Understanding Workload Measures Captured in Naturalistic and Immersive Virtual Environments to Disentangle Impacts on Bicyclist Safety
Project Description
The project aims to address the increasing fatalities among vulnerable road users (VRUs), particularly bicyclists, by advancing human factors safety research methodologies. It integrates subjective, performance, and physiological measures to understand VRU workloads across naturalistic and immersive virtual (IVEs) environments. The objectives include (i) improving understanding of VRU workloads through integrated measures and (ii) examining disparities between naturalistic and IVEs. Data will be collected in Albuquerque, NM, a significant location for cyclist fatalities. Tasks include a literature review, creation of IVEs, data collection incorporating subjective, performance, and physiological measures, and a final report comparing measures across environments. The results will inform planning guidelines for non-motorized infrastructure and potentially influence VRU infrastructure redesign.
Outputs
This project would produce various databases from the measurements taken as well as validate measurements proper for workload in cyclists in naturalistic and IVEs, which could be translated into policies. Each measure would come with its process and method to be obtained from the participants in similar studies.
Outcomes / Impacts
This project will have two specific outputs. First, it is expected to allow us to produce at least one technical paper that synthesizes the literature on comparing IVEs and naturalistic workload measures for bicyclists and the benefits and challenges of these two approaches to collect human factor data on bicyclists.. Furthermore, we aim to create a cyclist's naturalistic database, allowing researchers and practitioners worldwide to understand VRUs' needs better and plan infrastructure that accommodates and attracts these users. Other project dissemination activities include: (i)Events participation: The research outcomes will be communicated at conferences and public events and demonstrated to local, national, and international research colleagues. (ii) Class Materials: The research outcomes will be incorporated in CE 482/582 "Highway and Traffic Engineering" class at UNM by reflecting on the need to understand VRUs' human factors and include them in engineering better infrastructure.
Dates
06/01/2024 to 05/31/2025
Universities
University of New Mexico
Principal Investigator
Lisa L. Losada-Rojas
University of New Mexico
ORCID: 0000-0002-7221-4900
Project Partners:
Austin Valentine Angulo
University at Buffalo
avangulo@buffalo.edu
Karim Habib
Washington State Department of Transportation
habibks@wsdot.wa.gov
Research Project Funding
Federal: $85,000
Contract Number
69A3552348336
Project Number
24UNM03
Research Priority
Promoting Safety