Visual Monitoring in a Simulated Agricultural Machinery Operation

Abstract

Many agricultural machinery operations involve the monitoring of implements located behind the tractor operator. This visual monitoring task of a tractor operator was simulated in the laboratory. The effects of the type of task (steering only vs. steering plus rear monitoring), the operators' peripheral field of view, and the steering input frequency on operator performance were studied. Response times to visual stimuli located in the visual sphere surrounding the operator were determined. Visual field contours derived from the experimental data were plotted and used to illustrate variations in the operators field of view due to changes in the experimental variables.