Malik Jeehan, Kim Nam-Yoon, Parr Morgan D N, Kearney Joseph K, Plumert Jodie M, Rector Kyle
Department of Computer Science, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
Hum Factors. 2024 May;66(5):1520-1530. doi: 10.1177/00187208231151280. Epub 2023 Jan 19.
This study used a virtual environment to examine how older and younger pedestrians responded to simulated augmented reality (AR) overlays that indicated the crossability of gaps in a continuous stream of traffic.
Older adults represent a vulnerable group of pedestrians. AR has the potential to make the task of street-crossing safer and easier for older adults.
We used an immersive virtual environment to conduct a study with age group and condition as between-subjects factors. In the control condition, older and younger participants crossed a continuous stream of traffic without simulated AR overlays. In the AR condition, older and younger participants crossed with simulated AR overlays signaling whether gaps between vehicles were safe or unsafe to cross. Participants were subsequently interviewed about their experience.
We found that participants were more selective in their crossing decisions and took safer gaps in the AR condition as compared to the control condition. Older adult participants also reported reduced mental and physical demand in the AR condition compared to the control condition.
AR overlays that display the crossability of gaps between vehicles have the potential to make street-crossing safer and easier for older adults. Additional research is needed in more complex real-world scenarios to further examine how AR overlays impact pedestrian behavior.
With rapid advances in autonomous vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian communication technologies, it is critical to study how pedestrians can be better supported. Our research provides key insights for ways to improve pedestrian safety applications using emerging technologies like AR.
本研究利用虚拟环境来考察老年人和年轻人对模拟增强现实（AR）叠加层的反应，这些叠加层指示了连续车流中缺口的可穿越性。
老年人是易受伤害的行人群体。AR有潜力让老年人过马路的任务更安全、更容易。
我们使用沉浸式虚拟环境进行了一项研究，将年龄组和条件作为组间因素。在对照条件下，老年人和年轻人在没有模拟AR叠加层的情况下穿过连续的车流。在AR条件下，老年人和年轻人在穿过时会有模拟AR叠加层，指示车辆之间的缺口是否安全可穿越。随后对参与者进行了关于他们体验的访谈。
我们发现，与对照条件相比，参与者在AR条件下的过马路决策更具选择性，会选择更安全的缺口。与对照条件相比，老年参与者在AR条件下也报告了心理和身体需求的降低。
显示车辆之间缺口可穿越性的AR叠加层有潜力让老年人过马路更安全、更容易。需要在更复杂的现实场景中进行更多研究，以进一步考察AR叠加层如何影响行人行为。
随着自动驾驶车辆和车对行人通信技术的快速发展，研究如何更好地支持行人至关重要。我们的研究为利用AR等新兴技术改进行人安全应用的方法提供了关键见解。
