With a growing number of in-vehicle systems integrated in contemporary cars, the risk of driver distraction and lack of attention on the primary task of driving is increasing. One major research area concerns eyesoff-the-road and mind-off-the-road that are manifested in different ways for input and output techniques. In this paper, we investigate in-vehicle systems input and output techniques t...

How does the human brain extract regularities from its environment? There is evidence that short range or 'local' regularities (within seconds) are automatically detected by the brain while long range or 'global' regularities (over tens of seconds or more) require conscious awareness. In the present experiment, we asked whether participants' attention was needed to acquire such auditory regular...

This study examined whether azimuth localising performance for non-individualised 3-D audio without integrated head tracking can be improved through the provision of supplementary reference signals. Twenty-two participants attempted to determine the location of spatial sounds developed through a non-individualised head-related transfer function (HRTF) while performing a visual distractor task. ...

The increasing use of in-vehicle information systems (IVISs), such as navigation devices and MP3 players, can jeopardize safety by introducing distraction into driving. One way to address this problem is to develop distraction mitigation systems, which adapt IVIS functions according to driver state. In such a system, correctly identifying driver distraction is critical, which is the focus of th...

Driver distraction has become a major concern for transportation safety due to increasing use of infotainment systems in vehicles. To reduce safety risks, it is crucial to understand how fundamental aspects of distracting activities affect driver behavior at different levels of vehicle control. This study used a simulator-based experiment to assess the effects of visual, cognitive and simultane...

Administration of local anesthesia via injection is the main reason for inducing anxiety in children and if not intervened it aggravates subsequent appointments. There are many approaches, including pharmacological non-pharmacological methods that can be used to reduce children's perception pain anxiety. A frequently behaviour management method procedure distraction. The rationale distra...

Background and study aims: Colonoscopy can cause anxiety and discomfort in patients. Sedation and analgesia as premedication can lead to complications in the elderly and those with comorbidities. This has led to an interest in the use of audio-visual distraction during the colonoscopy. We compared the effects of audio (AD) versus visual distraction (VD) in reducing discomfort and the need for s...

Closing the eyes helps memory. We investigated the mechanisms underlying the eyeclosure effect by exposing 80 eyewitnesses to different types of distraction during the witness interview: blank screen (control), eyes closed, visual distraction, and auditory distraction. We examined the cognitive load hypothesis by comparing any type of distraction (visual or auditory) with minimal distraction (b...