■Outline

(Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, CEO: Ryota Kanai, hereinafter " Araya ), a research and R&D support company for artificial intelligence (AI) and neuroscience, in collaboration with Honda R&D Co. (HQ: Wako, Saitama, Japan; CEO: Keiji Otsu; hereinafter "Honda R&D") to elucidate the correlation between brain activity and visual behavior related to safe driving using an MRI-compatible driving simulator, and presented the results at the Society for Neuroscience conference Neuroscience 2024 (October 5-9, Chicago).

■Background

ARAYA (CHIYODA-KU, TOKYO) APPLIES BRAIN RESEARCH TO INDUSTRY AND DEVELOPS AND PROVIDES INDUSTRY-SPECIFIC SOLUTIONS. IN COLLABORATION WITH HONDA R&D AND THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF QUANTUM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (QST), ARAYA HAS CONDUCTED RESEARCH TO ELUCIDATE THE CORRELATION BETWEEN BRAIN ACTIVITY AND VISUAL BEHAVIOR RELATED TO SAFE DRIVING USING AN MRI-COMPATIBLE DRIVING SIMULATOR. MOST TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS ARE CAUSED BY HUMAN ERRORS, SUCH AS MISJUDGMENT OR OVERSIGHT BY THE DRIVER. ESPECIALLY IN JAPAN, WHERE THE POPULATION IS AGING, PREVENTION OF DRIVING-RELATED ACCIDENTS HAS BECOME AN IMPORTANT SOCIAL ISSUE. PREVIOUS STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT DRIVERS WHO ARE PRONE TO ACCIDENTS AND SAFE DRIVERS HAVE DIFFERENT EYE MOVEMENTS WHILE DRIVING. HOWEVER, IT WAS NOT CLEAR WHY SUCH DIFFERENCES OCCUR AND WHAT FUNCTIONS OF THE BRAIN ARE RELATED TO THESE DIFFERENCES. TO ANSWER THE BASIC QUESTION, "WHAT MAKES THE BRAIN OF A GOOD DRIVER DIFFERENT?" THIS STUDY AIMED TO INVESTIGATE IN DETAIL THE BRAIN FUNCTIONS RELATED TO THE CHARACTERISTICS OF EYE MOVEMENTS WHILE DRIVING USING THE LATEST FUNCTIONAL BRAIN IMAGING TECHNOLOGY.

■ Experimental Details

THIS STUDY WAS CONDUCTED IN A SPECIAL DRIVING SIMULATOR THAT PROVIDES AN EXPERIENCE SIMILAR TO ACTUAL DRIVING IN AN MRI. THIS SIMULATOR ALLOWS THE DRIVER TO OPERATE THE STEERING WHEEL AND PEDALS AS IN A REAL CAR, AND CAN ALSO SIMULTANEOUSLY MEASURE EYE MOVEMENTS WHILE DRIVING.

MRI Experimental driving simulator available within

In the experiment, we observed participants' reactions to other vehicles that were at risk of colliding with the vehicle they were driving. Specifically, we investigated how the participants visually perceived the risk vehicle in the right side mirror and how they applied the brakes in response to it. At the same time, we recorded detailed brain activity at that time and analyzed the brain functions necessary for safe driving.

Main Research Results

1. The association between the total time spent looking at the risk vehicle and the total time spent paying attention to the vehicle was found to be "the less abruptly braked participants who were able to drive safely spent a longer total time looking at the risk vehicle," and these participants had higher activity in brain regions involved in the verbal and spatial understanding of the situation (anterior superior temporal sulcus and superior frontal gyrus), and in brain regions involved in selecting appropriate driving behavior (anterior cingulate gyrus). The brain regions (anterior cingulate gyrus) involved in selecting appropriate driving behavior were found to be more active in these participants.
2. Similarly, an association was revealed that "participants who were able to drive safely were more likely to look at the risk vehicle until the end," indicating that the brain regions involved in predicting behavior from the perspective of drivers of other vehicles and in determining driving behavior (temporoparietal junction) were more active in these participants. The results of the study are as follows.

Relationship between brain activity and visual behavior

These findings have important implications for a safer driving environment, including the development of driver assistance systems to aid in cognitive decline.

■ CEOCEO RYOTA KANAI COMMENTS

THIS RESEARCH HAS PROVIDED US WITH NEW INSIGHTS INTO HOW THE BRAIN WORKS IN SAFE DRIVING. WE BELIEVE THAT THE CLARIFICATION OF A SERIES OF NEURAL MECHANISMS FROM SITUATION RECOGNITION TO ACTION DECISION MAKING WILL GREATLY CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF FUTURE DRIVER ASSISTANCE TECHNOLOGIES. THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN HONDA R&D AND QST HAS OPENED UP NEW POSSIBILITIES FOR TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT BASED ON HUMAN UNDERSTANDING, AND ARAYA WILL CONTINUE TO APPLY ITS BRAIN SCIENCE KNOWLEDGE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE REALIZATION OF A SAFER AND MORE COMFORTABLE MOBILITY SOCIETY."

Araya offers NeuroHatch, a research and development support service. In recent years, research and development utilizing biological information has accelerated, including the development of neurotech solutions and products with biological sensing functions, the elucidation of brain functions, and the development of treatments for brain-derived diseases, etc. Araya comprehensive support for all stages of R&D, from the analysis of brain data such as EEG and MRI, heart rate, respiration, sweating, and other biological data to optimal test design, Araya provides comprehensive support for all stages of R&D, from analysis of brain data such as EEG and MRI, and biological data such as heart rate, respiration, and perspiration, to optimal test design and algorithm development based on data. Please feel free to contact us for the best solution to meet your R&D needs.
https://www.araya.org/service/neurotech/

＜ Araya Inc.
Company Name: Araya Inc.
President and CEO: Ryota Kanai
Location: Sanpo Sakuma Bldg. 6F, 1-11 Kandasakumacho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0025, Japan
URL: https://www.araya.org/service/neurotech/

Inquiry URL: https://www.araya.org/contact/

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