WO1994013510A1

WO1994013510A1 - A system of visual perception stimulators

Info

Publication number: WO1994013510A1
Application number: PCT/SE1993/001062
Authority: WO
Inventors: Göte SÖREFALL
Original assignee: Soerefall Goete
Priority date: 1992-12-09
Filing date: 1993-12-09
Publication date: 1994-06-23
Also published as: SE9203702D0; SE500256C2; AU5663894A; SE9203702L

Abstract

In order to survive, human beings and animals have a great need to immediately and enconditionally detect dangers and concerns wherever they may occur within the field of vision as well as a need of monitoring those, also in the case, where the central vision is directed towards another sector of the field of observation. These conditions of living may also be solved for technical dangers and concerns such as vehicles, aircrafts, beacon lights etc. Through stimulation using visual perception stimulators, which present effects of contrast and motion, thereby becoming visible within the entire field of vision at the intended distance, regardless of the light conditions in the surrounding area. A shading effect leads to the visibility being particularly manifest and distinct during foggy and snowy as well as sunny conditions. The shading effect also prevents isoluminance. By the use of visual perception stimulators having concurrent movements, particularly vivid effects of motion and distinctive patterns of motion may be generated. The particular vividness through controlling one or more secondary contrast members using patterns of screening, which differ from that of the primary contrast member, yet concurring during some part of the period.

Description

A SYSTEM OF VISUAL PERCEPTION STIMULATORS Visual perception stimulators according to patent no. 8501185-6, which are arranged in a system having concurrent movements in order to generate particularly vivid visual impressions, particularly in the peripheral vision field of humans and animals.

The vivid visual impressions are achieved by the fact that the movements of two or more contrast members are concurrent as a result of that they are driven at distinct angular velocities in a controlled relation within the one and same period of motion. Thereby, the system may generate visual impressions in the peripheral vision, which thanks to the vividness also may be given distinctive characteristics and patterns of motion, which imitate, e.g., a galloping animal or entire bird wings.

The possibility of co-ordinating a plurality of visual perception stimulators to figures is described in the patent document 8501185-6. Two visual perception stimulators in juxtaposition may give the impression of a bird's wing movements. Four visual perception stimulators assembled in a rectangular arrangement and paced driven diagonally in pairs, may give the impression of a human pattern of movement.

Further experimenting has shown, that the peripherally fluttering movement originating from the contrast members may be further magnified through the particular arrangement using distinct angular velocities for concurrent contrast members, compared to what they may achieve when driven at identical angular velocities in the figures. In the latter case, the contrast members are visible as individual movements. When these instead are driven with concurrent, distinct angular velocities, a greater angular movement is visible, which above all is more vivid and develop¬ ing. Thereby, patterns of movement having more pronounced and more differentiated characteristics may be generated.

The principle of the vivid effect may be illustrated by the motion of a human leg. It is wellknown that legs, arms and wings present substantially higher angular velocities for its peripher¬ al portions than close to the body. In the case of a leg, there are two distinct movements, which, one following the other, develop into one unit. Thereby, the foot has a substantially higher angular velocity than the knee. A galloping animal may further present a rhythmical angular motion of the entire body. Since the diffuse peripheral vision in daylight perceive these natural movements in the first moments as a vivid shadow-play, giving however the possibility of a certain instant identifi¬ cation, a system of visual perception stimulators having concurrent movements may achieve similar vivid shadow-plays in order to develop visual impressions in the individual, which already from the beginning are perceived as an identifiable danger or concern, regardless of in which position in the field of vision they may occur.

It is wellknown from studies in the psychology of visual perception, that an impression of a movement may be obtained between two points of light being alternately put on and off - the so called "phi phenomenon". If the test is carried out in a dark room where no background is visible to relate to, a jumping light will be seen at a certain pace. At a particular time relationship and at a certain distance between the points of light, however, instead a point of light moving between the positions will be seen. Such a movement may also be provided by two contrast members as their phases of screening occur alternat- ingly. The desired vivid and developing movement may not, however, be obtained in this manner. To that end, the particular concurrent system will be necessary.

In the patent document 8501185-6, it is mentioned that the best effect or visibility from the phase of shadow will be obtained when the phase of shadow has a duration of appr. 50 % of the period of motion. In the concurrent system, a primary contrast member has this relationship, and one or more secondary contrast members have a differing phase of shadow. In a simple basic form, the secondary contrast member begins its phase of screening when the phase of screening of the primary contrast member has been going on for a while and that the patterns of screening of both contrast members will be finished simultaneously. This co-opera¬ tion between the contrast members within a period of motion will generate an angular movement, which is twice as great as when the contrast members switch phases according to the phi phenomenon. Above all, the vivid and developing movement is achieved through the concurrent contrast members.

The phase(s) of shading of the secondary contrast member(s) will be determined in each individual case depending on the effect desired to be obtained and the combination of patterns of motion sought for. In more complicated drive systems for the contrast members, each contrast member may be alternatingly primary or secondary and may also be controlled for alternating directions of motion. This arrangement seems to be advantageous due to adaptation phenomena related to peripheral vision under circum¬ stances, when a concern must be seen position determined for a long time, e.g. a beacon light for pilots. The same goes for conditions where the angle magnitude grows too slowly to be ex¬ perienced as fast growing, e.g., from an emergency vehicle at a greater distance.

Since the effects of contrast and motion are entirely independent in relation to the background, nor does any isoluminance occur. Isoluminance may be achieved, e.g., by the light of a floodlight, when the light itself is not visible against a light background. During World War II, before the age of the radar, it was successfully tried to make aircrafts invisible by means of floodlights on their frontal surfaces. The light took away the dark portions. Such luminance also appears in connection with vehicles as the sun shines directly on their fronts. Thereby, however, they appear particularly well to the sharp human vision. But to the peripheral vision, the vehicle is clearly more difficult to visually perceive, since the direct sunlight takes away the dark contrasts. The shadow effects achieved by visual perception stimulators having effects of contrast and motion provides a very distinct and satisfactory visibility under foggy and snowy conditions compared to what is achieved by conventional lights and visual caution devices. The shadow phenomenon does not diffuse in the same shattering way as that of the light of a lamp. With systems consisting of concurrent contrast members, in addition to independent visibility under said sight conditions and without isoluminance disturbances, distinct and easily identifiable visual patterns may be generated.

In order to obtain the intended result, the movement of secondary contrast members must be carefully controlled in relation to the period of motion of the primary contrast member. Wellknown technology may be used for this purpose. In a hatch alternative, when the hatch is driven by means of grooved wheels, in the simple basic form, the grooved wheel intended for the secondary contrast member is produced having a shorter bent portion of the groove than has the groove concerning the primary contrast member. Connecting rod systems, camshafts, eccentrically journalled cogwheels and non-circular members of the kind may control the relative movement of secondary contrast members, so that their angular velocities increase and decrease during each period. Sensors of various types may be arranged to react to the positions of the primary contrast members and to control secondary contrast members, which then suitably are driven by separate motors. This last alternative is likely to be parti¬ cularly advantageous, when the contrast members are alternatingly primary or secondary, and when their direction of movement has to be alternating.

In the alternative using lamellae as contrast members, also these will have to be controlled to different angular velocities within the respective systems, in order for the intended vivid stimu¬ lation effect to be generated. A practical possibility consists in dividing the lamellae in 2 groups, one of the groups consti¬ tuting the primary contrast member and the second being driven with a differing phase length as a secondary contrast member.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. Visual perception stimulators arranged in a system having concurrent movements of contrast members to generate particularly vivid impressions of motion, particularly in the peripheral vision field of humans and animals, which system in a simple fundamental form is characterized in that a primary contrast member is controlled with a phase of screening of about 50 % and a secondary contrast member is controlled to begin its phase of screening within each period of motion at a later point of time than that of the primary contrast member and in that both contrast members finish the phase of screening simultaneously.

2. The system of visual perception stimulators according to claim 1, characterized in that 2 or more contrast members having concurrent movements within each period of time are alternatingly driven so that the contrast members may be primary or secondary as well as obtain alternating directions of movement and time phases.