Effective Cutting Size of Corner Edge for Reducing Mental Stress Caused By Crossing Pedestrian

Wataru Kobayashi (Chiba University)

This study aims to examine the effective minimum size of cutting out an edge of a corner at an intersection for reducing the mental stress caused by the pedestrian appearing from behind of the corner. An experiment using the electrodermal activity measuring method and the virtual reality technology was conducted.

30 college students as the participants were asked to experience the unlimited long virtual passage where the intersections would be appearing regularly and continuously, through a head mounted display.

The height of the passage was set at 2,700 mm, and the width was set at two sizes, 1,600 mm and 2,000 mm. And at random timing, a virtual walking avatar appeared from the blind spot of the intersections set on each 35,000 mm intervals, and crossed in front of subjects.

For measuring the mental stress caused by the crossing avatar, the subjects were wearing the electrodermal activity meter, by sticking three skin patches on their left hand.

30 experimental conditions were created by combining of the following three variables. Five depths of cutting out the corner (0 mm, 500 mm, 1,000 mm, 1,500 mm, 2,000 mm), three types of avatar's appearance (crossing from the right, crossing from the left, not appear), and two sizes of the passage width (1600 mm, 2000 mm).

The subjects were randomly experienced these 30 conditions continuously with two breaks in the middle.

The result was that the maximum amplitude of skin potential level caused by crossing pedestrian was significantly reduce by applying a cutting out of more than 1,000 mm. Furthermore, by applying cutting out of more than 2,000 mm, the amplitude was more significantly reduced.

According to these results, it was suggested that cutting out the corner of the intersection of about 1,000 mm would give a certain effect on the worry-free passage design.