SHOW ME WHERE YOU LOOK AND I’LL TELL YOU IF YOU’RE SAFE: EYE TRACKING OF MARITIME WATCH-KEEPERS Lützhöft, M 1 and Dukic, T. 2 1. Department of Shipping and Marine Technology, Human Factors Group Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96 Göteborg, Sweden E-mail: margareta.lutzhoft@chalmers.se 2. Human Factors, Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI), SE-40278 Göteborg, Sweden E-mail: tania.dukic@vti.se There is a common belief that experienced ship’s officers look out more through the window than novices who believe more in instruments. This pilot study focused on how the visual attention is shared between the window and the instruments available on the bridge. Using an eye tracker, eye movements were recorded from six scenarios in a ship simulator. The results show that eye tracker equipment can be used in a ship simulator, and provides information which can be highly relevant concerning safety aspects, bridge design and training programs. Eye tracking, Ship simulator, Maritime safety, Training 1 Introduction Experienced mariners worry that young navigators may over-rely on instruments and emphasise the need to also look out of the window, see Beer (2006) for a review of accidents in which inappropriate visual behaviour may be one cause. A proper lookout is for the safety of others, not only for the safety of your own ship. Regulations require that: A proper lookout shall be maintained at all times in compliance with the… International Regulations for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea, 1972, and shall serve the purpose of…detecting ships or aircraft in distress, shipwrecked persons, wrecks, debris, and other hazards to safe navigation (International Maritime Organization). One way to understand how navigators think and reflect about navigation is to record their eye movements. Within air and road traffic studies have been performed to describe the visual behaviour of pilots and drivers to improve safety and cockpit design but also to improve training programs. Eye movement provides an on-line measurement of visual and cognitive processing of information (Liversedge & Findlay, 2000). Two parameters are usually employed: what the eyes are fixated upon in the environment and how long those objects are fixated. Several factors supposedly influence eye movements during the performance of the navigation task which is the focus here: - Experience level: Novice drivers have a higher mental workload whilst driving than experienced drivers, because they have more limited mental resources in the task of vehicle control, and a poor mental model of what is likely to happen. This leads to a different (Falkmer & Gregersen, 2005) and less efficient (Underwood, Chapman, Bowden, & Crundall, 2002) visual inspection of the road. - Mental load: An increase in mental workload reduces the ability to use and react to available visual information. It affects the field of view, and reduces the detection