On-road driver eye movement tracking using head-mounted devices

Abstract

It is now evident from anecdotal evidence and preliminary research that distractions can hinder the task of operating a vehicle, and consequently reduce driver safety. However with increasing wireless connectivity and the portability of office devices, the vehicle of the future is visualized as an extension of the static work place - i.e. an office-on-the-move, with a phone, a fax machine and a computer all within the reach of the vehicle operator. For this research a Head mounted Eye-tracking Device (HED), is used for tracking the eye movements of a driver navigating a test route in an automobible while completing various driving tasks. Issues arising from data collection of eye movements during the completion of various driving tasks as well as the analysis of this data are discussed. Methods for collecting video and scan-path data, as well as difficulties and limitations are also reported.