Effect of brief exposure to glare on brightness perception in the scotopic-mesopic range

Abstract

This paper reports a study of the effect of disability glare in the scotopic-mesopic range when there is brief exposure to glare to provide conditions similar to those encountered in night driving. Subjects compare the brightness of two uniform luminance fields that are displayed sequentially, when one of them is presented under glare conditions. The observers report which field is brighter. A forced-choice paradigm using the method of constant stimuli is used to determine the luminance corresponding to the perceptual matching luminance. Results show a non-linear relation of the glare illuminance to the matching luminance and a non-significant dependence on the luminance reference. The experimental data closely fit an equation taken from previous studies on the effect of a peripheral glare source upon the apparent brightness of an object. The relation between matching luminance and reference luminance could be an easy way to measurement the effect of glare.

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