The Effect of Input Device on Performance of a Driving Task in an Uncoupled Motion Environment

Abstract

Objective: To examine the effect of input device on performance of a driving task during uncoupled motion (UM). Background: Muth, Walker & Fiorello (2006) demonstrated that UM affected performance on a driving task with a steering wheel input device. However, it was unclear if the effect was due to general (motion sickness) or specific (interference with motor control) effects of UM. Methods: Ten participants completed a driving task while in a stationary and a moving real vehicle using a handheld control pad. Data were combined with the results of the previous study. Results: Regardless of input device, performance was significantly affected by UM, F(1,18) = 16.69, p< 0.01, ή p 2 =0.48. There was also a condition by input device interaction, F(1, 18) = 4.81, p<0.05, ή p 2 =0.21. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that UM can have both specific and general effects and that system design can potentially mitigate some of these effects.The main purpose of this study was to investigate whether the performance decrements demonstrated in Muth, Walker, and Fiorello's (2006) study were due to the general effects of motion sickness on the participants or the more specific effects of the vehicle motion on the driving task's input device. BACKGROUND

The Challenge of Uncoupled Motion: Duration of Cognitive and Physiological Aftereffects

“…These systems may have specific motion effects that interfere with task performance (Wertheim, 1998). These specific effects may be minimized with approaches such as using a different control, for example, a game pad instead of a steering wheel (Walker et al, 2007).…”

“…In a follow-up study involving use of the identical driving task but with a game pad instead of a steering wheel, it was confirmed that at least a portion of the performance decrement was attributable to specific effects of the motion on the task and a portion attributable to general effects of the motion on the human operator (Walker, Gomer, & Muth, 2007). Specific effects include such things as the real car turning left when the operator is trying to turn the virtual car right and the resulting errant effect on the steering wheel input.…”

“…This study examined a highly selected sample of participants, and this may limit the generalizability of the results. However, uncoupled motion has been found to affect a less selective military sample (Muth & Lawson, 2003) and samples selected from college students (Muth et al, 2006;Walker et al, 2007). These previous studies did not examine cognitive performance.…”

Changes in Reaction Times and Executive Decision-Making following Exposure to Waterborne Motion

“…Significant degradations in both cognitive and physiological performance have been seen during exposure to both real and virtual motion. Both laboratory and field studies indicate that environmental motion can specifically cause decreased performance in motor tasks (Crossland & Lloyd, 1993;McLeod et al, 1980;Walker et al, 2007;Wertheim, 1998). Champney and colleagues (2007) have shown that exposure to virtual motion can result in degraded fine motor skills and vestibular after-effects lasting over an hour.…”