What is a blinker hit?

A "blinker hit," also sometimes called a "target blink" or a "momentary target disappearance," is a phenomenon encountered primarily in visual search tasks and particularly in fields like aviation, air traffic control, and radiology where vigilance is paramount. It refers to instances where a target, which should be consistently visible, momentarily disappears or flickers from view. This disappearance can be caused by various factors, including:

• Display Issues: Problems with the display technology itself, such as refresh rate issues or flickering pixels.
• Human Visual System Limitations: The inherent limitations of the human eye and visual processing system. For instance, the eye's sensitivity to flickering or rapid changes in brightness can lead to perceptual gaps.
• Attentional Lapses: Even if the target is consistently present on the display, the observer's attention may momentarily wander, leading to a missed detection as if the target had blinked out of existence.
• Environmental Factors: External factors, such as glare or poor lighting conditions, can make it more difficult to maintain consistent visual contact with the target.

Blinker hits are problematic because they can lead to Missed Detections of important targets. This is especially concerning in safety-critical situations where a failure to detect a target, even for a brief moment, can have serious consequences. Research in this area focuses on understanding the underlying causes of blinker hits and developing strategies to mitigate their impact. This might involve improving display technology, implementing training programs to enhance vigilance, or using software that accounts for human limitations.