Our study examines how laser dazzling affects human performance, specifically accuracy and reaction times, using a laser dazzling shooting simulator at the Royal Military Academy, Belgium. The research assesses the performance degradation under laser dazzling in a simple, baseline scene, including different target contrasts and the use of laser eye protection. Utilizing a 532 nm green laser for a safe yet effective dazzle, trained shooters’ performances were measured and analyzed. The results align strongly with a live shooting trial and correlate with Adrian/CIE visibility levels. Additionally, electrical brain activity data, acquired via electroencephalography (EEG), provided insights into the shooters’ mental states. EEG-derived metrics, particularly frontal alpha asymmetry and frontal alpha power, revealed that participants experienced heightened negative and avoidance emotions, coupled with increased cognitive load prior to shooting. These responses returned to baseline levels postshooting. Moreover, distinct cognitive and emotional states were observed in relation to different types of laser eye protection goggles, potentially correlating with variations in shooting performance. These findings pave the way for future research with more advanced simulation scenes and deepen understanding of the effects of laser dazzle.
Laser dazzling can cause visual performance degradation in humans, resulting in reduced accuracy and reaction times. This study presents the results from laser dazzling trials conducted on trained shooters in a shooting simulator at the Royal Military Academy (RMA) in Brussels, Belgium. The main objective was to assess the extent of task performance degradation induced by laser dazzle, while also investigating the impact of different experimental conditions, including target contrasts and the use of laser eye protection goggles. The shooting simulator was equipped with a 532 nm green dazzling laser, providing a safe yet noticeable dazzling effect. Participants, all trained shooters with similar experience, had their shooting scores and delays recorded for each shot. A statistical analysis, employing a linear mixed model, was conducted to assess the impact of laser dazzling on shooting performance. The findings showed that laser dazzling significantly and quantifiably affected shooting performance, even at exposure levels below the obscuration limits. Additionally, shooters wore sensorized headbands to assess electroencephalography (EEG) changes to the presented stimuli. Preliminary results from the statistical analysis of the EEG data are also presented, offering insights into the shooters' cognitive and emotional state during laser dazzling exposure.
The assessment on the ability of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) to acquire electroencephalographic (EEG) data in situations of luminous glare is presented. Dazzling is typically a temporary deleterious effect on the ability to see or concentrate due to glare. The potential of BCIs was evaluated by defining a set of strategies involving the illumination process, EEG signal recording and analysis. N-back, a continuous performance task commonly used in cognitive neuroscience was used to test the attention under the effect of dazzling, in parallel with EEG signals acquisition. Statistical data analysis allowed to show the potential of this technique.
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