Weakly electric fish use of a self-generated electric field to probe their environment, this behaviour is known as electrolocation. This study investigated two aspects of electrolocation in two species of knifefish (Apteronotus leptorhynchus and Eigenmannia virescens). First, we characterized the ability to track moving objects and found that tracking performance did not differ among speeds tested in either species. Second, we characterized a motion-related cue for distance perception, similar to visual parallax, for which rapidly moving objects would be perceived as closer than slowly moving objects. During tracking experiments, the fish remained centered between the moving objects. We hypothesized that the fish use electrosensory parallax to perform this centering behaviour. Thus, we predicted that if one object moved slightly slower than the other, the fish would perceive the slower-moving object as farther away, and would move towards the slower object to remain “centered.” Indeed, our results supported our hypothesis with E. virescens moving towards the slower object to an extent that increased with the relative decrease in speed.

Weakly electric fish use of a self-generated electric field to probe their environment, this behaviour is known as electrolocation. This study investigated two aspects of electrolocation in two species of knifefish (Apteronotus leptorhynchus and Eigenmannia virescens). First, we characterized the ability to track moving objects and found that tracking performance did not differ among speeds tested in either species. Second, we characterized a motion-related cue for distance perception, similar to visual parallax, for which rapidly moving objects would be perceived as closer than slowly moving objects. During tracking experiments, the fish remained centered between the moving objects. We hypothesized that the fish use electrosensory parallax to perform this centering behaviour. Thus, we predicted that if one object moved slightly slower than the other, the fish would perceive the slower-moving object as farther away, and would move towards the slower object to remain “centered.” Indeed, our results supported our hypothesis with E. virescens moving towards the slower object to an extent that increased with the relative decrease in speed.

Given 2D images, it still remains a big challenge in the field of computer vision to group the image points into logical objects (segmentation) and to determine the locations in the scene (range estimation). Despite the decades of research, a single solution is yet to be found. Through our research we have demonstrated that a possible solution is to use moving aperture lens. This lens has the effect of introducing small, repeating movements of the camera center so that objects appear to translate in the image, by an amount that depends on distance from the plane of focus. Our novel method employs optical flow techniques to an image sequence, captured using a video camera with a moving aperture lens. For a stationary scene, optical flow magnitudes and direction are directly related to the three-dimensional object distance and location from the observer. Exploiting this information, we have successfully extracted objects at different depths and estimated the locations of objects in the scene, with respect to the plane of focus. Our work therefore demonstrates an ability for passive range estimation, without emitting any energy in an environment. Other potential applications include video compression, 3D video broadcast, teleconferencing and autonomous vehicle navigation. / Master of Science

Körsimulatorer är idag en mycket viktig resurs för att utföra studier med fokus på förarbeteende. Så väl full kontroll överscenario och miljö som kostnad och säkerhet är aspekter som gör det fördelaktigt att utföra simulatorstudier gentemotstudier i den riktiga trafiken. Ett problem med körsimulatorer är att bilden projiceras på en tvådimensionell skärm, vilket begränsar förarens förmåga attuppskatta avstånd och hastighet. Det är allmänt känt att avstånd och hastighet underskattas i körsimulatorer. Målet med examensarbetet var att hitta metoder som kan ge förbättrad avståndsbedömning i körsimulatorer och underprojektet implementerades och testades rörelseparallax samt skuggor, med största fokus på det förstnämnda. I slutet av projektet genomfördes ett simulatorförsök för att utvärdera effekten av rörelseparallax. Tio försökspersoner fickgöra två körningar vardera i VTI:s Simulator III-anläggning, den ena med rörelseparallax aktiverat och den andra meddetsamma inaktiverat. Scenariot som utspelade sig under körningarna innehöll ett flertal omkörningssituationer samt etthastighetsuppfattningstest. Resultaten från simulatorförsöket visade att försökspersonerna tenderade att placera sig längre från mittlinjen närrörelseparallax var aktiverat i de situationer som sikten skymdes av framförvarande fordon. / Today, driving simulators are a very important resource for conducting studies whichconcern driver behavior and perception. Full control of the scenario andenvironment, costs and safety are all factors which makes simulator studiespreferable over real world studies. One issue for driving simulators is that the image is projected onto a twodimensionalscreen, which limits the driver's ability to correctly estimate distanceand speed. It is commonly known that distance and velocity are underestimated indriving simulators. The goal of this thesis was to find methods that could lead to better distanceestimation in driving simulators and in this project motion parallax and shadowswere implemented and tested, focusing mainly on the former.At the end of the project, a simulator study was conducted to evaluate the effect ofmotion parallax. Ten participants made two runs each in VTI's Simulator III facility,one with motion parallax enabled and one with it disabled. The scenario that tookplace during the two runs consisted of several overtaking situations and a speedperception test. The results from the simulator study showed that the participants tended to positionthemselves farther from the road center line when motion parallax was active insituations when the field of view was obscured by preceding vehicles.

L’Affichage Tête Haute (ATH) est la solution émergente pour l’aide visuelle à la conduite automobile, surtout dans certaines conditions de visibilité réduite par un temps dégradé ou une route mal éclairée. Le dispositif ATH permet de projeter des informations virtuelles, directement dans le champ de vision central de la scène de conduite, sans détournement du regard de la route. La perception visuelle du conducteur est ainsi augmentée avec une coexistence entre le réel et le virtuel. Cependant, pour garantir la bonne perception de ces informations virtuelles et permettre aux conducteurs d’engager les actions appropriées au bon moment, il est nécessaire d’assurer un paramétrage optimal. Ce projet de thèse se consacre à l’étude de trois facteurs majeurs : (1) la Parallaxe de Mouvement du Conducteur – PMC, (2) la distance de projection de la RA, (3) la condition de visibilité. Ces différents facteurs ont été progressivement introduits au cours des expérimentations. Deux métaphores visuelles RA pour l’aide à la conduite primaire ont été spécialement conçues. Trois expérimentations ont été menées sur sujets réels dans les simulateurs de conduite de Renault. L’ATH-RA a été simulé virtuellement et intégré à l’environnement virtuel de conduite, ce qui a permis la réalisation d’études subjectives et objectives, afin d’étudier progressivement : l’impact de la PMC, le lien avec la distance de projection, et l’influence des conditions de visibilité. Dans ce travail pluridisciplinaire, nous tentons de comprendre comment les informations Réalité Augmentée sont perçues par le conducteur ainsi que l’influence sur le comportement et les performances durant la conduite, afin de proposer des préconisations sur les paramètres d’un ATH-RA. / Head-Up Display is the emerging solution for visual aid while driving a car, especially during reduced visibility conditions, such as bad weather or when the road is poorly lighted. The HUD device allows to project virtual information in the central field of view of the driving scene, enabling the driver to keep his attention on the road. The visual perception of the driver is therefore augmented, with a coexistence between the real and virtual world. However, it is necessary to ensure an optimal setting in order to guarantee the good perception of the virtual information, and allow drivers to take appropriate actions at the right moment. This thesis project is dedicated to study three important parameters: (1) The Driver Head Motion Parallax, (2) AR projection distance, (3) visibility conditions. An experimental approach has been implemented, with the selection of two AR visual metaphors for driving aid. Three experimentations with real subjects have been realized in Renault’s driving simulators, where the three factors have been integrated progressively. The AR-HUD was simulated virtually and embedded in the virtual driving scene. This allowed to realize subjective and objective analysis to progressively study: the impact of the PMC, the link with the projection distance, and the influence of visibility conditions. The aim of this multidisciplinary work is an attempt to understand how AR information if perceived by the driver, and the influence on driver behavior and performance.