title: The role of looming and attention capture in drivers’ braking responses

authors: Terry, Hugh R.

subjects: headway distance

abstract: This study assessed the ability of drivers to detect the deceleration of a preceding vehicle in a simulated vehicle-following task. The size of the preceding vehicles (car, van, or truck) and following speeds (50, 70, or 100 km/h) were systematically varied. Participants selected a preferred following distance by engaging their vehicle's cruise control and when the preceding vehicle began decelerating (no brake lights were illuminated), the participant's braking latency and distances to the lead vehicle were recorded. The experiment also employed a secondary task condition to examine how the attention-capturing properties of a looming vehicle were affected by driver distraction. The results indicated that a looming stimulus is capable of redirecting a driver's attention in a vehicle following task and, as with detection of brake lights, a driver's detection of a looming vehicle is compromised in the presence of a distracting task. Interestingly, increases in vehicle size had the effect of decreasing drivers’ braking latencies and drivers engaged in the secondary task were significantly closer to the lead vehicle when they began braking, regardless of the size of the leading vehicle. Performance decrements resulting from the secondary task were reflected in a time-to-collision measure but not in optic expansion rate, lending support to earlier arguments that time-to-collision estimates require explicit cognitive judgements while perception of optic expansion may function in a more automatic fashion to redirect a driver's attention when cognitive resources are low or collision is imminent.

text: The role of looming and attention capture in drivers’ braking responses This study assessed the ability of drivers to detect the deceleration of a preceding vehicle in a simulated vehicle-following task. The size of the preceding vehicles (car, van, or truck) and following speeds (50, 70, or 100 km/h) were systematically varied. Participants selected a preferred following distance by engaging their vehicle's cruise control and when the preceding vehicle began decelerating (no brake lights were illuminated), the participant's braking latency and distances to the lead vehicle were recorded. The experiment also employed a secondary task condition to examine how the attention-capturing properties of a looming vehicle were affected by driver distraction. The results indicated that a looming stimulus is capable of redirecting a driver's attention in a vehicle following task and, as with detection of brake lights, a driver's detection of a looming vehicle is compromised in the presence of a distracting task. Interestingly, increases in vehicle size had the effect of decreasing drivers’ braking latencies and drivers engaged in the secondary task were significantly closer to the lead vehicle when they began braking, regardless of the size of the leading vehicle. Performance decrements resulting from the secondary task were reflected in a time-to-collision measure but not in optic expansion rate, lending support to earlier arguments that time-to-collision estimates require explicit cognitive judgements while perception of optic expansion may function in a more automatic fashion to redirect a driver's attention when cognitive resources are low or collision is imminent.

year: 2008

title: Instabilities of the cortex during natural sleep

authors: Wilson, Marcus T.

subjects: cortex

abstract: The electrical signals generated by the human cortex during sleep have been widely studied over the last 50 years. The electroencephalogram (EEG) observed during natural sleep exhibits structures with frequencies from 0.5 Hz to over 50 Hz and complicated waveforms such as spindles and K-complexes. Understanding has been enhanced by comprehensive intra-cellular measurements from the cortex and thalamus such as those performed by Steriade et al [1] and Sanchez-Vives and McCormick [2]. Models of the cerebal cortex have been developed in order to explain many of the features observed. These can be classified in terms of individual neuron models or collective models. Since we wish to compare predictions with gross features of the human EEG, we choose a collective model, where we average over a population of neurons in macrocolumns. A number of models of this form have been developed recently; that developed at Waikato draws from a number of different sources to describe the temporal and spatial dynamics of the system.

text: Instabilities of the cortex during natural sleep The electrical signals generated by the human cortex during sleep have been widely studied over the last 50 years. The electroencephalogram (EEG) observed during natural sleep exhibits structures with frequencies from 0.5 Hz to over 50 Hz and complicated waveforms such as spindles and K-complexes. Understanding has been enhanced by comprehensive intra-cellular measurements from the cortex and thalamus such as those performed by Steriade et al [1] and Sanchez-Vives and McCormick [2]. Models of the cerebal cortex have been developed in order to explain many of the features observed. These can be classified in terms of individual neuron models or collective models. Since we wish to compare predictions with gross features of the human EEG, we choose a collective model, where we average over a population of neurons in macrocolumns. A number of models of this form have been developed recently; that developed at Waikato draws from a number of different sources to describe the temporal and spatial dynamics of the system.

year: 2005

title: An evaluation of Te Rau Puawai workforce 100: Stakeholder perspectives

authors: Nikora, Linda Waimarie

subjects: Maori students

abstract: To evaluate the Te Rau Puawai programme, the Ministry of Health commissioned the
Maori and Psychology Research Unit of the University of Waikato in July 2001. The
overall aim of the evaluation was to provide the Ministry with a clearer understanding
of the programme including: the perceived critical success factors, the barriers if any
regarding Te Rau Puawai, the impact of the programme, the extent to which the
programme may be transferable, gaps in the programme, and suggested
improvements.
There are a number of stakeholders who do not have a direct role in the provision of
Te Rau Puawai. These people are not involved in the day to day running of Te Rau
Puawai (as do, for example, the coordinator, support team or academic mentors),
nevertheless they play an important role, contributing in a variety of ways to the
programme.

text: An evaluation of Te Rau Puawai workforce 100: Stakeholder perspectives To evaluate the Te Rau Puawai programme, the Ministry of Health commissioned the
Maori and Psychology Research Unit of the University of Waikato in July 2001. The
overall aim of the evaluation was to provide the Ministry with a clearer understanding
of the programme including: the perceived critical success factors, the barriers if any
regarding Te Rau Puawai, the impact of the programme, the extent to which the
programme may be transferable, gaps in the programme, and suggested
improvements.
There are a number of stakeholders who do not have a direct role in the provision of
Te Rau Puawai. These people are not involved in the day to day running of Te Rau
Puawai (as do, for example, the coordinator, support team or academic mentors),
nevertheless they play an important role, contributing in a variety of ways to the
programme.

year: 2002-05-01