A research project has been completed to determine if commercially available blue coated lamps provide visual benefit for nighttime driving over standard tungsten halogen lamps. As an esthetic option, tungsten halogen lamps with an absorptive coating have been developed to mimic the appearance of HID lamps. The transmission of these coated lamp results in a continuous output spectrum, like standard tungsten halogen, but with a lower 'yellow' content, giving an appearance similar to HID lamps. While driving at night, off-axis or peripheral vision is in the mesopic response range and the eye's sensitivity shifts towards shorter wavelengths or 'blue' light. Since the spectral output of blue coated lamps is designed to be weighted towards shorter wavelengths, and since the photopic light output is maintained at standard tungsten halogen levels, a relative increase in visual sensitivity may be seen. An experimental investigation is described that examines nighttime visual performance and subjective preference of blue coated automotive lamps. Subjects perform a visual tracking task while seated in the driver's seat of a test vehicle. Simultaneously, small targets illuminated with test forward lighting and located at various angles in the periphery are activated, with subjects releasing a switch upon detection so that reaction times can be measured. Reaction times greater than 1 sec are considered misses. The potential consequences of these results on driving safety and on the development or refinement of blue coated lamps are discussed. Further more, due to interactions between target size, contrast, and other visual performance variables, this increase in visual performance is larger than that predicted by theory. Nonetheless, the relative magnitude and location of the spectral affects is an artifact of experimental parameters used here. Real world conditions and scenarios, such as very low contrast targets at intersections, can be envisioned where the improved off-axis visual performance from blue coated lamps may provide a substantial benefit to the driver.


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    Title :

    Visual benefits of blue coated lamps for automotive forward lighting


    Additional title:

    Visuelle Vorteile von blaubeschichteten Lampen für Automobilfrontscheinwerfer


    Contributors:
    Derlofske, J.V. (author) / Dyer, D. (author) / Bullough, J.D. (author)


    Publication date :

    2003


    Size :

    8 Seiten, 12 Bilder, 19 Quellen




    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English




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