The Effect of Three Levels of Laser Glare on the Speed and Accuracy of Target Location Performance When Viewing a Briefly Presented Visual Array.

Abstract

The effect of three levels of low-intensity laser glare on the visual search performance of student aviators was investigated. Subjects were exposed to laser glare while seated in a cockpit simulation trainer with attached F/15 windscreen assembly. The experimental task was designed to maximize visual attentional demands to a degree that might be expected in normal flight. Thus, speed and accuracy of performance were monitored while subjects located targets in a complex, briefly presented (about 1 s), visual array under simulated dusk conditions. Low-level argon laser-induced glare (a factor 3700 times below the ANSI maximum permissable exposure for a 902-ms laser presentation) caused significant decrements in visual search performance for briefly displayed visual information. Subjects identified significantly fewer targets when experiencing low-intensity laser glare relative to a no-glare control. In addition, the speed with which correctly identified targets were located was significantly reduced relative to a no-glare control. As incident laser glare increased, significant decrements in the speed and accuracy of target location responses were observed at target eccentricities up to 8.1 deg from the center of the beam path.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 01, 1990
Accession Number
ADA238565

Entities

People

  • J. A. D'andrea
  • J. C. Knepton
  • M. D. Reddix
  • T. L. Devietti

Organizations

  • Naval Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accuracy
  • Aircrafts
  • Argon Lasers
  • Biomedical Research
  • Data Acquisition
  • Data Displays
  • Eccentricity
  • Fiber-Optic Cables
  • Information Processing
  • Intensity
  • Laser Beams
  • Laser Safety
  • Lasers
  • Light Sources
  • Measurement
  • Observation
  • Simulations

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Brain and Cognitive Science; Experimental Psychology; Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Human-Computer Interaction (HCI).
  • Pulsed Power and Plasma Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy