Procedures for Testing Older Driving Capabilities

这个项目的主要目标是开发一种低成本的驾驶模拟器，可以用于筛选和潜在的再训练老年司机的精神运动、注意力和认知技能。这一发展将建立在现有设备的基础上，该设备已用于评估驾驶员因酒精和疲劳而受损的行为，并用于培训新手驾驶员。该模拟装置旨在为评估先前研究中开发的精神运动、注意力和认知技能提供完善和敏感的测量范式。这一发展的动机是人们越来越关注提高老年司机的安全性和机动性。低成本驾驶模拟的基本硬件和软件技术已经开发出来，并且发现对驾驶员年龄敏感。我们建议：1)完善驾驶场景和测量范式，以评估驾驶员在关键道路和交通状况下的心理运动、注意力和认知技能；2)对老年驾驶员群体进行有限的试点测试，以验证扩展模拟能力筛选和培训老年驾驶员安全相关技能的可行性。建议的商业应用：一种设备有潜在的市场，它可以被不同的组织用于筛查老年司机的安全相关的视觉、运动、精神运动和认知缺陷。牌照管理机构可以在进行道路测试之前对司机进行筛选。保险公司可以在发放汽车保险之前对老年司机进行筛选。老年人中心也可以使用驾驶模拟器来提高对驾驶技能缺陷的自我意识。这种装置也可以用于补习训练，教老司机弥补驾驶技能的缺陷。最后，医生和治疗师可以利用驾驶

The primary objective of this proposed project is to develop a low-cost driving simulator that can be used for screening and potentially retraining the psychomotor, attentional and cognitive skills of older drivers. This development will build on an already existing device that has been used to assess driver behavior impaired by alcohol and fatigue and to train novice drivers. The simulation device is intended to have well developed and sensitive measurement paradigms for assessing psychomotor, attentional and cognitive skills, which have been developed in prior research. The motivation for this development is the growing concern for improving the safety and mobility of older drivers. The basic hardware and software technology for a low cost driving simulation has already been developed and found to be sensitive to driver age. We propose here to: 1) refine driving scenarios and measurement paradigms to assess the psychomotor, attentional and cognitive skills of drivers in critical road and traffic situations; 2) conduct limited pilot testing with older driver groups to demonstrate the feasibility of the expanded simulation capabilities for screening and training the safety related skills of older drivers. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: There is a potential market for an apparatus that can be used by different organizations for screening older drivers for safety related visual, motor, psychomotor and cognitive deficits. Licensing authorities could screen drivers prior to giving road tests. Insurance companies could screen older drivers prior to issuing car insurance. Senior citizen centers could also use driving simulators to promote self-awareness of driving skill deficits. Such devices could also be used for remedial training to teach older drivers to compensate for driving skill deficits. Finally, physicians and therapists could use driving