Attention Distribution Across Multiple Video Feeds in Unmanned Construction: the Impact of Free-Viewpoint Video on Visual Field Awareness

Although unmanned construction ensures worker safety during restoration work at disaster sites, its efficiency is approximately twice lower than that of manned construction. Herein, a semi-autonomous control system using a drone was constructed to address this issue, and a new video presentation method combining three video viewpoints (bird’s-eye camera, onboard camera, and side camera) was developed. The side-camera video was a free-viewpoint video allowing the operator to directly control the viewpoint. The experiments showed that some operators overlooked hazards in other videos while operating the free-viewpoint video, resulting in contact between the machine and obstacles. To address this problem, we defined a new "Visual Field Awareness" as an area where the operator can respond to sudden visual changes in the video, analyzed the ability of operators to distribute attention to multiple videos, and experimentally verified the effect of the introduction of free-viewpoint videos on the Visual Field Awareness of the operators.The methodology for the estimation of Visual Field Awareness established herein can be applied in multiple areas beyond construction sites, extending to other fields where remote operation is utilized, such as telemedicine. This approach may provide new insights into the evaluation and improvement of remote operation capabilities across various domains.