Study on the Operators’ Attention of Different Areas in University Laboratories Based on Eye Movement Tracking Technology

Abstract

To explore different operators' eye movement characteristics, which can reflect their degree of attention and hazard identification ability in university laboratories, experiments were carried out with 60 junior students. The laboratories were divided into five areas by function and hazard type. The subjects were divided into two groups based on their safety experience. Using typical university laboratory images as stimulus materials, a Tobii X2 eye tracker was used to measure and record the eye movement parameters of the subjects in five laboratory areas. The results showed that the subjects exhibited greater interest in the equipment area (attracting the focus of 100.00% of the subjects) and less interest in the wireway area (attracting the focus of 46.67% of the subjects); no significant difference was observed between subjects who were or were not specialized in safety. Most subjects could identify the hazard sources in the five areas but paid little attention to electrical sockets. Thus, countermeasures including reasonably matching the color and layout in laboratories and popularizing laboratory safety education are proposed, which will provide a basis for strengthening safety management in university laboratories.

Keywords

• Laboratory safety
• hazard identification
• eye tracker
• eye movement
• attention