Method to Compensate for Display System Contrast Ratio Differences in Distributed Simulation

摘要

A considerable challenge facing distributed virtual simulation is to be able to minimize correlation differences between networked simulations so that humans-in-the-loop perceive and respond to the same stimulus -- as they would in the real world. There are many causes or domains of correlation differences, including Appearance, Behavior, and Time. This paper addresses one small component within the Appearance domain of correlation. Considerable work has been done across the Services to develop methods of reusing environmental/spatial datasets that not only reduce the schedule and cost of database generation, but also achieve greater correlation between differing simulations; however, even if all simulations were to share the same database geometry, textures, colors, and rendering engine, how they would look. The simulations' different display systems can vary dramatically. This paper presents a method of compensating for widely varying display system contrast ratios, which results in more similarly perceived out-the-window scenes across different simulations. This paper presents a novel algorithmic approach of modifying database colors and intensities. The principal variable within the algorithm is the difference in measured display system contrast ratios between two simulator systems. Contrast ratio test methods, tools, and results are also presented to provide objective and repeatable measures. This paper also describes a method used to remap all pixel colors and intensities with the adjustment algorithm during run-time, using plug-in shader techniques. The method described in this paper offers the potential for application across any simulation network where the environment model is built from common, shared datasets, where different types of display systems with widely varying contrast ratios are employed, and where correlated (or at least more similar) perceptions are required.