The goal of this project is to determine
the perceptual and cognitive systems that could be used
in real-time interfaces of the type required in driving,
and then to design these interfaces to take optimal advantage
of the relevant systems in humans.
This research is motivated by the increasing
complexity of driving with regards to automobile displays
and to increasingly-crowded traffic systems. As technology
improves, it is becoming possible to give more information
to the driver (e.g., notice of a car in the driver's blind
spot, or conditions on the road ahead). But more information
alone will not work-if too much information is presented,
it will confuse rather than help the driver. The key to
making driving safe and comfortable is therefore to combine
knowledge of the perceptual and cognitive systems of humans
with knowledge of the driving task itself so that only the
relevant information is delivered, and delivered in an easy-to-understand
way.
Researchers will investigate the scientific
bases of intelligent automobile interfaces. Two aspects
are of greatest importance. The first is to determine the
limits in human perception and cognition that will ultimately
limit the effectiveness of an interface (e.g. limitations
in attention). The second is to determine the extent to
which new kinds of sensory inputs (e.g. sound or touch)
can be used as effective carriers of information. In all
of this, UBC researchers will work closely with Nissan engineers
to investigate the causes of problems in current interfaces,
as well as to provide guidelines on the development of new
ones.
2001-02 Subprojects:
- Magical numbers in information management (Rensink)
- Framework effects in attention (Rensink)
- Display transitions (Rensink, DiLollo, Enns)
- Interrupted visual search (Enns, DiLollo, Rensink)
