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Evaluation of visual characteristics of image perception in avionics
To cite this article: O O Zharinov et al 2018 IOP Conf. Ser.: Mater. Sci. Eng. 450 022011
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MISTAerospace 2018 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 450 (2018) 022011 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/450/2/022011
Evaluation of visual characteristics of image perception in
avionics
O O Zharinov1, M O Kostishin2*, M A Trushkin3 and V V Markelov2
1 Department of Problem-Oriented Computing Complexes, Saint Petersburg State
University of Aerospace Instrumentation, 67, Bolshaya Morskaia str., Saint Petersburg,
190000, Russia
2 Department of Computer Design of On-Board Computer Equipment, Saint Petersburg
National Research University of Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics, 49,
Kronverksky Av., Saint Petersburg, 197101, Russia
3 Research Center, Stock Company «Experimental Design Bureau «Elektroavtomatika»
named after P A Yefimov, 40, Marshala Govorova St., Saint Petersburg, 198095, Russia
* E-mail: maksim@kostishin.com
Abstract. The task is being studied to evaluate the amount of quality to perceive the picture
elements being projected on LCD screens of modern on-board visual means to display the
information. A mean to display information is a multi-functional colorful indicator. The display
itself (the frame being displayed) is a sign and symbol information. The symbol perception of
different angle sizes is being studied. The families of probability characteristics have been
received which characterize with numbers the quality of symbol perception being displayed
under different screen resolutions.
1. Introduction
In modern aviation the primary information display mean is multi-functional display unit (MFDU) [1,
2]. They give pilots piloting and navigation information which is necessary in each moment of the flight
time. If necessary for the pilot the MFDU may give the secondary information data.
Apart from the MFDU the information display equipment and the on-board system control there are
some remote control units on the airplane board. All together such on-board equipment in the aircraft
cabin is a system of information display [3, 4]. In the aviation item designing sometimes they say
information and control field instead of the display information system.
Indicative element which is a part of the on-board information display means is a liquid crystal
matrix. The primary exploitation properties of an MFDU which defines its characteristics of picture
color reproduction are [5, 6]:
- brightness and its (colorful) contrast of a picture;
- vertical and horizontal resolutions of the matrix in pixels;
- the limit values of the perception angles for the picture with preservation of the picture being
displayed;
- coefficients values of diffuse and mirror reflection of the screen;
- the angle sizes of colorful symbols and signs being displayed.
After several researches and according to the existing norm technical documentation which is valid
now in the aviation item designing without any fault the pilot may perceive from the MFDU screen the
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MISTAerospace 2018 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 450 (2018) 022011 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/450/2/022011
symbols of the size 30 and more angle minutes if the brightness contrast is more than 0.5 [7, 8]. If they
reduce the size of the on-board screens and the saturation of the indicative frame increase the MFDU
designer needs to display the symbols of lower size. That why it is an actual problem to evaluate visual
characteristics of display perception from the MFDU screen with some symbol elements of lower
geometric size.
2. The composition of avionics indicative frame
According to the type of the on-board indicator the liquid crystal display (LCD) panel may display
pictures of different resolutions. In practice this is a popular thing the screen with resolution of 768х1024
pixels with maximum amount of shades of each primary color (red, green, blue), which is 256 [9, 10].
To display the information with an MFDU means to divide the general information field (indicative
frame) in several zones with some information for the crew (figure 1, a). And also with MFDU buttons
you may change the displaying items and of course you may change the piloting and navigation
parameters being displayed (figure 1, b).
а) b)
Figure 1. MFDU indicator: а) an avionics indication frame (example), b) indicator face panel.
Indicative frame structure is a set of elements made with graphics (exterior) which are corresponding
to analog items which can be easily seen and understood. The indicative frame displays graphical
elements of line and circular scales; graphical primitives (lines, circles, arcs, arrows and other); detectors
(numerical parameters, changing its value during the aircraft flight); letter symbols of alphabet, numbers,
special configuration symbols and other.
3. Indicative frame creation software
All graphical elements being displayed on the MFDU screen are made with software application in
automatized working place of avionics designer.
The application software is used to create interactively some graphical elements and its save on the
personal computer (РС) disc which are downloaded to the MFDU as library components. An example
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MISTAerospace 2018 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 450 (2018) 022011 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/450/2/022011
of work window interface of the application software where the avionics designer creates the symbol
exterior of number eight (vector format of data) is given in figure 2, а. Vector format of graphical
elements which are used for displaying modes where the picture turns are permitted (for example the
mode of unification of graphical picture and digital map of location in the flight zone) or scaling (size
changing) of the picture. The picture must be turned when the aircraft has turned. To display the data
with vector format permits to turn the picture or its scaling without significant form discrepancy of
graphical symbols being displayed.
а) b)
Figure 2. Work window interface of avionics software application:
а) vector format, b) raster format of data display (the number 8 is used as an example).
For static elements display the raster format is the most popular one to preserve and display data. An
example of number eight in the application software in the raster format is given in the figure 2, b. The
raster inscription is a set of pixels located in the fixed net nodes and is a bit picture. Vector format is a
curve line contours described with mathematical formula. So vector format is a set of lines which defines
the tops (the beginning and end of lines) or support points which are connected with small lines. The
looped figures made so is a contour of signs being displayed on the MFDU screen.
The functional software to process the values of piloting and navigation parameters which are
received by the MFDU in on-board interface which forms the general indicative frame from the library
components of graphical elements.
4. Symbol perception evaluation with small angle sizes
An experiment to evaluate visual characteristics of perception quality of indicative frame in avionics
which contains symbols of different angle size included two stages:
- stage one was to research the resolution factor of an LCD (640х480, 800х600, 1024х768 pixels)
for the visual perception of signs of different size (10, 15, 20 and 30 angle minutes) with fixed value of
picture brightness contrast of 0.5 with color changing of displayed inscriptions (white, red, yellow,
green, blue).
- stage two was to research the perception of information when three parameters are being changed:
the LCD screen resolution (640х480, 800х600, 1024х768 pixels), sign angle sizes and its brightness
contrast where the value of brightness contrast was some fixed values in range [1-10] with color
changing of pictures being displayed (white, red, yellow, green and blue).
Angle sizes of symbols being displayed were controlled by the software with fixed distance between
watcher eye and the MFDU screen. This distance is equal to the distance between the pilot eye and the
avionics item during its exploitation. Some experiment results are given in the figure 3 (contrast ratio
1.0).
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MISTAerospace 2018 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 450 (2018) 022011 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/450/2/022011
a) b) c)
Figure 3. Probability (P) in % to perceive the symbols of white color with different screen resolutions:
а) symbol A, b) symbol B, с) symbol C.
Studying the probability connection of symbols from its brightness contrast with the screen resolution
of 640х480 — 1024х768 pixels we can say that any increase in symbol display contrast on the MFDU
screen with higher resolution increases the probability to be perceived.
5. Conclusion
The conclusions of done research are the following points of practical significance for avionics
designers: application of minimal symbol sizes to form maximum saturated indicative frame with the
screen minimal resolution is not effective even if the display contrast was increased significantly; the
most effective symbol color to be perceived of minimal size (10, 12 angle minutes) on the black
background is white then we can see green, red and blue colors.
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