DEPTH AND COLLISION JUDGMENT USING NIGHT-VISION GOGGLES

There is a concern about depth perception with night vision goggles (N VGs). We measured judgments involving depth perception in laboratory a nd field conditions. When participants judged absolute distance, or co llision, in a laboratory, results indicated that objects can appear cl oser with NVGs than with unaided vision, and underestimations of dista nce were greater with smaller distances. When participants were transp orted in a car and judged when to turn a vehicle to avoid collision wi th a simulated wall, there was no difference between goggle and unaide d vision. Effects of NVGs on depth perception may be specific to task and viewing conditions.