Designing augmented reality for passenger cars:Literature review

Augmented reality is soon fully enabled in modern passenger cars. This is why it is important to cover the aspects that must be taken into consideration when designing augmented reality for passenger cars. This literature review will take a dive into a world of augmented reality and passenger cars and explores the factors that affect user experience in such a world. In passenger cars augmented reality can be utilized visually through windshield. Current solutions can display mostly static information on the windshield in the proximity of the driving wheel. This is about to change. In more futuristic approaches larger surface area of the wind-shield can be utilized which enables more information to be displayed. These approaches are also able to fix information according to the real-world environment which results in true implementation of augmented reality. This literature review will take a look into what needs to be considered when designing content on the windshield of a passenger car using augmented reality. I will cover how the use of color affects the readability of the content on the windshield and what needs to be considered when designing colors. I will explore how to approach the use of opacity when designing content and functionality on the windshield. Thesis will cover what types of content users desire on the windshield and how it should be located and arranged on the windshield including the depth behind the windshield. In addition, this literature review will take a look how should one approach using augmented reality in automated vehicles. Thesis will also take a look into content size including the minimal size which the content should be displayed and how size of different information categories should be thought on the windshield display. All this will be done in the context of current solutions in utilizing augmented reality, more advanced solutions which are still in development and in the context of manual and automated vehicles. Regarding colors, it turns out that the use of color is somewhat limited in the content on the windshield display. Varying scenery and lightning behind the windshield make it difficult to adjust colors so that they work in every situation and lighting condition. This limits the available color which perform well with these limitations. It also turns out that use of opacity needs to be carefully implemented. Content types that users desire somewhat include information that is currently located in the head down display and information cluster. In, addition as the surface area grows bigger in the more futuristic approaches the desire for content grows too. In the context of automated vehicles this insight strengthens even more. Use of automated vehicles creates a desire for content that focuses on entertainment and other pleasure activity. The amount of content quantity varies between manual and automated driving. In the context of automated driving the quantity of content increases. Regarding location and arrangement, the most favorable place which should be utilized for the support of primary task, which is driving, is in the proximity of the driving wheel. For secondary tasks, even the periphery of the wind-shield can be utilized for content. The use of depth is encouraged as it increases the user experience and enables categorization of the information. As the studies which this literature review will cover are mainly done with prototypes and in laboratory conditions the results might not reflect how they would work in the real-life situation. More studies in real-life conditions are needed to be performed to counter this issue. Future research should be focused in combining the information discoursed in this thesis. For example, the use of opacity as a background to counter the readability problems of certain colors and how minimal size affected in different depth levels behind the windscreen. Also, the categorization of information should be studied. Future research should also focus on diving deep-er on what types of content are truly desired and do they benefit from being moved to the windshield

Look Here! Measuring the Attentional Demand of Near-Future Full Windshield Vehicle Displays

Driving a road vehicle is a task which requires and demands visual attention. Despite this, information on a vehicle’s state, the road environment, or the entertainment features have commonly been conveyed to the driver via visual means because the information can quickly be received and responded to as desired by the driver. Current vehicle displays commonly consist of digital displays presented in the centre console (between the two front seats, under the windshield), and at the instrument cluster (above the steering wheel). Such displays are sometimes referred to as Head-down Displays (HDDs) as they encourage the driver to look down and within the vehicle. The attentional demand and corresponding distraction arising from HDDs is a longstanding component of research largely due to safety concerns. Conducting secondary tasks with such displays (where the driver performs a task in addition to primary task of driving e.g., changing the vehicle’s climate controls) is associated with degraded driving performance and therefore an increased crash risk. More recent developments in display technology have led to the inclusion of Head-up Displays (HUDs) within vehicles. These displays present imagery in a translucent form over the road environment typically by reflecting or projecting graphics onto the windshield or another treated glass component. Since they position information closer to the drivers’ view of the road environment, they are considered to encourage more beneficial attentive behaviours than HDDs, by ensuring the driver is looking up and out of the vehicle towards the road ahead. HUDs within road vehicles are expected to expand in size so that information can be presented across the whole windshield; these are commonly referred to as a full Windshield Displays (WSDs). Presently, the types of tasks that have been investigated on these displays have been limited. Equally, the attentional demand of these novel displays needs to be ascertained, as well as how this varies when imagery has the potential to be located across the whole windshield. Consequently, this thesis aimed to: establish the demand of near-future ecologically valid tasks on windshield displays, develop approaches to investigate visual demand, and ascertain how this demand varies when imagery is presented across expansive windshield locations. A series of four driving simulator-based studies were conducted to address these aims. The first study examined twenty-six participants using an after-market HUD device at the Virginia Tech Cogent Lab. Participants completed tasks on the display which contained components likely to be within the interfaces of near-future HUDs or WSDs (text reading and menu navigation). The analysis showed interactions between task type and the task complexity significantly impacted driver eye-movement and specific longitudinal measures of driving performance. Thus, the exact attributes of the tasks presented on a HUD appear to influence the display’s attentional demand. The second study used two after-market HUD devices to simulate display imagery appearing across the windshield. Twenty-six participants were recruited, and a visually demanding task was used to begin to assess visual demand across windshield displays. The measures showed that increasing display eccentricity resulted in poorer driving performance, thereby indicating greater demand. The third study recruited sixty participants to expansively investigate the impact of display imagery presented in fifty-one display locations. The WSD was simulated using projection. An innovative approach was developed to establish how long a driver could make a continuous glance to these locations before unsafe driving occurred. Graphical depictions of these time thresholds were produced for several dependent measures; they illustrate the visual demand implications of displays across the windshield area. The final study recruited eighteen participants to compare three display locations (two windshield displays and a HDD). Two display tasks were used to establish how drivers manage their engagement with these displays. The observed interactions indicated that drivers were more enticed to attend to the windshield displays than the HDD. Overall, this thesis demonstrates novel approaches to assessing visual demand across display positions. It concludes that windshield display demand is dependent on display location eccentricity and the nature of the task being displayed. The outcome of this demand depends on how drivers respond to these features. Finally, future work and the future of vehicle displays is discussed

Stepping into safety: a systematic review of extended reality technology applications in enhancing vulnerable road user safety

This is an accepted manuscript of an article published by Emerald in Smart and Sustainable Built Environment on 04/07/2024, available online: https://doi.org/10.1108/SASBE-10-2023-0321 The accepted version of the publication may differ from the final published version.Purpose In alignment with the European Union’s Vision Zero initiative to eliminate road fatalities by 2050, leveraging technological advancements becomes crucial for addressing the challenges of vulnerable road users (VRUs), and for mitigating the impact of human error. Despite increasing scholarly interest in applications of extended reality (XR), a research gap persists, particularly in the role of XR in transportation safety. Therefore, the aim of the study was to fill this gap through a systematic literature review to evaluate comprehensively the potential scope and practical applicability of XR technologies in enhancing the safety of VRUs. Design/methodology/approach A systematic review was undertaken, following PRISMA guidelines meticulously, in which 80 relevant articles from databases, such as Scopus and Science Direct, were identified and analysed. Findings The results of the analysis revealed the potential of XR beyond pedestrians and cyclists, and highlighted a lack of research about the impact of XR with regard to the personal traits or abilities of VRUs. The results of a thorough analysis confirmed the potential of XR as a promising solution for an approach to collaborative co-creation in addressing the safety challenges of VRUs. In addition, the integration of eye-tracking with virtual reality emerged as a promising innovation for enhancing the safety of vulnerable road users. Research limitations/implications Theoretical implications include enhancing the understanding of applications of XR in VRUs’ safety and providing insights into future research possibilities and methodological approaches. Valuable insights into search strategies and inclusion-exclusion criteria can guide future research methodologies. Practical implications Practically, the findings from the study offer insights to assist urban planners and transportation authorities in incorporating XR technologies effectively for VRUs safety. Identifying areas for further development of XR technology could inspire innovation and investment in solutions designed to meet the safety needs of VRUs, such as enhanced visualisation tools and immersive training simulations. Originality/value The findings of previous research underscore the vast potential of XR technologies within the built environment, yet their utilisation remains limited in the urban transport sector. The intricacies of urban traffic scenarios pose significant challenges for VRUs, making participation in mobility studies hazardous. Hence, it is crucial to explore the scope of emerging technologies in addressing VRUs issues as a pre-requisite for establishing comprehensive safety measures.The SOTERIA project has received funding from the European Commissions’ Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement No 101077433, as well as by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK government’s Horizon Europe funding guarantee [Grant Nos: 10052969, 10058247, 10059948, and 10064506] to whom all partner organisations and authors express their sincere gratitude.Published onlin

Look Here! Measuring the Attentional Demand of Near-Future Full Windshield Vehicle Displays

Driving a road vehicle is a task which requires and demands visual attention. Despite this, information on a vehicle’s state, the road environment, or the entertainment features have commonly been conveyed to the driver via visual means because the information can quickly be received and responded to as desired by the driver. Current vehicle displays commonly consist of digital displays presented in the centre console (between the two front seats, under the windshield), and at the instrument cluster (above the steering wheel). Such displays are sometimes referred to as Head-down Displays (HDDs) as they encourage the driver to look down and within the vehicle. The attentional demand and corresponding distraction arising from HDDs is a longstanding component of research largely due to safety concerns. Conducting secondary tasks with such displays (where the driver performs a task in addition to primary task of driving e.g., changing the vehicle’s climate controls) is associated with degraded driving performance and therefore an increased crash risk. More recent developments in display technology have led to the inclusion of Head-up Displays (HUDs) within vehicles. These displays present imagery in a translucent form over the road environment typically by reflecting or projecting graphics onto the windshield or another treated glass component. Since they position information closer to the drivers’ view of the road environment, they are considered to encourage more beneficial attentive behaviours than HDDs, by ensuring the driver is looking up and out of the vehicle towards the road ahead. HUDs within road vehicles are expected to expand in size so that information can be presented across the whole windshield; these are commonly referred to as a full Windshield Displays (WSDs). Presently, the types of tasks that have been investigated on these displays have been limited. Equally, the attentional demand of these novel displays needs to be ascertained, as well as how this varies when imagery has the potential to be located across the whole windshield. Consequently, this thesis aimed to: establish the demand of near-future ecologically valid tasks on windshield displays, develop approaches to investigate visual demand, and ascertain how this demand varies when imagery is presented across expansive windshield locations. A series of four driving simulator-based studies were conducted to address these aims. The first study examined twenty-six participants using an after-market HUD device at the Virginia Tech Cogent Lab. Participants completed tasks on the display which contained components likely to be within the interfaces of near-future HUDs or WSDs (text reading and menu navigation). The analysis showed interactions between task type and the task complexity significantly impacted driver eye-movement and specific longitudinal measures of driving performance. Thus, the exact attributes of the tasks presented on a HUD appear to influence the display’s attentional demand. The second study used two after-market HUD devices to simulate display imagery appearing across the windshield. Twenty-six participants were recruited, and a visually demanding task was used to begin to assess visual demand across windshield displays. The measures showed that increasing display eccentricity resulted in poorer driving performance, thereby indicating greater demand. The third study recruited sixty participants to expansively investigate the impact of display imagery presented in fifty-one display locations. The WSD was simulated using projection. An innovative approach was developed to establish how long a driver could make a continuous glance to these locations before unsafe driving occurred. Graphical depictions of these time thresholds were produced for several dependent measures; they illustrate the visual demand implications of displays across the windshield area. The final study recruited eighteen participants to compare three display locations (two windshield displays and a HDD). Two display tasks were used to establish how drivers manage their engagement with these displays. The observed interactions indicated that drivers were more enticed to attend to the windshield displays than the HDD. Overall, this thesis demonstrates novel approaches to assessing visual demand across display positions. It concludes that windshield display demand is dependent on display location eccentricity and the nature of the task being displayed. The outcome of this demand depends on how drivers respond to these features. Finally, future work and the future of vehicle displays is discussed

Stepping into safety: A systematic review of extended reality technology applications in enhancing vulnerable road user safety

Purpose-In alignment with the European Union’s Vision Zero initiative to eliminate road fatalities by 2050, leveraging technological advancements becomes crucial for addressing the challenges of vulnerable road users (VRUs), and for mitigating the impact of human error. Despite increasing scholarly interest in applications of extended reality (XR), a research gap persists, particularly in the role of XR in transportation safety. Therefore, the aim of the study was to fill this gap through a systematic literature review to evaluatecomprehensively the potential scope and practical applicability of XR technologies in enhancing the safety of VRUs.Design/methodology/approach – A systematic review was undertaken, following PRISMA guidelinesmeticulously, in which 80 relevant articles from databases, such as Scopus and Science Direct, were identified and analysed.Findings – The results of the analysis revealed the potential of XR beyond pedestrians and cyclists, and highlighted a lack of research about the impact of XR with regard to the personal traits or abilities of VRUs.The results of a thorough analysis confirmed the potential of XR as a promising solution for an approach to collaborative co-creation in addressing the safety challenges of VRUs. In addition, the integration of eye tracking with virtual reality emerged as a promising innovation for enhancing the safety of vulnerable road users.Research limitations/implications – Theoretical implications include enhancing the understanding ofapplications of XR in VRUs’ safety and providing insights into future research possibilities and methodological approaches. Valuable insights into search strategies and inclusion-exclusion criteria canguide future research methodologies.Practical implications – Practically, the findings from the study offer insights to assist urban planners and transportation authorities in incorporating XR technologies effectively for VRUs safety. Identifying areas for further development of XR technology could inspire innovation and investment in solutions designed to meet the safety needs of VRUs, such as enhanced visualisation tools and immersive training simulations.Originality/value – The findings of previous research underscore the vast potential of XR technologies within the built environment, yet their utilisation remains limited in the urban transport sector. The intricaciesof urban traffic scenarios pose significant challenges for VRUs, making participation in mobility studies hazardous. Hence, it is crucial to explore the scope of emerging technologies in addressing VRUs issues as a pre-requisite for establishing comprehensive safety measures

Increasing driver awareness through translucency on windshield displays

When driving a car, important objects (e.g., pedestrians) are often hidden by surrounding vehicles which can delay drivers' reaction times. In this paper we therefore explore how an augmented reality enabled windshield display can improve the drivers' capabilities. By overlaying of what is behind nearby vehicles onto the own windshield, these vehicles can be rendered translucent. In a simulator experiment we evaluate the influence of three levels of opacity on driver and braking behavior. Results indicate a trend of translucency decreasing the required braking time

Print and Screen, Muriel Cooper at MIT

Muriel Cooper (1925–94) worked at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for more than four decades as a graphic designer, an educator, and a researcher. Beginning in the early 1950s, she was the first designer in MIT’s Office of Publications, where she visualized the latest scientific research in print. In the late 1960s, she became the first Design and Media Director for the MIT Press, rationalizing its publishing protocols and giving form to some of the period’s most significant texts in the histories of art, design, and architecture, among other fields. In the mid-1970s, Cooper co-founded the Visible Language Workshop in MIT’s Department of Architecture. There she taught experimental printing and explored new imaging technologies in photography and video. And from the 1980s until her death, Cooper was a founding faculty member of the MIT Media Lab, where she turned her attention to the human-computer interface. Cooper helped cultivate a design culture at MIT. And before her premature death, she established some of the metaphors and mentored some of the designers that have shaped our contemporary digital landscape. Few 20th century designers have made significant contributions in both print and digital media, or helped to navigate the epochal transition between the two. Yet Cooper, in designing and redesigning roles for herself within new fields at MIT, did just that. Over her career and across multiple media, Cooper’s concerns remained quite consistent: She focused on developing both design tools and user experiences that would provide greater control and quicker feedback, eventually to be aided by machine intelligence. She sought to create experiences that were dynamic rather than static and simultaneous rather than linear, ones that engaged multiple media and a range of human senses. Cooper applied her knowledge of print design to software, and considered print and the process of its production as a prototype for the experiences that she would seek on screen. She also borrowed freely from media such as photography and film to inspire some of the effects she would later explore in new media. Cooper’s career traced an arc, in her practice and her pedagogy, from a focus on objects to one on systems. And her relationship to the digital evolved from a set of effects to be emulated in other media to seeing the computer at first as a tool, then as an assistant, and finally, as the medium itself. At the same time, she participated in a broader shift during this period from the paradigm of the humanist subject to the digitally augmented, “posthuman” condition of the present. In her interests and her achievements, Cooper exceeded any traditional definition of a graphic designer. At the same time, her work has defined the present state of the field. This dissertation, the first dedicated to Cooper, charts her pathbreaking career at MIT while also shedding new light on vital moments in the history of art, design, architecture, and media in postwar America

Thumb Culture: The Meaning of Mobile Phones for Society

Mobile communication has an increasing impact on people's lives and society. Ubiquitous media influence the way users relate to their surroundings, and data services like text and pictures lead to a culture shaped by thumbs. Representing several years of research into the social and cultural effects of mobile phone use, this volume assembles the fascinating approaches and new insights of leading scientists and practitioners. The book contains the results of a first international survey on the social consequences of mobile phones. It provides a comprehensive inventory of today's issues and an outlook in mobile media, society and their future study

Thumb Culture

Mobile communication has an increasing impact on people's lives and society. Ubiquitous media influence the way users relate to their surroundings, and data services like text and pictures lead to a culture shaped by thumbs. Representing several years of research into the social and cultural effects of mobile phone use, this volume assembles the fascinating approaches and new insights of leading scientists and practitioners. The book contains the results of a first international survey on the social consequences of mobile phones. It provides a comprehensive inventory of today's issues and an outlook in mobile media, society and their future study

Systemic circular economy solutions for fiber reinforced composites

This open access book provides an overview of the work undertaken within the FiberEUse project, which developed solutions enhancing the profitability of composite recycling and reuse in value-added products, with a cross-sectorial approach. Glass and carbon fiber reinforced polymers, or composites, are increasingly used as structural materials in many manufacturing sectors like transport, constructions and energy due to their better lightweight and corrosion resistance compared to metals. However, composite recycling is still a challenge since no significant added value in the recycling and reprocessing of composites is demonstrated. FiberEUse developed innovative solutions and business models towards sustainable Circular Economy solutions for post-use composite-made products. Three strategies are presented, namely mechanical recycling of short fibers, thermal recycling of long fibers and modular car parts design for sustainable disassembly and remanufacturing. The validation of the FiberEUse approach within eight industrial demonstrators shows the potentials towards new Circular Economy value-chains for composite materials