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Balance control, agility, eye–hand coordination, and sport performance of amateur badminton players: A cross-sectional study

In this study, balance performance, agility, eye–hand coordination, and sports performance were compared between amateur badminton players and active controls. Thirty young adult badminton players and 33 active controls participated in the study. Static single-leg standing balance (with eyes closed) was measured using a force platform, and dynamic balance was measured using the Y Balance Test (lower quarter). Agility was measured using a hexagon agility test, and eye–hand coordination was measured using a computerized finger-pointing task. Sports performance was quantified by the number of times a shuttlecock fell in a designated area following a badminton serve. The badminton players had superior accuracy in badminton serving (P < .001) relative to the active controls. However, no significant between-group differences were noted in all other outcome variables (P > .05). Amateur badminton players had more favorable sports performance, but not balance performance, agility, or eye–hand coordination, than controls.

4 versions available

CHAP: Open-source software for processing and analyzing pupillometry data

Pupil dilation is an effective indicator of cognitive and affective processes. Although several eyetracker systems on the market can provide effective solutions for pupil dilation measurement, there is a lack of tools for processing and analyzing the data provided by these systems. For this reason, we developed CHAP: open-source software written in MATLAB. This software provides a user-friendly graphical user interface for processing and analyzing pupillometry data. Our software creates uniform conventions for the preprocessing and analysis of pupillometry data and provides a quick and easy-to-use tool for researchers interested in pupillometry. To download CHAP or join our mailing list, please visit CHAP’s website: http://in.bgu.ac.il/en/Labs/CNL/chap.

6 versions available

Characterizing the visuomotor behaviour of upper limb body-powered prosthesis users

In recent years, significant research attention in the field of upper limb myoelectric prostheses has focused on improvements in control and integration of sensory feedback, which is hoped to reduce the visual attention and cognitive demand of operating these devices. However, there is currently no standard protocol for assessing the efficacy of these innovations by quantifying their impact on a user’s visuomotor behaviour. Furthermore, the visuomotor behaviour of individuals using prevailing upper limb prosthetic technologies (namely, body-powered prostheses) is not well understood. The primary objective of this thesis work was to characterize the visuomotor behaviour of a sample of body-powered prosthesis users to better understand current demands of traditional prostheses, as a future comparator to emerging prosthetic technologies. Five transradial body-powered prosthesis users and three transhumeral body-powered prosthesis users completed two functional upper limb tasks while their eye gaze behaviour and movement patterns were tracked using motion capture and eye-tracking technologies. Combined data from these systems was analyzed using a custom software tool that allowed for automatic and precise quantification of a number of outcome metrics relating to task performance, eye gaze behaviour, eye-hand coordination and quality of movement. Results for each body-powered prosthesis user were compared to a set of normative outcomes previously established under the same experimental protocol for twenty able-bodied individuals. Relative to the normative data set, trends in behaviour emerged across the body-powered prosthesis users. The body-powered prosthesis users consistently took longer to complete the tasks and exhibited decreased end effector movement quality, as evidence by increased numbers of movement units. The prosthesis users also tended to dedicate more visual attention to their terminal device, especially after picking up an object, and occasionally while reaching for an object. However, while transporting an object, they would eventually transition their gaze to the object drop-off location before their terminal device arrived there, and not glance back and forth between this target and their terminal device in flight. Despite similarity in behavioural trends across the body-powered prosthesis users, there was variability between them which revealed differences in skill level, strategies, and level of amputation. Differences between the two upper limb tasks also appeared to elicit different visuomotor behaviours and pose unique challenges for individuals with different levels of amputation. Further data collection is required to increase the sample size, and improve understanding of how the behaviour described in this thesis compares with other prosthesis user populations, such as myoelectric prosthesis users. However, these findings on the visuomotor behaviour of body-powered prosthesis users, and the technical development undertaken to accomplish this analysis, represent an important contribution. This work will be useful in assessing the efficacy of current and future innovations in upper limb prosthesis technology, which should in turn help to improve the state of technology available to individuals with upper limb loss.

2 versions available

Derivation of a model of safety critical transitions between driver and vehicle in automated driving

Abstract In automated driving, there is the risk that users must take over the vehicle guidance despite a potential lack of involvement in the driving task. This publication presents an initial model of control distribution between users and the automated system. In this model, the elements of the control distribution in automated driving are addressed together with possible and safe transitions between different driving modes. Furthermore, the approach is initially empirically validated. In a driving study, in which participants operated both driving and a non-driving related task, objective driving data as well as eye-tracking parameters are used to estimate the model’s accuracy. Such an explanatory model can serve as a first approach to describe potential concepts of cooperation between users and automated vehicles. In this way, prospective road traffic concepts could be improved by preventing safety critical transitions between the driver and the vehicle.

4 versions available

Design and development of a state-of-the-art Universal Laboratory for Virtual Reality, Real-time Simulation and Human-Machine Interaction

LUT University LUT School of Energy Systems LUT Mechanical Engineering Vladislav Vasilev Design and Development of a State-of-the-art Universal Laboratory for Virtual Reality, Real-time Simulation and Human-Machine Interaction Master’s thesis 2019 100 pages, 43 figures, 12 tables and 3 appendices Examiners: Professor Heikki Handroos D. Sc. (Tech.) Hamid Roozbahani Keywords: Laboratory of Intelligent Machines, Simulation laboratory, Visualization, Projection systems, Display systems, Virtual Environment. This Master’s Thesis is focused on design and development of the LUT Laboratory of Intelligent Machines as the cutting-edge Simulation Laboratory, which includes HMI, VR and real-time research areas. Composing of the future laboratory concepts and studying of the possible options for the visualization system were priority tasks. Developed visualization system was presented in two options: display-based and front projection system. The information about equipment, its requirements and compatibility was gathered from the open-sources, project meetings and consulting. Design of the Display Visualization Platform and Projection System was made based on average human eye properties, industry guidelines and standards. As the result of the project, technical comparison of studied equipment was made, and procurement documents were designed. Two feasible concepts for the Visualization Platform were suggested in this paper. Obtained results can be applied in further business and academic activities of the Laboratory and University in general.

1 version available:

Detecting and Identifying Real and Decoy Tanks in a Computer Screen: Evidence from Stimuli Sensitivity and Eye-Tracking

In a modern warfare as well as in reconnaissance operations it is on one hand highly important to hide and protect own troops but on the other hand find and target the enemy. Target identification is often based on visual examination of video or still images produced by for example by Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or other means of Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR). In the present study we examined the perception, detection and identification of real and decoy tanks among a total of 28 participants using reaction time tests and eye-tracking recordings during categorizing tasks of images of tanks (real vs. fake; without vs. with camouflage). We found, among other things, that fake and camouflage images of tanks as compared to real and non-camouflage images decreased identification speed. We also found that camouflage images elicited more attention shifting between image and background as compared to non-camouflage images. We argued that this is probable due the fact that as camouflage blurs the image contour and sharpness people seek cues for categorization by switching between image and background. The results are important in understanding the perception and identification of military visual objects in displays and can be used for example in optimization of decoys as well as, in connection with detection, configuring display settings.

1 version available:

Detecting driver’s fatigue, distraction and activity using a non-intrusive ai-based monitoring system

The lack of attention during the driving task is considered as a major risk factor for fatal road accidents around the world. Despite the ever-growing trend for autonomous driving which promises to bring greater road-safety benefits, the fact is today’s vehicles still only feature partial and conditional automation, demanding frequent driver action. Moreover, the monotony of such a scenario may induce fatigue or distraction, reducing driver awareness and impairing the regain of the vehicle’s control. To address this challenge, we introduce a non-intrusive system to monitor the driver in terms of fatigue, distraction, and activity. The proposed system explores state-of-the-art sensors, as well as machine learning algorithms for data extraction and modeling. In the domain of fatigue supervision, we propose a feature set that considers the vehicle’s automation level. In terms of distraction assessment, the contributions concern (i) a holistic system that covers the full range of driver distraction types and (ii) a monitoring unit that predicts the driver activity causing the faulty behavior. By comparing the performance of Support Vector Machines against Decision Trees, conducted experiments indicated that our system can predict the driver’s state with an accuracy ranging from 89% to 93%.

5 versions available

Detection Response Task Evaluation for Driver Distraction Measurement for Auditory-Vocal Tasks: Experiment 2

This research evaluated the Detection Response Task (DRT) as a measure of the attentional demands of auditory-vocal in-vehicle tasks. DRT is an ISO standardized method that requires participants to respond to simple targets that occur every 3-5 s during in-vehicle task performance. DRT variants use different targets: Remote DRT (RDRT) uses visual targets; Tactile DRT (TDRT) uses vibrating targets. A single experiment evaluated the sensitivity of the two DRT variants in two test venues (driving simulator and non-driving) using auditory-vocal tasks. Participant selection criteria from the Visual-Manual NHTSA Driver Distraction Guidelines were used to recruit 192 participants; 48 were assigned to each combination of DRT variant and test venue. Identical production vehicles were used in each venue. In the simulator, participants wore a head-mounted eye tracker and performed in-vehicle tasks while driving in a car-following scenario. In the non-driving venue, occlusion testing required participants to perform the four discrete tasks while wearing occlusion goggles, which restricted viewing intermittently to simulate driving task demands. In-vehicle tasks for both venues included three discrete auditory-vocal tasks (destination entry, phone dialing, radio tuning), one discrete visual-manual task (radio tuning), and two continuous auditory-vocal digit-recall tasks representing acceptable (1-back) and unacceptable (2-back) levels of attentional load. Testing in each venue had a second part. All participants’ last procedural step involved brake response time (BRT) testing in the simulator which required participants to brake in response to both expected and unexpected lead-vehicle (LV) braking events while performing selected in-vehicle tasks. Differences observed between test venues suggest that some in-vehicle tasks are more demanding when performed intermittently in the driving simulator than when performed continuously in the non-driving venue, thus pointing to the driving simulator as the better test venue. BRT results provided some support for a connection between DRT RT and BRT; however, the experiment did not provide sufficient control of speed and headway to allow a stronger comparison. DRT results support the conclusion that the 2-back condition represents too much attentional demand and that acceptable tasks should have a lower level of attentional demand. Differences between TSOT and TEORT indicated that occlusion is not suitable for assessing auditory-vocal tasks; however, TEORT and other glance-based metrics appear suitable for use with auditory-vocal tasks. BRT testing revealed a small effect of attentional load for unexpected LV braking events but not for expected LV braking events. Mean heart rate was sensitive to differences in attentional load.

2 versions available

Differences in Sensorimotor Skills between Badminton Players and Non-Athlete Adults

This study is focusing on the badminton top players vs. regular adult population. In our previous study on adolescents, variances showed the impact of puberty on timing skills (Hromčík & Zvonař, 2018). The timing in training is topical these days (Forner-Cordero, Quadrado, Tsagbey, & Smits-Engelsman, 2018), and also brain specifics and learning anticipation skills (Wang, Dong, Wang, Zheng, & Potenza, 2018). We added some new insight in this theme and tried to determine the dynamics in the accuracy of sensorimotor skills, which plays an essential role in ball games. Only boys from one club were tested. Subjects have undergone a special PC test with a length of about 45 minutes to test their response and timing of movement with number of tasks in which they tried to hit a moving target, which appeared on the screen at 3 different angles (0°, 15° and 30°) and at different speeds (accelerating, decelerating, constant). Everything happened at unpredictable intervals in 45 minutes rotation. We compared these outcomes with our measurements from last year through specific timing hits and missed shots, and in the terms of sport season. Predictive motor timing suggests that the cerebellum training plays the relevant role in integrating incoming visual information with the motor output reaction.

1 version available:

Digitalization versus immersion: performance and subjective evaluation of 3D perception with emulated accommodation and parallax in digital microsurgery

In the visually challenging situation of microsurgery with many altered depth cues, digitalization of surgical systems disrupts two further depth cues, namely focus and parallax. Although in purely optical surgical systems accommodation and eye movements induce expected focus and parallax changes, they become statically fixed through digitalization. Our study evaluates the impact of static focus and parallax onto performance and subjective 3D perception. Subjects reported decreased depth realism under static parallax and focus. Thus surgeons’ depth perception is impacted further through digitalization of microsurgery, increasing the potential of artificial stereo-induced fatigue.

8 versions available

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Balance control, agility, eye–hand coordination, and sport performance of amateur badminton players: A cross-sectional study

CHAP: Open-source software for processing and analyzing pupillometry data

Characterizing the visuomotor behaviour of upper limb body-powered prosthesis users

Derivation of a model of safety critical transitions between driver and vehicle in automated driving

Design and development of a state-of-the-art Universal Laboratory for Virtual Reality, Real-time Simulation and Human-Machine Interaction

Detecting and Identifying Real and Decoy Tanks in a Computer Screen: Evidence from Stimuli Sensitivity and Eye-Tracking

Detecting driver’s fatigue, distraction and activity using a non-intrusive ai-based monitoring system

Detection Response Task Evaluation for Driver Distraction Measurement for Auditory-Vocal Tasks: Experiment 2

Differences in Sensorimotor Skills between Badminton Players and Non-Athlete Adults

Digitalization versus immersion: performance and subjective evaluation of 3D perception with emulated accommodation and parallax in digital microsurgery

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