Advanced Virtual Reality Based Training to Improve Young Drivers’ Latent Hazard Anticipation Ability

2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 1995-1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ravi Agrawal ◽  
Michael Knodler ◽  
Donald L. Fisher ◽  
Siby Samuel
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Training Program ◽  
Driving Simulator ◽  
Training Programs ◽  
Risk Awareness ◽  
Novice Drivers ◽  
Feedback Training ◽  
Young Drivers ◽  
And Control ◽  
Risk Driving

The crash rate for young novice drivers is at least eight times higher than that of their experienced counterparts. Literature shows that the young novice drivers are not careless drivers but they are clueless drivers’ - clueless because of their inability to predict the risk ahead of time that might materialize on the forward roadway. Other error-feedback training programs exist that emphasize the teaching of risk awareness and perception skills to young drivers. In the current study, a Virtual reality based risk awareness and perception training program (V-RAPT) was developed on the Oculus Rift and evaluated on a driving simulator. The training program provides 360 degrees’ views of 6 high risk driving scenarios towards training the young driver to anticipate and mitigate latent hazards. Twenty-four participants in three experiment groups were trained on one of 3 training programs- VRAPT, RAPT and Control, and were evaluated on a driving simulator. Eye movements were collected throughout the experiment. The simulator evaluation drives included six near-transfer scenarios used in the training and four far-transfer scenarios not used in the training but validated previously in other similar studies. The young drivers trained on the V-RAPT were found to anticipate a significantly greater proportion (86.25%) of the potential latent hazards as compared to the RAPT trained young drivers (62.36%) and control trained drivers (30.97%). The VR-based training program is shown to be effective in improving young drivers’ ability to anticipate latent threats.

Virtual Reality Headset Training: Can It Be Used to Improve Young Drivers’ Latent Hazard Anticipation and Mitigation Skills

2018 ◽  
Vol 2672 (33) ◽  
pp. 20-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ravi Agrawal ◽  
Michael Knodler ◽  
Donald L. Fisher ◽  
Siby Samuel
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Training Program ◽  
Driving Simulator ◽  
Motor Vehicle ◽  
Wide Field ◽  
Training Interventions ◽  
Head Mounted Display ◽  
Young Drivers ◽  
Vehicle Data ◽  
Risk Driving

Young drivers are overrepresented in motor-vehicle crashes compared to experienced drivers. Research shows that young drivers are generally clueless, not careless, failing to anticipate and mitigate latent hazards. There are several error-feedback training interventions that emphasize the teaching of latent hazard anticipation skills (e.g., risk awareness and perception training, RAPT) and a few that emphasize both the teaching of hazard anticipation and hazard mitigation skills (e.g., the driver simulation ACCEL). In the current study, a virtual reality, headset-based latent hazard anticipation and mitigation training program (V-RAPT) was developed on a head-mounted display (Oculus Rift). The headset provides the participant with a 100-degree wide field of view of six high-risk driving scenarios, the view changing appropriately as the participant rotates his or her head. Thirty-six young drivers were exposed to one of three training programs—V-RAPT, RAPT, and a placebo—and then evaluated on a driving simulator. Eye movement and vehicle data were collected throughout the simulator evaluation. The drives included the six scenarios used in training and four other scenarios dissimilar to the ones used in training, but previously validated as measures of hazard anticipation. The drivers trained on V-RAPT were found to anticipate a significantly greater proportion (86.25%) of latent hazards than the RAPT (62.36%) and placebo (30.97%) trained drivers. The V-RAPT trained drivers were also found to be better at mitigating potential threats. The virtual reality, headset-based training program holds out the promise of improving drivers’ ability to anticipate and mitigate latent threats and thereby reduce crashes.

Minding the Gap: Effects of an Attention Maintenance Training Program on Driver Calibration

2020 ◽  
pp. 001872082096529
Author(s):  
James Unverricht ◽  
Yusuke Yamani ◽  
Jing Chen ◽  
William J. Horrey
Keyword(s):  
Training Program ◽  
Cognitive Skills ◽  
Driving Simulator ◽  
Training Programs ◽  
Driving Safety ◽  
Driver Training ◽  
Actual Performance ◽  
Young Drivers ◽  
Maintenance Behaviors ◽  
Target Skills

Objective The present study examines the effect of an existing driver training program, FOrward Concentration and Attention Learning (FOCAL) on young drivers’ calibration, drivers’ ability to estimate the length of their in-vehicle glances while driving, using two different measures, normalized difference scores and Brier Scores. Background Young drivers are poor at maintaining attention to the forward roadway while driving a vehicle. Additionally, drivers may overestimate their attention maintenance abilities. Driver training programs such as FOCAL may train target skills such as attention maintenance but also might serve as a promising way to reduce errors in drivers’ calibration of their self-perceived attention maintenance behaviors in comparison to their actual performance. Method Thirty-six participants completed either FOCAL or a Placebo training program, immediately followed by driving simulator evaluations of their attention maintenance performance. In the evaluation drive, participants navigated four driving simulator scenarios during which their eyes were tracked. In each scenario, participants performed a map task on a tablet simulating an in-vehicle infotainment system. Results FOCAL-trained drivers maintained their attention to the forward roadway more and reported better calibration using the normalized difference measure than Placebo-trained drivers. However, the Brier scores did not distinguish the two groups on their calibration. Conclusion The study implies that FOCAL has the potential to improve not only attention maintenance skills but also calibration of the skills for young drivers. Application Driver training programs may be designed to train not only targeted higher cognitive skills but also driver calibration—both critical for driving safety in young drivers.

Latent Hazard Anticipation in Young Drivers: Review and Meta-Analysis of Training Studies

2018 ◽  
Vol 2672 (33) ◽  
pp. 11-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Unverricht ◽  
Siby Samuel ◽  
Yusuke Yamani
Keyword(s):  
Training Program ◽  
Driving Simulator ◽  
Motor Vehicle ◽  
Training Programs ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Mode Of Delivery ◽  
Young Drivers ◽  
Training Studies ◽  
Target Skills ◽  
Method Of Evaluation

Young drivers are overrepresented in motor vehicle crashes, and are shown to be poorer at anticipating potential threats on the roadway compared with their more experienced peers. Literature demonstrates the effectiveness of driver training programs at improving young drivers’ latent hazard anticipation performance. Various hazard anticipation training studies have been undertaken on different population demographics using different training scenario presentation modes and multiple evaluation testbeds. These error-based feedback training programs (3M) allow trainees to make a mistake, show them how to mediate the mistake, and provide an opportunity to master the target skills. The current meta-analytical review focused on 19 peer-reviewed training studies that utilized eye movements to measure improvements in drivers’ latent hazard anticipation performance following training. The role of four moderating factors (mode of delivery – PC-based or non PC-based; presentation of training – egocentric or exocentric; method of evaluation – on-road or driving simulator; and age of sample – teen novices aged 16–17 or young drivers aged 18–21) on the training effects were explored. Overall, the current meta-analysis suggest that: (a) superficial improvements in training programs does not necessarily further improve the drivers’ latent hazard anticipation; (b) drivers who completed a training program with both egocentric and exocentric training views achieved greater levels of latent hazard anticipation performance than those who completed a training program that contained either view, but not both; and (c) the effect sizes of the 3M-based training programs on latent hazard anticipation were greater for drivers aged 18–21 years than drivers aged 16–17.

The Promise of Virtual Reality Headsets: Can They be Used to Measure Accurately Drivers’ Hazard Anticipation Performance?

2019 ◽  
Vol 2673 (10) ◽  
pp. 455-464 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ganesh Pai Mangalore ◽  
Yalda Ebadi ◽  
Siby Samuel ◽  
Michael A. Knodler ◽  
Donald L. Fisher
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Driving Simulator ◽  
Dependent Measure ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Driving Simulators ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Young Drivers ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Open Road ◽  
Measures Of Performance

The objective of the current study is to evaluate the use of virtual reality (VR) headsets to measure driving performance. This is desirable because they are several orders of magnitude less expensive than simulators and, if validated, could greatly extend the powers of simulation. Out of several possible measures of performance that could be considered for evaluating VR headsets, the current study specifically examines drivers’ latent hazard anticipation behavior both because it has been linked to crashes and because it has been shown to be significantly poorer in young drivers compared with their experienced counterparts in traditional driving simulators and in open road studies. In a between-subject design, 48 participants were equally and randomly assigned to one of four experimental conditions—two young driver cohorts (18–21 years) and two middle-aged driver cohorts (30–55 years) navigating either a fixed-based driving simulator or a VR headset-based simulator. All participants navigated six unique scenarios while their eyes were continually tracked. The proportion of latent hazards anticipated by participants which constituted the primary dependent measure, was found to be greater for middle-aged drivers than young drivers across both platforms. The difference in the magnitude of performance between the young and middle-aged drivers was similar across the two platforms. The study provides some justification for the use of VR headsets as a way of understanding drivers’ hazard anticipation behavior.

scholarly journals Attention maintenance training: Are young drivers getting better or being more strategic?

2019 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 1991-1995
Author(s):  
James Unverricht ◽  
Yusuke Yamani ◽  
Sarah Yahoodik ◽  
Jing Chen ◽  
William J. Horrey
Keyword(s):  
Task Performance ◽  
Visual Processing ◽  
Secondary Task ◽  
Driving Simulator ◽  
Training Programs ◽  
Secondary Tasks ◽  
Young Drivers ◽  
Vehicle Navigation System ◽  
Processing Demands ◽  
Maintenance Performance

Young drivers are particularly poor at maintaining attention to the forward roadway where imminent hazards may occur. Existing training programs such as FOrward Concentration and Attention Learning (FOCAL) have been shown to improve young drivers’ attention maintenance performance. The current study examines two competing hypotheses for the effectiveness of FOCAL: 1) Drivers disregard the secondary task to focus on maintaining attention, or 2) FOCAL improves drivers’ multitasking ability on the driving and the secondary tasks. FOCAL- and placebo-trained drivers navigated through four distinct scenarios in a driving simulator. During each scenario, they were asked to perform a secondary task interacting with a mock in-vehicle navigation system. Results showed that FOCAL improved driver attention maintenance performance and, surprisingly, their secondary task performance. These results suggest the possibility that FOCAL in fact increases not only their ability to maintain their attention to the forward roadway but also a drivers’ multitasking performance. Future works should use a variety of in-vehicle tasks with different visual processing demands to determine the generalizability of the current finding.

Train-driving simulator studies: Can novice drivers deliver the goods?

2017 ◽  
Vol 231 (10) ◽  
pp. 1186-1194 ◽  
Author(s):  
David R Large ◽  
David Golightly ◽  
Emma Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Driving Simulator ◽  
Limited Data ◽  
Novice Drivers ◽  
Control Actions ◽  
Dependent Variables ◽  
Frequent Switching ◽  
Train Drivers ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The University ◽  
And Control

Early research suggests that, in a simulated train-driving environment, unskilled, novice drivers may exhibit comparable behaviour and performance to experienced, professional train drivers after receiving only minimal, task-specific training. However, this conclusion is based on exiguous performance indicators, such as speed limit exceedances, SPAD violations, etc. and considers only limited data. This paper presents further, detailed analysis of the driving performance data obtained from 20 drivers (13 novices and 7 experienced train drivers), who took part in a previous simulator-based research study, utilising more sensitive and perspicuous measures, namely acceleration noise and control actuation. The results indicate that, although both cohorts exhibited similar performance using the original metrics, and would thus support the same conclusions, the manner in which this performance was effected is fundamentally different between groups. Trained novice drivers (mainly comprising students and staff at the University of Nottingham) adopted far more erratic speed control profiles, characterised by longer control actions and frequent switching between power and brake actuation. In contrast, experienced drivers delivered smoother acceleration/braking profiles with more subtle (and shorter) control actions and less variance in speed. We conclude that although utilising trained non-drivers may offer an appealing solution in the absence of professional train drivers during simulator-based research, and their input remains of value, researchers should remain mindful when interpreting results and drawing conclusions from a contingent comprising non-drivers. The work also demonstrates the value of dependent variables such as acceleration noise, and quantitative measures of control actuation, which may offer an insightful portfolio of measures in train-driving research studies.

Understanding the Effect of Feedback on Young Drivers’ Speeding Behavior

2016 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 1986-1990 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oleksandra Krasnova ◽  
Brett Molesworth ◽  
Ann Williamson
Keyword(s):  
Feedback Control ◽  
Driving Simulator ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Management Behavior ◽  
Management Performance ◽  
Novice Drivers ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Young Drivers ◽  
Speed Management ◽  
Computer Based

The aim of the present study was to empirically investigate the effect of various types of feedback on young novice drivers’ speed management behavior. One hundred young drivers, randomly allocated to five groups, completed three test drives using a computer-based driving simulator. For four groups, feedback was provided after an 11km drive and focused on speeding behavior, the safety implications of speeding or the financial penalties if caught speeding or all three. The fifth group was a no-feedback control. Driver speed management performance was examined in two 11km drives immediately following the receipt of feedback and one week post feedback. The results showed that all types of Feedback were effective in improving young drivers’ speed management behavior compared to the control group. Providing feedback about financial implications of speeding was found to be the best in improving young drivers’ speed management behavior across all tested conditions. These findings have important implications for the development of a new approach to improve young drivers’ speed management behavior.

PL-005 Effects of Strength-endurance training on muscle damage after tennis competition

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehmet Serif Okmen ◽  
Metin Polat
Keyword(s):  
Training Program ◽  
Endurance Training ◽  
Muscle Damage ◽  
Training Programs ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Blood Levels ◽  
Control Groups ◽  
And Control ◽  
Experimental Group ◽  
Tennis Match

Objective The present study aimed to identify the level of muscle damage that develops after a tennis match, and to investigate the potential effects of eight weeks of strength-endurance training on the level of this muscle damage. Methods The study included 30 male tennis players aged 18 years and above who had been actively playing tennis matches at least for five years, and who voluntarily agreed to take part in the study. The participants were classified into two groups, consisting of 15 experimental subjects and 15 controls. To begin with, all of the participants played tennis matches for three hours according to the international rules of the game, and partners were changed every one hour. In order to determine the level of muscle damage after the tennis match, the blood levels of Creatinine Kinase (CK), Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH), Aminotransferase (ALT) and Myoglobin were measured prior to the matches, and immediately, 24 hours, and 48 hours after the completion of the match. Afterwards, the participants in both groups engaged in eight weeks of tennis training three days a week for 90 minutes per day. The participants in the experimental group additionally carried out eight weeks of strength-endurance training three days a week for 90 minutes per day. The abovementioned measurements were repeated in both groups at the end of the eighth week. Results The CK values of the experimental and control groups, which were measured simultaneously before the training programs, were not significantly different, while after the eight-week training program, the CK values measured immediately after the match (<0.001) and 48 hours (p<0.05) after the match were significantly lower in the experimental group when compared to the control group. LDH values, which were simultaneously measured prior to the training programs, were also not significantly different between the experimental and control groups, while those measured immediately after the match (p<0.05) and 24 hours (p<0.05) after the match were significantly lower in the experimental group when compared to the control group after the training program. The ALT and myoglobin levels, which were measured simultaneously in both groups after the training program also slightly decreased, but the difference between two groups was not statistically significant. Conclusions The results of the present study demonstrate that strength-endurance training, carried out in addition to an eight-week regular tennis training program, resulted in a significant decrease in markers of muscle damage after a tennis match played for the same duration at the same intensity.

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