assess this, a short series of tests was administered to participants that involve maintaining fixation on a center point on a computer screen, whilst indicating through response buttons whether they detected stimuli presented in their peripheral visual field. This basic test was also applied to a more realistic situation with the use of a driving simulator. During these tests, a number of physiological measures were recorded including brain activity (electroencephalography), eye movements (electrooculography), muscle activity (electromyography), heart rate, breathing and blood oxygen levels. These results are discussed in relation to visual attention. (a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E217711.
TRT Terms: Age; Attention; Behavior; Conferences; Driver experience; Drivers; Driving; Females; Males; Safety; Simulation
ITRD Terms: 1757: Age; 2238: Attention; 9001: Behaviour; 8525: Conference; 1772: Driver; 1855: Driving (veh); 2225: Experience (human); 1787: Man; 1665: Safety; 9103: Simulation; 1788: Woman