Eye Movement in Response to Single and Multiple Targets

Abstract

Two major studies were pursued under this research program: one was devoted to eye-movement responses in multi-target situations, and the other to smooth scanning behavior when viewing eye-slaved targets. For multiple targets, a computer-controlled arc perimeter display comprised of 21 LED point targets (5 arc-minutes) placed 5 degrees apart was utilized. Results showed that oculomotor reaction time increased from 200 ms for single targets to 240 ms for multiple targets (20% to 25% increase). Furthermore, delaying the appearance of one of the targets by 10 ms increased the reaction time even further, to about 300 ms. Further increases in second target delay produced a monotonically decreasing function of response time versus delay, until at delays of 100 ms, the reaction times were normal. For the experiments on eye-slaved target scanning behavior, the subject was presented with a target controlled by that person's own eye position. This eye-slaved target was then delayed 1 to 200 ms before being presented to the subject. With no delay, subjects were able to move their eyes smoothly across the screen and back; i.e., self-initiated smooth pursuit. Small delays (40 to 60 ms) tended to increase the smooth pursuit oscillations in both velocity and amplitude. The results suggest that smooth pursuit is facilitated by small delays in the eye-position feedback signal. At larger delays (100-200 ms), smooth pursuit was not obtained. The implications of these results for eye- slaved, area-of-interest displays are discussed. Originator-supplied keywords include: eye movement; multiple targets; oculomotor control; reaction time; saccadic latency; saccades; smooth pursuit; visual scanning.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 01, 1985
Accession Number
ADA151115

Entities

People

  • L. R. Young
  • P. A. Wetzel
  • R. V. Kenyon
  • Y. Y. Zeevi

Organizations

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquisition
  • Air Force
  • Brain
  • Computer Graphics
  • Control Systems
  • Data Analysis
  • Detection
  • Eye
  • Information Processing
  • Moving Targets
  • Multiple Targets
  • Nervous System
  • Parallel Computing
  • Parallel Processing
  • Pattern Recognition
  • Reaction Time
  • Targets

Fields of Study

  • Psychology

Readers

  • Human-Computer Interaction (HCI).
  • Mathematics or Statistics
  • Vision Science/Vision Psychology/Cognitive Neuroscience.