MERLIN: Mesopically Enhanced Road Lighting: Improving Night-vision
Lead Research Organisation:
City, University of London
Department Name: School of Health Sciences
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| John Barbur (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Barbur J
(2016)
Handbook of Color Psychology
Bargary G
(2014)
Mechanisms for discomfort glare in central vision.
in Investigative ophthalmology & visual science
BARGARY G
(2012)
The effect of discomfort glare on parallel processing of visual information
in Acta Ophthalmologica
Bargary G
(2015)
Cortical hyperexcitability and sensitivity to discomfort glare.
in Neuropsychologia
Bi W
(2016)
Flicker Sensitivity in Normal Aging--Monocular Tests of Retinal Function at Photopic and Mesopic Light Levels.
in Investigative ophthalmology & visual science
GILLESPIE-GALLERY H
(2012)
Normal aging: capturing changes in contrast acuity at low light levels
in Acta Ophthalmologica
Gillespie-Gallery H
(2013)
Capturing age-related changes in functional contrast sensitivity with decreasing light levels in monocular and binocular vision.
in Investigative ophthalmology & visual science
Gillespie-Gallery, H.
(2014)
Motion capture of colour-defined background textures by luminance-defined motion signals
in Perception
JIA Y
(2012)
Effect of light source size on discomfort glare thresholds
in Acta Ophthalmologica
PATTERSON E
(2012)
Can scattered light improve visual performance?
in Acta Ophthalmologica
| Description | 1. The work has enhanced our understanding of discomfort glare and how to minimize its effects in lighting installations 2. The further development of AVOT tests benefited significantly from the use of equipment and programming support made available through the Merlin project. The AVOT tests have now been expanded and new tests added. These have impacted it visually demanding occupational environments and also healthcare (through early detection of diseases of the eye and systemic diseases that affect vision, such as diabetes. 3. The fundamental work carried out improved our understanding of mesopic vision and this knowledge in relation to disability and discomfort glare has been relevant to the design of lighting installations and for street lighting applications. 4. The design, construction and calibration of spectrally tuneable light sources to cover 5 log units change in ambient illumination. This equipment was designed to be MRI friendly and was used in three studies designed to investigate disability glare (a), discomfort glare (b) and brain mechanisms involved in discomfort glare (c) . a. Patterson EJ, Bargary G, Barbur JL. Understanding disability glare: light scatter and retinal illuminance as predictors of sensitivity to contrast. J Opt Soc Am A Opt Image Sci Vis. 2015;32(4):576-85. b. Bargary G, Jia Y, Barbur JL. Mechanisms for discomfort glare in central vision. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2014;56(1):464-71. c. Bargary G, Furlan M, Raynham PJ, Barbur JL, Smith AT. Cortical hyperexcitability and sensitivity to discomfort glare. Neuropsychologia. 2015;69:194-200. http://www.city.ac.uk/avot IP from research studies carried out at the Applied Vision Research Centre forms the basis for Advanced Vision and Optometric Tests (AVOT) developed by City Occupational Ltd. http://www.city-occupational.co.uk/ Although City Occupational Ltd was started in 2004 to market our first colour assessment test, enhancements and also new tests evolved over at least 15 years. All these tests benefited from the equipment and programming support made available through the Merlin project. |
| Exploitation Route | The findings have already been taken up in visually demanding occupations with ~ 200 AVOT systems in use worldwide. The users are Civil and Military Aviation Authorities, Research Institutes and Hospitals. |
| Sectors | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Education,Healthcare,Transport |
| URL | http://www.city.ac.uk/avrc |
| Description | The findings from this study have contributed to the creation of the AVOT (Advanced Vision and Optometric Test) services at City University http://www.city.ac.uk/avot-vision So far, we have achieved a number of things, many of which would not have been possible without the long-term benefits arising from the financial support for the Merlin project: • We carried out detailed analysis of current outcomes for colour assessment within the defence services, the Maritime Coastguard Agency, electrical contracts industry, air traffic controllers, seafarers (European Inland Waterways) and the College of Policing. • We developed a new Scale to grade the severity of congenital and acquired loss of colour vision. The CV# scale is now in use in several occupations. • Carried out collaborative studies in patients with diseases of the retina and systemic diseases that affect vision and produced publications to demonstrate the benefits of colour assessment in the clinic • Set up AVOT systems (including the use of the CAD test) and contributed to data analysis in genetic treatment trials in four international clinical centres (USA and Jerussalem) • The new Colour Vision Screener (CVS) is now supplied to users and also forms part of an international, multi-centre study. The latter has been designed to demonstrate the usefulness of the unique, two-step protocol and to create awareness of the advances made in colour assessment and the occupational and health related benefits. In terms of change of policy, we can say the following: • MCGA policy on colour assessment has changed. New protocol has been produced. The agency has set up authorised CAD centres in UK to administer the new colour assessment protocol (with CV2 grading as a pass) for lookout officers and seafarers • European Inland Waterways (EIW) - CAD has now been accepted as part of the new policy recommendation as a recognised colour assessment test with CV3 as a pass • The aviation industry through ICAO has implemented new policies designed to accept bespoke gradings for deutan and protan pilot applicants. This change of policy has benefitted many applicants who failed in the past. 35% of all applicants with congenital colour deficiency now pass • The EASA (European Space Agency) changed their policy so that ATCOs (air traffic controllers) have to pass CAD as normal trichromats, CV1 (this is the strictest requirement within any visually-demanding profession so far). • The UK CAA have changed their protocol for ATCOs. The new CAD-based protocol requires CV2 as a pass • Transport for London have switched to CAD (for several years) with bespoke deutan and protan limits for TfL train drivers • The three Defence medical Services (RAF, RN and the Army) have adopted the new colour Grading Scale (CV#) which has significant advantages over current protocols based on conventional colour assessment tests • The Electrical Contractors Industry (i.e., the Joint Industry Board) have revised their colour assessment protocols to include CAD with CV3 as a pass Benefits to individuals • These have been illustrated clearly for commercial aviation, as a result of having implemented the new protocols, many individuals with congenital colour deficiency pass and are not discriminated against on the basis of their different colour vision • Reduced variability has improved public safety in that those with severe deficiencies who passed in the past, no longer do so • The new Colour Vision Screener is particularly suitable for use with school children as young as 6 years. The CVS benefits Colour Screening in Schools programmes with long term benefits. • Proof of potential impact in eye care has been produced, but large scale impact will only be achieved when sensitive and accurate colour assessment is provided widely as a service (preferably though optometric practices, hence the bespoke symposium for Independent Optometrists we organised with SHS support) • Benefits to single individuals (for example fire arms officers) who were reinstated following incorrect assessment of their requirements and others, can be evidence with letters received. http://www.city.ac.uk/avot |
| First Year Of Impact | 2010 |
| Sector | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Education,Healthcare,Transport |
| Impact Types | Societal,Economic,Policy & public services |
| Title | CAD test |
| Description | The Merlin study has enhanced our understanding of discomfort and disability glare and how to minimize glare effects in lighting installations. In addition, the research has also benefited our Advanced Vision and Optometrist Tests (AVOT), and in particular, the Light Scatter and the Acuity-Plus tests. The Light Scatter test measures the amount and the angular distribution of scattered light in the eye. The Acuity-Plus test characterises the applicant's spatial vision at photopic and mesopic light levels, both in terms of visual acuity and functional contrast sensitivity. Several other AVOT tests have been developed to address different occupational and clinical needs (i.e., Colour Assessment and Diagnosis (CAD), Rod / Cone sensitivity test, Air Traffic Controllers (ATC) test, Mesopic and Photopic Rapid-Flicker test and the EMAIL (Eye Movements And Intrinsic Latency) test. The staff employed and equipment purchased for the Merlin study has contributed significantly to the success of the remaining AVOT tests. The AVOT tests run on the same equipment and are used for both industrial and clinical applications. The high-resolution stimulus display is fully calibrated and the same calibration data are used by all the tests. The success of the AVOT tests led to the development of the CAD Vision Screener (CVS). The CVS can detect the presence of congenital (Red / Green and Yellow / Blue) and acquired loss of colour vision with close to 100% sensitivity and specificity. The CVS takes less than 2.5 minutes to complete and will transform colour assessment in schools, visually demanding occupations and in the clinic. Advanced Vision and Optometric Tests for use in healthcare and visually demanding occupational environments. The most important is the CAD test http://www.city.ac.uk/avot |
| Type | Diagnostic Tool - Non-Imaging |
| Current Stage Of Development | Market authorisation |
| Year Development Stage Completed | 2015 |
| Development Status | Under active development/distribution |
| Impact | So far, we have achieved a number of things, many of which would not have been possible without the long-term benefits arising from the financial support for the Merlin project: • We carried out detailed analysis of current outcomes for colour assessment within the defence services, the Maritime Coastguard Agency, electrical contracts industry, air traffic controllers, seafarers (European Inland Waterways) and the College of Policing. • We developed a new Scale to grade the severity of congenital and acquired loss of colour vision. The CV# scale is now in use in several occupations. • Carried out collaborative studies in patients with diseases of the retina and systemic diseases that affect vision and produced publications to demonstrate the benefits of colour assessment in the clinic • Set up AVOT systems (including the use of the CAD test) and contributed to data analysis in genetic treatment trials in four international clinical centres (USA and Jerussalem) • The new Colour Vision Screener (CVS) is now supplied to users and also forms part of an international, multi-centre study. The latter has been designed to demonstrate the usefulness of the unique, two-step protocol and to create awareness of the advances made in colour assessment and the occupational and health related benefits. In terms of change of policy, we can say the following: • MCGA policy on colour assessment has changed. New protocol has been produced. The agency has set up authorised CAD centres in UK to administer the new colour assessment protocol (with CV2 grading as a pass) for lookout officers and seafarers • European Inland Waterways (EIW) - CAD has now been accepted as part of the new policy recommendation as a recognised colour assessment test with CV3 as a pass • The aviation industry through ICAO has implemented new policies designed to accept bespoke gradings for deutan and protan pilot applicants. This change of policy has benefited many applicants who failed in the past. 35% of all applicants with congenital colour deficiency now pass • The EASA (European Space Agency) changed their policy so that ATCOs (air traffic controllers) have to pass CAD as normal trichromats, CV1 (this is the strictest requirement within any visually-demanding profession so far). • The UK CAA have changed their protocol for ATCOs. The new CAD-based protocol requires CV2 as a pass • Transport for London have switched to CAD (for several years) with bespoke deutan and protan limits for TfL train drivers • The three Defence medical Services (RAF, RN and the Army) have adopted the new colour Grading Scale (CV#) which has significant advantages over current protocols based on conventional colour assessment tests • The Electrical Contractors Industry (i.e., the Joint Industry Board) have revised their colour assessment protocols to include CAD with CV3 as a pass Benefits to individuals • These have been illustrated clearly for commercial aviation, as a result of having implemented the new protocols, many individuals with congenital colour deficiency pass and are not discriminated against on the basis of their different colour vision • Reduced variability has improved public safety in that those with severe deficiencies who passed in the past, no longer do so • The new Colour Vision Screener is particularly suitable for use with school children as young as 6 years. The CVS benefits Colour Screening in Schools programmes with long term benefits. • Proof of potential impact in eye care has been produced, but large scale impact will only be achieved when sensitive and accurate colour assessment is provided widely as a service (preferably though optometric practices, hence the bespoke symposium for Independent Optometrists we organised with SHS support) • Benefits to single individuals (for example fire arms officers) who were reinstated following incorrect assessment of their requirements and others, can be evidence with letters received. http://www.city.ac.uk/avot |
| URL | http://www.city-occupational.co.uk/ |
| Title | Computer-controlled, spectrally tunable light sources for use in research studies |
| Description | The design, construction and calibration of spectrally tuneable light sources to cover 5 log units change in ambient illumination. This equipment was designed to be MRI friendly and was used in three studies designed to investigate disability glare (1), discomfort glare (2) and brain mechanisms involved in discomfort glare (3) . 1. Patterson EJ, Bargary G, Barbur JL. Understanding disability glare: light scatter and retinal illuminance as predictors of sensitivity to contrast. J Opt Soc Am A Opt Image Sci Vis. 2015;32(4):576-85. 2. Bargary G, Jia Y, Barbur JL. Mechanisms for discomfort glare in central vision. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2014;56(1):464-71. 3. Bargary G, Furlan M, Raynham PJ, Barbur JL, Smith AT. Cortical hyperexcitability and sensitivity to discomfort glare. Neuropsychologia. 2015;69:194-200. |
| Type Of Technology | New/Improved Technique/Technology |
| Year Produced | 2015 |
| Impact | These studies have contributed significantly to our improved understanding of disability and discomfort glare mechanisms. The Light Scatter (AVOT) test is used frequently to assess the amount and angular distribution of scattered light in subjects with poor vision that cannot be improved through with better refraction. |
| Company Name | City Occupational Ltd |
| Description | IP from research studies carried out at the Applied Vision Research Centre forms the basis for Adavnaced Vision and Optometic Tests (AVOT) developed by City Occupational Ltd. http://www.city.ac.uk/avot, Although City Occupational Ltd was started in 2004 with a colour assessment test, enhancements and also new tests evolved over at least 15 years. All these tests benefited from the equipment and programming support made available through the Merlin project. |
| Year Established | 2004 |
| Impact | There are close to 200 users worldwide with significant impact within visually demanding occupations and healthcare |
| Website | http://www.city-occupational.co.uk/ |