The EyeTracking Blog

In 2002, Dr. Sandra Marshall presented a landmark paper at the IEEE 7th Conference on Human Factors and Power Plants, introducing the Index of Cognitive Activity (ICA). This innovative technique "provides an objective psychophysiological measurement of cognitive workload" from pupil-based eye tracking data. In the decade since this conference, the ICA has been used by eye tracking researchers all over the world in a wide variety of contexts.

In this installment of the EyeTracking blog, we'll take a look at some of the most interesting applications of the ICA. There are many to choose from, but here are a few of the greatest hits…

The ICA in Automotive Research

Understanding the workload of drivers is central to automotive design and regulation. Schwalm et al. collected ICA data during a driving simulation including lane changes and secondary tasks. Analyses...

The semiautonomous vehicle is the future of the automotive industry. Innovations such as forward collision avoidance radar and lane departure warning systems are evidence of a clear trend - little by little, demands on the driver are being shifted to the car. It's easy to see how these and other safety advances could make our roadways less dangerous. After all, the vast majority of traffic accidents are the result of human error. Any technology that can take a bit of responsibility away from the guy fiddling with the radio and playing Angry Birds while traveling 70 MPH down the freeway is welcome.

But let's not forget the 'semi' in semiautonomous. A recent feature in Wired Magazine explains the risks inherent in the automation of certain aspects of the driving experience. While computerized assistance can improve safety in dealing with stressful situations, it may actually...

At midnight on Wednesday March 23rd two commercial airplanes approaching Ronald Reagan Airport in Washington D.C. requested permission to land. The tower responded with only silence. After repeated attempts at communication, both pilots were forced to navigate their descent through the darkness without the assistance of Air traffic Control.  The landings were successful and no one was injured, but when it was revealed that the controller on duty was asleep at his post, the story captured national attention.

Fatigue is unavoidable for the air traffic controller. The combination of long hours, monotonous tasks and high stress will eventually lead to physical and mental exhaustion, no matter how many cups of coffee are consumed. The event described above is just one of five cases reported in the past month. This is not a pleasant thought for the frequent flyers among us.  It means that at any given time as we hurtle through the atmosphere in a combustible tube traveling 500 miles per hour suspended 30,000...