Effects of Roadside Distractors on Performance of Drivers With and Without Attention Deficit Tendencies

As roadway systems become more complex, with increased visual clutter, new automation technologies, and mixed modes of transportation, it is increasingly important to under-stand the effects of roadside distractors on driver performance. While driver distraction negatively impacts driver performance and crash rates for all drivers, it is especially important for vulnerable road users who may have an increased risk of distraction. This research was aimed at identifying the influence of roadside distractors on the performance of drivers with and without attention deficit tendencies, and it used a driving simulator to obtain performance metrics in the vicinity of distractors. Overall, the study found that road side events have statistically significant effects on variability of lane position and speed, and drivers with attention deficit tendencies displayed more lane position variability than control group drivers for all roadway segments examined. Of the distractors tested, billboards and work zones were shown to have the most significant impacts on driver inattention, as evidenced by decreased detection time margins and error rates, respectively. This study is one of the first to examine the effects of roadside distractors on drivers with and without attention deficit disorders, and the results lend insight to the effects that external distractions can have on driver performance

Just Noticeable Differences for Vehicle Rates of Closure

The goal for this research was to identify the just noticeable difference (JND) for vehicle rates of closure. In our attempt to identify the JND we used two traditional psychophysical methods. However, these procedures resulted aberrant relationships between rate of closure and percent correct. Both of the traditional procedures used a sequential presentation of a standard animation and a comparison animation. The final method used a change in the rate of closure within the animation. This method provided us with a JND of between 12.9 to 16.1 km/h (8 to 10 mph). Reasons for the aberrant findings using the traditional methods are discussed

Visual modeling of dynamic gestures using 3D appearance and motion features

We present a novel 3-D gesture recognition scheme that combines the 3-D appearance of the hand and the motion dynamics of the gesture to classify manipulative and controlling gestures. Our method does not directly track the hand. Instead, we take an object-centered approach that efficiently computes 3-D appearance using a region-based coarse stereo matching algorithm. Motion cues are captured by differentiating the appearance feature with respect to time. An unsupervised learning scheme is carried out to capture the cluster structure of these features. Then, the image sequence of a gesture is converted to a series of symbols that indicate the cluster identities of each image pair. Two schemes, i.e., forward HMMs and neural networks, are used to model the dynamics of the gestures. We implemented a real-time system and performed gesture recognition experiments to analyze the performance with different combinations of the appearance and motion features. The system achieves recognition accuracy of over 96 % using both the appearance and motion cues.

The effect of spatial working memory capacity on ball flight perception

Batting in baseball or softball represents a physically and perceptually challenging task. Changes in flight of a high-speed pitched ball require quick and accurate predictions of future location. To be successful, an individual must be able to rapidly gather and process visual information, suggesting an emphasis on spatial working memory. The current experiment assessed if individuals of variant expertise levels (novices and varsity softball players) differed in ability to determine future locations of a pitched ball based on different pitch types and durations. Data suggest an impressive base capability for visual motion prediction including a time appropriate ability to predict motion timing. Additionally, while not central to this capability, data suggest a relevance for spatial working memory in predicting speed. These results demonstrate a need to further investigate a base ability in motion prediction as well as the impact of working memory in high performance skills

Virtual Rear Projection: A Comparison Study of Projection Technologies for Large Interactive Displays

Rear projection of large-scale upright displays is often preferred over front projection because of the elimination of shadows that occlude the projected image. However, rear projection is not always a feasible option for space and cost reasons. Recent research suggests that many of the desirable features of rear projection, in particular shadow elimination, can be reproduced using new front projection techniques. We report on an empirical study to determine how two of these new projection techniques compare with traditional rear projection and front projection, with the hope of motivating the continued advance of improved virtual rear projection techniques

Direct global adjustment methods for endoscopic mosaicking

ABSTRACT Endoscopy is an invaluable tool for several surgical and diagnostic applications. It permits minimally invasive visualization of internal structures thus involving little or no injury to internal structures. This method of visualization however restricts the size of the imaging device and therefore compromises on the field of view captured in a single image. The problem of a narrow field of view can be solved by capturing video sequences and stitching them to generate a mosaic of the scene under consideration. Registration of images in the sequence is therefore a crucial step. Existing methods compute frame-to-frame registration estimates and use these to resample images in order to generate a mosaic. The complexity of the appearance of internal structures and accumulation of registration error in frame to frame estimates however can be large enough to cause a cumulative drift that can misrepresent the scene. These errors can be reduced by application of global adjustment schemes. In this paper, we present a set of techniques for overcoming this problem of drift for pixel based registration in order to achieve global consistency of mosaics. The algorithm uses the frame-to-frame estimate as an initialization and subsequently corrects these estimates by setting up a large scale optimization problem which simultaneously solves for all corrections of estimates. In addition we set up a graph and introduce loop closure constraints in order to ensure consistency of registration. We present our method and results in semi global and fully global graph based adjustment methods as well as validation of our results

European Respiratory Society statement on airway clearance techniques in adults with bronchiectasis

Airway clearance techniques (ACTs) are part of the main management strategy for patients with bronchiectasis. Despite being a priority for patients, accessibility, implementation and reporting of ACTs are variable in clinical settings and research studies. This European Respiratory Society statement summarises current knowledge about ACTs in adults with bronchiectasis and makes recommendations to improve the future evidence base. A task force of 14 experts and two patient representatives (10 countries) determined the scope of this statement through consensus and defined six questions. The questions were answered based on systematic searches of the literature. The statement provides a comprehensive review of the physiological rationale for ACTs in adults with bronchiectasis, and the mechanisms of action along with the advantages and disadvantages of each ACT. Evidence on ACTs in clinical practice indicates that the most frequently used techniques are active cycle of breathing techniques, positive expiratory pressure devices and gravity-assisted drainage, although there is limited evidence on the type of ACTs used in specific countries. A review of 30 randomised trials for the effectiveness of ACTs shows that these interventions increase sputum clearance during or after treatment, reduce the impact of cough and the risk of exacerbations, and improve health-related quality of life. Furthermore, strategies for reducing the risk of bias in future studies are proposed. Finally, an exploration of patients' perceptions, barriers and enablers related to this treatment is also included to facilitate implementation and adherence to ACTs.</p

Design as a catalyst for engaging students in creative problem solving

This project addressed an identified need to support academics in the design and redevelopment of curricula in which creativity is embedded and serves as a catalyst for engaging students in the creative problem solving process (CPS). Project aims The project aimed to achieve this through the design and development of a CPS framework and open source online CPS tools (Ingenium) to act as a scaffold for academics in the development and redevelopment of courses (Ingenium Teacher's Tool) and a CPS tool for students (Ingenium Student's Tool) to guide them through the creative problem solving process in their coursework. The project also aimed to develop guidelines for academics and students, trials of the use of CPS in courses across a range of disciplinary fields and a suite of resources available via the project site. Through an engaged dissemination approach, the project sought to have an impact on the wider higher education sector. Research approach A design-based research (DBR) approach was adopted to develop a CPS framework and open source suite of CPS tools for academics, students and researchers. The DBR approach involved an iterative approach incorporating design of the CPS tools, trialling the tools in courses, evaluating the academic and student experience in those courses and then redesigning the tools based on the formative feedback. The CPS tools were developed as open source applications to enable them to be adapted to different institutional contexts and to ensure long term sustainability through further developments by the open source community. Formative feedback was obtained from academics and students via an anonymous online survey identifying the benefits and challenges in following the creative problem solving approach as well as the usability of the tools developed for teachers and students (see Appendix A for copy of research instruments). The research method included interviews with academics who trialled the tools and resources at the conclusion of the project to identify guidelines to assist other academics wishing to embed CPS in their curriculum. These guidelines were also informed by analysis of the trials developed through the trials and the findings from focus groups conducted at an employers' forum facilitated by the Career Services Team from the Learning and Teaching Unit at the University of South Australia. The primary methods for evaluation of Ingenium were online and paper-based anonymous surveys for both the teachers and students participating in the trials, as well as teacher reflections on the experiences of their students and semi-structured interviews conducted with academics at the completion of the trials. The project website and CPS tools were also subjected to auditing for accessibility against the World Wide Web Consortium's (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines to ensure compliance at Double AA standards. An independent summative evaluation was undertaken by Ms Deanne Gannaway, Manager of the Evaluation Unit, at The University of Queensland. This summative evaluation included review of the project site and deliverables, review of project documentation and communication and interviews conducted with project team members and academics participating in the trials. Ms Gannaway's recommendations have been incorporated into the recommendations section of this report