DISTANCE AND CLEARANCE PERCEPTION USING FORWARD-LOOKING, VEHICULAR TELEVISION SYSTEMS

During off-road navigation, drivers often must make size, distance, and clearance judgments of terrain features and obstacles in order to choose safe navigational routes. These same judgements must be made in the teleoperation of land vehicles using forward-looking television systems. This study evaluated how well subjects perceived size, distance, and clearance using monochrome and color television systems. Thirty-eight subjects (Ss) estimated the size, distance, and seperation of two obstacles using video imagery produced by a forward-looking, vehicle mounted camera. Results indicate that Ss typically overestimated distances and, when in error judging clearance, tended to overestimate the gap between the objects. These biases were expected, given the well-documented minification effect of television using standard lenses. More surprising was the somewhat larger bias evidenced by Ss using color versus monochrome imagery. This report describes the research methodology, the results obtained, and potential reasons for the results; it also discusses the plans for continuing research in this area, and assesses the implications these findings may have on teleoperated vehicle designs.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products. Original copy available until stock is exhausted.
• Corporate Authors:

  Sandia National Laboratories

  P.O. Box 5800
  Albuquerque, NM  United States  87185
• Authors:
  • Miller, D P
• Publication Date: 1990-4

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: 15 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: All terrain vehicles; Color; Hazards; Imagery; Navigation; Obstructions (Navigation); Television; Terrain; Terrain evaluation; Vehicle design; Visual perception
• Old TRIS Terms: Monochromatic; Video imagery
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00602849
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: SAND-88-1958
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 31 1990 12:00AM