Reducing fire deaths - a new approach to smoke alarms. Disturbingly, those most at risk of dying in residential fires are also least likely to awaken to the current smoke alarm signal, now mandatory in Australian residences. This project will develop a new alarm (using Gibsonian, naturalistic sounds and/or a voice signal) and compare its waking efficacy with the current smoke alarm. Testing will involve three vulnerable groups; sleep deprived young adults, children and alcohol intoxicated. The r ....Reducing fire deaths - a new approach to smoke alarms. Disturbingly, those most at risk of dying in residential fires are also least likely to awaken to the current smoke alarm signal, now mandatory in Australian residences. This project will develop a new alarm (using Gibsonian, naturalistic sounds and/or a voice signal) and compare its waking efficacy with the current smoke alarm. Testing will involve three vulnerable groups; sleep deprived young adults, children and alcohol intoxicated. The research is innovative with important implications for community public safety, the national and international smoke alarm industry, performance based models of building safety and our theoretical understanding of cognitive processing during sleep.Read moreRead less
The estimation of vehicle speed under varying environmental and individual state conditions. Using innovative occlusion and training research designs on a driving The proposed project examines the contribution of a mental model approach to the perception of time and speed of own and other vehicles using innovative occlusion and training research designs on a driving simulator. Participants will be asked to make time and speed estimations under varying environmetal conditions such as urban and ru ....The estimation of vehicle speed under varying environmental and individual state conditions. Using innovative occlusion and training research designs on a driving The proposed project examines the contribution of a mental model approach to the perception of time and speed of own and other vehicles using innovative occlusion and training research designs on a driving simulator. Participants will be asked to make time and speed estimations under varying environmetal conditions such as urban and rural scenes, straight and curved roads, and with and without engine noise, and under drug states. The generality of the findings will be tested on an instrumented car. The project will increase our understanding of factors influencing speed perception, a critical component of safe driving behaviour.Read moreRead less