Abstract
Microsaccades are fixational eye movements that are generated when we try to fixate our gaze on a small visual target. Microsaccades have been studied in neuroscience intensively as an indicator of attentional states for the last decade. However, little is known about the characteristics of microsaccades in natural viewing conditions. In the present study, we demonstrate that microsaccades are generated in our subjects performing driving simulation, and the rate of microsaccade generation decreased when their attention to the preceding vehicle decreased due to additional cognitive task imposed to the subject. Further we evaluate microsaccades during real car driving, and demonstrate that the rate of microsaccade generation is modulated by road conditions such as appearance of pedestrians or/and other cars.
KEYWORDS – Human factors engineering, Driver condition, Driver’s attention, Eye movements, Microsaccade