Stimulation and visibility of flashing lights with different illuminance

Abstract

In this study, we performed a demonstration experiment to determine a highly visible light emission pattern while feeling that the stimulus is suppressed using sensory evaluation. We performed sensory evaluation of stimulus intensity and visibility of simple blinking that repeats on and off and fade-in/fade-out blinking that gradually brightens and fades to investigate the trade-off relationship between stimulus adaptation and arousal. In the experiment, we compared the light-emitting blocks that are constantly lit, simple blinking, and fade-in/fade-out blinking and clarified the relationship of the blinking stimulus with visibility. In this experiment, subjects underwent the sensory evaluation for three types of environmental illuminance (20 lx, 50 lx, and 100 lx) and were asked to evaluate the strength of stimulation, visibility, and discomfort of each blinking pattern using normal light as a reference. When the surrounding illuminance was low (20 lx), the overall evaluation value was higher because the fade-in/fade-out flashing was less stimulating and easier to find. Conversely, when the ambient illuminance was high (50 lx), simple blinking was more stimulating　and easier to find, and the overall evaluation value was higher. Although it was a simple blinking, it seemed that the visibility for the visually impaired had been secured. Moreover, in the case of 100 lx, the difference in the illuminance between the surroundings and the light-emitting block was small; therefore, finding the light-emitting block in both simple blinking and fade-in/fade-out blinking was difficult, and the overall evaluation value was very low. It was found that simple or fade-in/fade-out blinking is selected depending on the ambient illuminance. By installing light-emitting blocks that blink in an optimal blinking pattern at the entrance of a crosswalk, it is expected that the blinking will be effective in guiding the visually impaired while considering pedestrians and the surrounding environment.

Keywords: Person with visually impairment, Visibility, Sensory test

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1003654