Cockpit design flawed? Research may give instrumentation displays a new look

摘要

New research suggests that the design of aircraft cockpit displays may benefit from a radical change. The study by Dr. Greg Davis of Cambridge University in the U.K. challenges previous scientific con- sensus and suggests that changing displays so they flicker, using one color and containing more objects will better stimulate visual reactions in pilots than conventional multicolored outline displays. The potential advantages for new types of display arise because our conscious, visual perception of the environment is quite restricted. The retina in the human eye can register literally thousands of pieces of information simultaneously. But, the process by which the brain processes this information to isolate a limited number of important factors is complex, It has consequences for the design of many critical machine-man interfaces, from fighter pilot cockpits to vehicle dashboards and virtual gaming environments.