A Comparison between Methods for Assessing the Resolution of Moving Targets (Dynamic Visual Acuity)

A comparison was made between two measures of visual functioning in a dynamic context that required the resolution of moving targets. Performance obtained on a traditional task of dynamic visual acuity, which involves the determination of the smallest target that can be resolved at a given target velocity, was compared with that obtained with an alternative task that essentially reverses the independent and dependent variables. Generally similar patterns of results were obtained across the two procedures, but the alternative procedure appears to offer several advantages such as greater ease of administration, improved precision of measurement, and more-direct assessment of underlying channel activity. The recommended use of the new procedure in future work involving dynamic acuity as well as particular variables that should be carefully controlled in such work (eg target duration and target size) are discussed.

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Predicting the ‘Where’ and Resolving the ‘What’ of a Moving Target: A Dichotomy of Abilities

Perception ◽

10.1068/p270379 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 27 (4) ◽

pp. 379-391 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Gerald M Long ◽

Cheri A Vogel

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Visual Acuity ◽

Target Duration ◽

Moving Target ◽

Dynamic Visual Acuity ◽

Systematic Relationship ◽

Follow Up Study ◽

Visual Tasks

Anticipation timing (AT) and dynamic visual acuity (DVA) were assessed in a group of college students ( n = 60) under a range of velocity and duration conditions. Subjects participated in two identical sessions 1 week apart. Consistently with previous work, DVA performance worsened as velocity increased and as target duration decreased; and there was a significant improvement from the first to the second session. In contrast, AT performance improved as velocity increased, whereas no improvement from the first to the second session was indicated; but increasing duration again benefited performance. Correlational analyses comparing DVA and AT did not reveal any systematic relationship between the two visual tasks. A follow-up study with different instructions on the AT task revealed the same pattern of AT performance, suggesting the generalizability of the obtained stimulus relationships for the AT task. The importance of the often-overlooked role of stimulus variables on the AT task is discussed.

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Training Effects on the Resolution of Moving Targets—Dynamic Visual Acuity

Human Factors The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society ◽

10.1177/001872088903100407 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 31 (4) ◽

pp. 443-451 ◽

Cited By ~ 38

Author(s):

Gerald M. Long ◽

David A. Rourke

Keyword(s):

Visual Acuity ◽

Test Session ◽

Moving Targets ◽

Dynamic Visual Acuity ◽

Training Effects ◽

Final Test ◽

Male College

In initial 60-min sessions, the dynamic visual acuity (DVA)of 54 male college observers was determined over a range of target velocities (60, 90, 120, and 150 deg/s) at each of three durations (200, 400, and 600 ms). Following four 30-min practice sessions with the task, a final test session identical to the first was then conducted. Highly significant training effects on DVA were obtained; contrary to previous work, these effects were most marked for observers with initially poorer performance.

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Dynamic visual acuity, eye movements and peripheral acuity for moving targets

Vision Research ◽

10.1016/0042-6989(72)90120-4 ◽

1972 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 305-321 ◽

Cited By ~ 55

Author(s):

Brian Brown

Keyword(s):

Visual Acuity ◽

Eye Movements ◽

Moving Targets ◽

Dynamic Visual Acuity

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Effects of caffeine ingestion on dynamic visual acuity: a placebo-controlled, double-blind, balanced-crossover study in low caffeine consumers

Psychopharmacology ◽

10.1007/s00213-021-05953-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Beatríz Redondo ◽

Raimundo Jiménez ◽

Rubén Molina ◽

Kristine Dalton ◽

Jesús Vera

Keyword(s):

Visual Acuity ◽

Crossover Study ◽

Random Order ◽

Random Motion ◽

Caffeine Intake ◽

Moving Targets ◽

Dynamic Visual Acuity ◽

Double Blind ◽

Caffeine Ingestion ◽

Motion Paths

Abstract Background Acute caffeine ingestion has been associated with improvements in cognitive performance and visual functioning. The main objective of this study was to determine the effects of caffeine intake on dynamic visual acuity (DVA). Methods Twenty-one low caffeine consumers (22.5 ± 1.6 years) took part in this placebo-controlled, double-blind, and balanced crossover study. In two different days and following a random order, participants ingested either caffeine (4 mg/kg) or placebo, and DVA was measured after 60 min of ingesting the corresponding capsule. A recently developed and validated software (moV& test, V&mp Vision Suite, Waterloo, Canada) was used to assess DVA. Results We found a greater accuracy for both the horizontal and random motion paths of DVA after caffeine ingestion (p < 0.001 and p = 0.002, respectively). In regard to the speed of the response, our data revealed that caffeine intake was associated with a faster reaction time for horizontally (p = 0.012) but not for randomly (p = 0.846) moving targets. Also, participants reported higher levels of perceived activation after consuming caffeine in comparison to placebo (p < 0.001). Conclusions Our data suggest that caffeine intake (i.e., a capsule containing 4 mg/kg) has an ergogenic effect on DVA, which may be of special relevance in real-word contexts that require to accurately and rapidly detect moving targets (e.g., sports, driving, or piloting).

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The Effects of Target Borders on Dynamic Visual Acuity: Practical and Theoretical Implications

Perception ◽

10.1068/p170745 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 17 (6) ◽

pp. 745-751 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Gerald M Long ◽

Philip M Garvey

Keyword(s):

Visual Acuity ◽

Spatial Frequency ◽

Frequency Component ◽

Neural Mechanisms ◽

Moving Targets ◽

Dynamic Visual Acuity ◽

Stimulus Energy ◽

Spatial Frequency Component ◽

Slow Moving ◽

Practical Implications

The effects of target borders on the ability of observers to resolve moving targets (Landolt Cs) under a range of conditions were examined. Contrary to reported findings with stationary targets, it was predicted that the presence of borders would improve acuity for slow-moving targets because (i) overall stimulus energy is kept relatively constant as target detail varies, and (ii) a low-spatial-frequency component is held constant as target detail varies. In an experiment in which a two-sided border (above and below the target) was used, the predicted beneficial effect of the border at slow speeds was obtained. The results are discussed in terms of practical implications for the assessment of dynamic visual acuity as well as the potential neural mechanisms underlying performance.

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