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The effects of a predictive HMI and different transition frequencies on acceptance, workload, usability, and gaze behavior during urban automated driving

Automated driving research as a key topic in the automotive industry is currently undergoing change. Research is shifting from unexpected and time-critical take-over situations to human machine interface (HMI) design for predictable transitions. Furthermore, new applications like automated city driving are getting more attention and the ability to engage in non-driving related activities (NDRA) starting from SAE Level 3 automation poses new questions to HMI design. Moreover, future introduction scenarios and automated capabilities are still unclear. Thus, we designed, executed, and assessed a driving simulator study focusing on the effect of different transition frequencies and a predictive HMI while freely engaging in naturalistic NDRA. In the study with 33 participants, we found transition frequency to have effects on workload and acceptance, as well as a small impact on the usability evaluation of the system. Trust, however, was not affected. The predictive HMI was used and accepted, as can be seen by eye-tracking data and the post-study questionnaire, but could not mitigate the above-mentioned negative effects induced by transition frequency. Most attractive activities were window gazing, chatting, phone use, and reading magazines. Descriptively, window gazing and chatting gained attractiveness when interrupted more often, while reading magazines and playing games were negatively affected by transition rate.

7 versions available

The impact of auditory continual feedback on take-overs in Level 3 automated vehicles

Objective: To implement auditory continual feedback into the interface design of a Level 3 automated vehicle and to test whether gaze behavior and reaction times of drivers improved in take-over situations. Background: When required to assume manual control in take-over situations, drivers of Level 3 automated vehicles are less likely than conventional drivers to spot potential hazards, and their reaction time is longer. Therefore, it is crucial that the interface of Level 3 automated vehicles will be designed to improve drivers’ performance in take-over situations. Method: In two experiments, participants drove a simulated route in a Level 3 automated vehicle for 35 min with one imminent take-over event. Participants’ gaze behavior and performance in an imminent take-over event were monitored under one of three auditory interface designs: (1) Continual feedback. A system that provides verbal driving-related feedback; (2) Persistent feedback. A system that provides verbal driving-related feedback and a persistent beep; and (3) Chatter feedback. A system that provides verbal non-driving-related feedback. Also, there was a control group without feedback. Results: Under all three auditory feedback designs, the number of drivers' on-road glances increased compared to no feedback, but none of the designs shortened reaction time to the imminent event. Conclusion: Increasing the number of on-road glances during automated driving does not necessarily improve drivers’ attention to the road and their reaction times during take-overs. Application: Possible implications for the effectiveness of auditory continual feedback should be considered when designing interfaces for Level 3 automated vehicles.

7 versions available

The instructor assistant system (iASSYST)-utilizing eye tracking for commercial aviation training purposes

This work investigates the potential of providing commercial aviation flight instructors with an eye tracking enhanced observation system to support the training process. During training, instructors must deal with many parallel tasks, such as operating the flight simulator, acting as air traffic controllers, observing the pilots and taking notes. This can cause instructors to miss relevant information that is crucial for debriefing the pilots. To support instructors, the instructor ASsistant SYSTem (iASSYST) was developed. It includes video, audio, simulator and eye tracking recordings. iASSYST was evaluated in a study involving 7 instructors. The results show that with iASSYST, instructors were able to support their observations of errors, find new errors, determine that some previously identified errors were not errors, and to reclassify the types of errors that they had originally identified. Instructors agreed that eye tracking can help identifying causes of pilot error. Practitioner summary: This paper introduces an instructor assistant system, which is evaluated in a user study involving 7 airline flight instructors. The system can be used by airline flight instructors to complement their observations, as a basis for discussions with pilots during debriefing, and by airline pilots to improve their flight performance.

10 versions available

The Quiet Eye and expertise: sustained fixations do not transfer to unpracticed throws among expert dart players

The length of the last visual fixation before the critical final phase of a movement—the quiet eye (QE) fixation—is positively correlated with expertise and success. The present study tested the potential for intraskill transfer of QE durations in order to determine whether it is intrinsically linked to expertise development or is a separable skill that may be employed to improve performance under novel circumstances. The authors tracked highly skilled dart throwers’ gazes while they executed familiar (highly practiced) and familiar yet novel (distance/effector-modified) sport-specific actions. QE duration was significantly reduced when performing in unfamiliar conditions, suggesting that QE does not transfer to atypical conditions and may therefore be a result of—rather than a contributor to—expertise development. These results imply that intraskill transfer of QE is limited and, consistent with the inhibition hypothesis of QE development, argue against the value of teaching QE as an independent means of improving performance.

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Understanding and Supporting Anticipatory Driving in Automated Vehicles

Understanding and Supporting Anticipatory Driving in Automated Vehicles He, Dengbo University of Toronto (Canada), 2020. Abstract: As automated vehicles (AVs) are increasingly becoming a reality on our roads, understanding the interaction between human drivers and these vehicles is critical. Anticipatory driving refers to the human driver's ability to predict and react to road events before they occur, a skill that enhances safety and efficiency. This dissertation explores methods to support anticipatory driving behaviors in AVs through improved human-vehicle interaction. The research identifies key anticipatory behaviors, develops support systems for these behaviors, and evaluates their effectiveness. Findings suggest that enhancing AV interfaces and feedback mechanisms can significantly improve human-vehicle collaboration and overall driving performance.

4 versions available

Understanding the Cognitive and Psychological Impacts of Emerging Technologies on Driver Decision-Making Using Physiological Data

Emerging technologies, such as advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous vehicles (AVs), are transforming the driving experience. These technologies can influence driver cognition and decision-making processes in various ways. This study aims to understand the cognitive and psychological impacts of these emerging technologies on driver decision-making by utilizing physiological data. Through the analysis of data such as heart rate variability, skin conductance, and eye-tracking metrics, the research investigates how drivers' mental and physical states are affected during interaction with ADAS and AVs. The findings aim to provide insights into improving the design and safety of these technologies, ultimately enhancing driver comfort and performance.

4 versions available

Understanding the role of visual attention on wines’ purchase intention: An eye-tracking study

Purpose: Wine bottles compete for consumers’ attention on the shelf during the decisive moment of choice. This study aims to explore the role that visual attention to wine labels has on the purchase decision and the mediating role of quality perceptions and desire on such purchase behaviors. Wine awards and consumption situation are used as moderators. Design/methodology/approach: The study was conducted in Portugal and 36 individuals participated in a 2 × 2 within subjects design (awarded/not awarded × self-consumption/social-consumption). For each scenario, individuals’ attention, perceptions of quality, desire and purchase intentions were recorded. Findings: Data from eye-tracking shows that, during the purchase process, the amount of attention given to a bottle is determinant of individuals’ purchase intentions, a relationship that increases in significance for bottles with awards and for when consumers are buying wine for a consumption situation involving a social environment. In addition, both quality perceptions and desire are confirmed to positively influence wines’ purchase intentions. Originality/value: By using an eye monitoring method, this paper brings new insights into the wine industry by highlighting the impact that wines’ labels and different consumption situations have on individuals’ attention and purchase intention. Wine producers and retailers may benefit from the insights provided by the current study to refine their communication strategies by either highlighting product characteristics and pictorial elements, as it is the case of the awards, or communicating about their products for different consumption situations.

6 versions available

User interface for in-vehicle systems with on-wheel finger spreading gestures and head-up displays

Interacting with an in-vehicle system through a central console is known to induce visual and biomechanical distractions, thereby delaying the danger recognition and response times of the driver and significantly increasing the risk of an accident. To address this problem, various hand gestures have been developed. Although such gestures can reduce visual demand, they are limited in number, lack passive feedback, and can be vague and imprecise, difficult to understand and remember, and culture-bound. To overcome these limitations, we developed a novel on-wheel finger spreading gestural interface combined with a head-up display (HUD) allowing the user to choose a menu displayed in the HUD with a gesture. This interface displays audio and air conditioning functions on the central console of a HUD and enables their control using a specific number of fingers while keeping both hands on the steering wheel. We compared the effectiveness of the newly proposed hybrid interface against a traditional tactile interface for a central console using objective measurements and subjective evaluations regarding both the vehicle and driver behaviour. A total of 32 subjects were recruited to conduct experiments on a driving simulator equipped with the proposed interface under various scenarios. The results showed that the proposed interface was approximately 20% faster in emergency response than the traditional interface, whereas its performance in maintaining vehicle speed and lane was not significantly different from that of the traditional one.

7 versions available

User-centred design and evaluation of a tele-operated echocardiography robot

We present the collected findings of a user-centred approach for developing a tele-operated robot for remote echocardiography examinations. During the three-year development of the robot, we involved users in all development stages of the robot, to increase the usability of the system for the doctors. For requirement compilation, we conducted a literature review, observed two traditional examinations, arranged focus groups with doctors and patients, and conducted two online surveys. During the development of the robot, we regularly involved doctors in usability tests to receive feedback from them on the user interface for the robot and on the robot’s hardware. For evaluation of the robot, we conducted two eye tracking studies. In the first study, doctors executed a traditional echocardiography examination. In the second study, the doctors conducted a remote examination with our robot. The results of the studies show that all doctors were able to successfully complete a correct ultrasonography examination with the tele-operated robot. In comparison to a traditional examination, the doctors on average only need a short amount of additional time to successfully examine a patient when using our remote echocardiography robot. The results also show that the doctors fixate considerably more often, but with shorter fixation times, on the USG screen in the traditional examination compared to the remote examination. We found further that some of the user-centred design methods we applied had to be adjusted to the clinical context and the hectic schedule of the doctors. Overall, our experience and results suggest that the usage of user-centred design methodology is well suited for developing medical robots and leads to a usable product that meets the end users’ needs.

6 versions available

What comes first: combining motion capture and eye tracking data to study the order of articulators in constructed action in sign language narratives

We use synchronized 120 fps motion capture and 50 fps eye tracking data from two native signers to investigate the temporal order in which the dominant hand, the head, the chest and the eyes start producing overt constructed action from regular narration in seven short Finnish Sign Language stories. From the material, we derive a sample of ten instances of regular narration to overt constructed action transfers in ELAN which we then further process and analyze in Matlab. The results indicate that the temporal order of articulators shows both contextual and individual variation but that there are also repeated patterns which are similar across all the analyzed sequences and signers. Most notably, when the discourse strategy changes from regular narration to overt constructed action, the head and the eyes tend to take the leading role, and the chest and the dominant hand tend to start acting last. Consequences of the findings are discussed.

6 versions available

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The effects of a predictive HMI and different transition frequencies on acceptance, workload, usability, and gaze behavior during urban automated driving

The impact of auditory continual feedback on take-overs in Level 3 automated vehicles

The instructor assistant system (iASSYST)-utilizing eye tracking for commercial aviation training purposes

The Quiet Eye and expertise: sustained fixations do not transfer to unpracticed throws among expert dart players

Understanding and Supporting Anticipatory Driving in Automated Vehicles

Understanding the Cognitive and Psychological Impacts of Emerging Technologies on Driver Decision-Making Using Physiological Data

Understanding the role of visual attention on wines’ purchase intention: An eye-tracking study

User interface for in-vehicle systems with on-wheel finger spreading gestures and head-up displays

User-centred design and evaluation of a tele-operated echocardiography robot

What comes first: combining motion capture and eye tracking data to study the order of articulators in constructed action in sign language narratives

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