Visual Information Processing and Response Time in Traffic-Signal Cognition

摘要

In man-machine design, it is important to quantify the reaction time componentsinstead of simply determining the lump-sum reaction time to stimulus. The primary purpose of this thesis was to investigate the reaction time components, such as visual perception and muscle response time, and to quantify them by separating from their aggregated sum. The prime example, traffic-signal cognition simulation was used to examine human reaction time to signal change. With a modified computer program that stimulates the driver's approach to the intersection, we measured the subject's reaction times and examined behavioral patterns. Twelve subjects were involved in the experiment. A logistic regression procedure was applied to the data to define subjects' choices at different distances. Decision process time and the conflicting decision area were examined. Logistic regression was used to reveal the distribution of the conflicting decision area and muscle response time. The results revealed the visual perception time distribution. The most important part of total reaction time was visual perception. Overall, the study showed the possibility of quantifying the reaction time components by using a simple computer simulation.