Effects of cricket ball colour and illuminance levels on catching behaviour in professional cricketers

In recent years there have been many alterations to equipment and technology in professional cricket, including the introduction of white balls during day — night matches. In the present study simulated slip-catching performance and movement initiation time were examined in professional cricketers when ball colour and illuminance levels differed. Five male professional cricketers (mean age: 27.3 ± 1.4 years) volunteered to catch a total of 60 cricket balls, 20 (10 red and 10 white) under each of three illuminance levels (571, 1143 and 1714 lux). Balls were projected from a ball machine at 20 m s^?1 (45 mph) over a distance of 8.4 m, to the subject's dominant side. Catching performance was measured using an established catching scale. Movement initiation times for each hand were also calculated for each trial using a motion-analysis system. Data were submitted to separate two-way (ball colour [2] × illuminance level [3]) repeated measures analysis of variance. No significant effects were obtained for ball colour or illuminance levels for either catching performance or movement initiation time. Neither ball colour nor light level (within the range tested) affected slip-catching performance and movement initiation times in professional cricketers. Therefore it was concluded that the changes made to ball colour and light conditions in professional cricket were not detrimental to catching performance.     

Effects of ambient illuminance on users' visual performance using various electronic displays

Abstract— This study investigated the effect of ambient illuminance (50, 500, 1500, 3000, 6000, and 9000 lx) on participants' visual performance using four electronic displays (conventional LCD under transmissive mode, conventional LCD under reflective mode, Ch‐LC display, and E‐ink display). Analysis results indicate that participants' visual performance shows significant difference under various ambient illuminance and electronic displays. The interaction between ambient illuminance and electronic display also has significant effect on participants' visual performance. When participants use the conventional LCD under transmissive mode, ambient luminance has no significant effect on participants' visual performance. However, participants' visual performance is significantly different under various ambient illuminances using the conventional LCD under reflective mode, Ch‐LC display, and E‐ink display. The conventional LCD under transmissive mode is the only choice at a lower illuminance of 50 lx. Higher illuminance (500 lx) for E‐ink displays may result in as good a performance as the conventional LCD under transmissive mode; nevertheless, much higher illuminance (1500 lx) for the conventional LCD under reflectance mode and Ch‐LC display may achieve better performance.     

Effects of display area and corneal illuminance on oculomotor system based on eye-tracking data

Light reaching the retina elicits ocular symptoms that lead to some changes of human physiology and performance. However, its influence on ocular system is still unclear due to the lack of comprehensive analysis of ocular parameters. This study investigated the effects of corneal illuminance and display area on the oculomotor system based on eye-tracking technology, and a visual display unit was used as the illumination source. Results showed that oculomotor symptoms were sensitive to not only corneal illuminance but also display area. Fewer microsaccades, longer microsaccade duration and slower microsaccade peak velocity were found under high corneal illuminance, as well as longer fixation duration and faster saccade velocity. More microsaccades, shorter microsaccade duration and slower saccade velocity were observed under large display area. Pupil dilated with decreased corneal illuminance and increased display area. We conclude that oculomotor symptoms can be triggered by corneal illuminance and display area, which regulates human physiology and performance.     

Effects of ambient illuminance and electronic displays on users' visual performance for young and elderly users

Abstract— This study investigated the effects of age (young participants aged 20–30 and elderly participants older than 60), ambient illuminance (50, 500, 1 500, 3000, 6000, and 9000 lx) on participants' visual performance when using various electronic displays (conventional transmissive LCD, Ch‐LC display, and E‐ink display). Overall, the results indicated that participants' visual performance showed sign if icant difference among various ambient il luminance cond itions, electronic displays, and between two groups of participants. Significantly different visual performance was observed between young and elderly participants. The interaction among ambient illuminance, type of electronic display, and age had a significant effect on participants' visual performance. When participants used the E‐ink display, both young and elderly participants had significantly worse visual performance under an ambient illuminance of 50 lx compared to other illuminance settings. When participants used the Ch‐LC display, young participants had significantly worse visual performance under an ambient illuminance of 50 lx compared to other illuminance settings, but elderly participants had significantly better visual performance under an ambient illuminance higher than 1500 lx. When young participants used a conventional transmissive LCD, the ambient illuminance had no significant effect on their visual performance. When elderly participants use a conventional transmissive LCD, an illuminance of 50 and 6000 lx seem to have a detrimental effect on their visual performance.     

Effects of electronic‐book display and inclination on users' comprehension under various ambient illuminance conditions

Abstract— This study used several electronic‐book (e‐book) displays (a conventional LCD under transmissive mode, a conventional LCD under reflective mode, a Ch‐LC display, and an e‐ink display) to investigate the effect of e‐book inclination (105° and 135°) and ambient illuminance (200, 800, 1500, and 2200 lux) on the comprehension of subjects. Results indicate that the ambient illuminance does not significantly affect the comprehension of subjects. However, their comprehension differed significantly when using different e‐book displays. In addition, the interaction between illuminance and e‐book display had a significant effect on their comprehension. When the ambient illuminance was set at 800, 1500, and 2200 lux, the subjects' comprehension for reading different e‐book displays did not show a significant difference. When the ambient illuminance was set at 200 lux, however, their comprehension for reading a Ch‐LC display, an e‐ink display, and a conventional LCD under transmissive mode were better than their comprehension of reading a conventional LCD under reflective mode. Regarding the inclination for using e‐books, the subjects' comprehension was better under 105° than that under 135°.     

Effects of luminance and colour contrast on the search of information on display devices

For black-and-white alphanumeric information, the speed of visual perception decreases with decreasing contrast. We investigated the effect of luminance contrast on the speed of visual search and reading when characters and background differed also with respect to colour. The luminance contrast between background and characters was varied, while colour contrast was held nearly constant. Stimuli with moderate (green/grey) or high colour contrast (green/red or yellow/blue), and three character sizes (0.17, 0.37, and 1.26 deg) were used. Eye movements were recorded during the visual search task. We found that the visual search times, number of eye fixations, and mean fixation durations increased strongly with decreasing luminance contrast despite the presence of colour contrast. The effects were largest for small characters (0.17 deg), but occurred also for medium (0.37 deg), and in some cases for large (1.26 deg) characters. Similarly, reading rates decreased with decreasing luminance contrast. Thus, moderate or even high colour contrast does not guarantee quick visual perception, if the luminance contrast between characters and background is small. This is probably due to the fact that visual acuity (the ability to see small details) is considerably lower for pure colour information than for luminance information. Therefore, in user interfaces, good visibility of alphanumeric information requires clear luminance (brightness) difference between foreground and background.     

Effects of text/background color combination,ambient illuminance,and display type on discriminating performance for young and elderly users

Abstract— This study examined the effects of text/background color combinations (black‐on‐white, red‐on‐white, green‐on‐white, and blue‐on‐white), ambient illuminance (50, 500, and 12,000 lx), and display type (color electronic‐paper displays and conventional transmissive liquid‐crystal displays) on the discriminating performance of young and elderly users. The results showed that when participants used the color e‐paper display, young participants had significantly better discriminating performance than elderly participants under the text/background color combinations of black‐on‐white, green‐on‐white, and blue‐on‐white, whereas no significant difference was present between young and elderly participants under red‐on‐white. When participants used a conventional transmissive LCD, however, there was no significant difference between young and elderly participants under all text/background color‐combination settings. Young participants had substantially better discriminating performance under 500 and 12,000 lx than under 50 lx, whereas elderly participants had the best discriminating performance under 12,000 lx, followed by that under 500 lx, and the worst performance under 50 lx. Participants who used a conventional transmissive LCD had substantially better discriminating performance under 500 and 12,000 lx than under 50 lx. Participants who used the color e‐paper display had the best discriminating performance under 12,000 lx, followed by that under 500 lx, and the worst performance under 50 lx. The results can be the guild for the designers of color e‐paper displays.     

Effects of variable lighting intensities and colour temperatures on sulphatoxymelatonin and subjective mood in an experimental office workplace

Workplace illumination is of paramount importance in determining the employee's productivity and well-being. Moreover, light exerts non-visual effects with respect to biological rhythms. In this study, we investigated the impact of different lighting conditions (500-1800 lx, 6500 K; 500 lx, 4000 K) on sulphatoxymelatonin (aMT6-s) and subjective mood in an experimental office accommodation. Urinary aMT6-s concentrations were significantly decreased at all days of the experiment in both lights. On day 3, differences between aMT6-s concentrations in specimen collected at 05:00 p.m. and at 09:00 a.m. were significantly higher under variable lighting conditions. Analyses of a mood rating inventory revealed a benefit of variable light with respect to the dimensions of "Activity", while "Deactivation" and "Fatigue" were increased in regular light on day 1. "Activity", "Concentration", and "Deactivation" changed in opposite directions when comparing variable with regular illumination on two consecutive days. In conclusion, variable light exerts a potential advantage in indoor office accommodations with respect to subjective mood, although no unequivocal differences in the profile of aMT6-s were found as compared to regular light.     

Knowledge management in blended learning: Effects on professional development in creativity instruction

The purposes of this study were (1) to develop a teacher training program that integrates knowledge management (KM) and blended learning and examine its effects on pre-service teachers’ professional development in creativity instruction; and (2) to explore the mechanisms underlying the success of such KM-based training. The employed KM model was the SECI, which consists of four modes of knowledge conversion: socialization, externalization, combination, and internalization. Forty-four pre-service teachers participated in this 17-week experimental instructional program. Repeated Measure Analysis of Variance and content analysis revealed that the training program designed in this study effectively improved pre-service teachers’ professional knowledge and personal teaching efficacy in their teaching of creativity. Moreover, this study showed that blended learning, guided practice, observational learning, group discussion, peer evaluation, and feedback are important mechanisms underlying this success.     

Effect of correlated color temperature and illuminance on sustained attention collected via electroencephalography signals

This study aimed to explore the differences in the subjects' sustained attention under the impact of nine lighting conditions consisting of the combination of three commonly used correlated color temperature (CCT) (3300 K, 4300 K, and 5300 K) and illuminance levels (300 lx, 500 lx, and 750 lx) to provide guidance on the adjustment of CCT and illuminance level parameters for indoor lighting. We selected 24 physically and mentally healthy university students (12 male and 12 female) as the experimental subjects. The subjects were required to perform sustained attention to response task (SART) activities under the nine different lighting conditions and collected the alpha (α) waves (8–12 Hz) from the electroencephalography signals. Subsequently, the mean power spectral density of the α waves and various SART parameters were analyzed and tested. Finally, the effects of different CCT and illuminance levels on the subjects' attention were compared. With the increase in CCT, the attention level tended to increase linearly, whereas the attention level was the lowest at 300 lx and the highest at 500 lx and appeared as an inverted “U” shape. The subjects' attention level was the highest at the combination of CCT of 5300 K and illuminance level of 500 lx and the lowest at the combination of CCT of 3300 K and illuminance level of 500 lx. These results provide important data to elucidate the impact of lighting condition on attention.     

Effects of environmental colour on males and females: a red or white or green office

This experiment assessed the effects of a red versus a green versus a white office environment on worker productivity and mood. An equal number of males and females completed a mood questionnaire before and after proofreading in one of the three offices. It was predicted that the subjects in the red office would report more tension and possibly make more errors. However, the subjects in the red office made the fewest errors, while the subjects in the white office made the most errors. Females scored significantly better on the proofreading task, and reporte mored tension and less vigour than males in the experiment. Subjects who worked in the red office found the colour of their office more distracting than subjects who worked in and rated the white office. The subjects in the white office reported that they would like to work in this environment and considered this colour most appropriate for an office. The authors speculate that a sterile, white environment may not be as conducive to work as is believed.     

Effects of bending curvature and text/background color-combinations of e-paper on subjects’ visual performance and subjective preferences under various ambient illuminance conditions

The study used the simulated e-paper to investigate how the bending radius of curvature (−10 cm, plane, and 10 cm) and 12 text/background color-combinations of e-paper affect subjects’ visual performance and subjective preference under various ambient illuminance conditions (200 and 500 lx). Analysis results indicated that the bending curvature and ambient illuminance did not significantly affect subjects’ visual performance. However, subjects visual performance differed significantly for different text/background color combinations of the simulated e-paper. When the background color of the simulated e-paper was set to yellow-like condition and the luminance of the text was low (2.2 and 4.6 cd/m²), subjects’ visual performance was best. Regarding the subjective preferences of subjects, the results of this research also demonstrated that the bending curvature, text/background color combinations and ambient illuminance all significantly affected the subjective preferences of subjects. Subjects exhibited the best preference under the following settings: bending curvature of the simulated e-paper set to plane; background color of the simulated e-paper set to yellow-like condition and low text luminance (2.2 or 4.6 cd/m²); high ambient illuminance (500 lx).     

Effects of outcome, process and shopping enjoyment on online consumer behaviour

Customer value is one of the most powerful forces in today’s marketplace and emerging as the strategic imperative for the 1990s. In this study, we proposed a three-component customer value model for e-commerce. Drawing upon the literature in marketing and information systems, our research model decomposed customer value into process value, outcome value, and shopping enjoyment. The results from this study showed that outcome value and process value contributed significantly to customer satisfaction and loyalty. Also, evidences confirmed that customer satisfaction affect customer loyalty. Enjoyment, however, had no significant positive impact on customer satisfaction.     

Effects of visual fidelity on curve negotiation,gaze behaviour and simulator discomfort

Technological developments have led to increased visual fidelity of driving simulators. However, simplified visuals have potential advantages, such as improved experimental control, reduced simulator discomfort and increased generalisability of results. In this driving simulator study, we evaluated the effects of visual fidelity on driving performance, gaze behaviour and subjective discomfort ratings. Twenty-four participants drove a track with 90° corners in (1) a high fidelity, textured environment, (2) a medium fidelity, non-textured environment without scenery objects and (3) a low-fidelity monochrome environment that only showed lane markers. The high fidelity level resulted in higher steering activity on straight road segments, higher driving speeds and higher gaze variance than the lower fidelity levels. No differences were found between the two lower fidelity levels. In conclusion, textures and objects were found to affect steering activity and driving performance; however, gaze behaviour during curve negotiation and self-reported simulator discomfort were unaffected.

Practitioner Summary: In a driving simulator study, three levels of visual fidelity were evaluated. The results indicate that the highest fidelity level, characterised by a textured environment, resulted in higher steering activity, higher driving speeds and higher variance of horizontal gaze than the two lower fidelity levels without textures.     

Effects of colour coding with different symbol sets on retrieval time for a keeping-track task

Two experiments were carried out to examine the effects of colour, shape and colour-shape codes, for different retention-interval and task conditions, on the time taken to retrieve target information from memory in a keeping-track task. The first experiment used ‘filled’ symbols, and the second experiment used ‘hatched’ symbols. In the first experiment, the response time was faster across tasks and retention intervals with colour-shape coding or colour coding than with shape coding, regardless of whether or not the targets were updated. However, the benefit of both colour conditions was greater for the case in which the targets were updated while the subjects performed a distractor task during the retention interval; i.e. the colour showed a greater resistance to interference effects. Colour-shape coding was superior to colour coding across tasks and under specific retention-interval/update conditions. In the second experiment, the response time was faster with colour-shape coding than with shape coding for both the update and no-update conditions, but this advantage was more pronounced in the latter case, owing to a decrease in the response time for colour-shape coding with no updates. Finally, the response time was faster with colour coding than shape coding in the no-update condition, and was faster with colour-shape coding than with colour coding in the update condition. Taken together, the findings suggested that, in situations where it is important to retrieve information quickly, information should be coded by colour-shape coding rather than by colour or shape coding, regardless of the symbol set used. Also, the relationships between coding conditions differed considerably with different symbol sets, implying that the symbol set used can play a crucial role in the optimization of coding effectiveness.     

Effects of display format and colour coding schemes on visual monitoring performance using spatially and temporally distributed visual displays

The present study examined factors that decreased task complexity so that a technology which temporally, rather than spatially, distributed information (i.e. RAP COM, for rapid communication) would result in performace advantages. This was accomplished by physically integrating the stimulus information into either the display format (i.e. an analog format) or into the response coding scheme (i.e. a colour coding scheme). Performance using the RAP COM display indicated a lower proportion of errors for the analog than for the digital format; however, a longer mean response time for a correct response was found for the analog than for the digital format. Two colour coding response schemes were used: (a)_a continuous scheme that comparised gradual changes between red and blue; (b) a distinctive scheme consisting of the colours cyan, green, yellow, orange, red, mauve, purple and blue. When the continuous colour coding responses scheme was used, performance using the RAP COM display, as compared with the spatial display, was no different after extended practice. The results of these experiments taken together indicate that the RAP COM display type may be a viable technology for some limited ‘real world’ environments.