Legibility of Characters with Different Segmentations and Colors

摘要

The legibility of electronically presented information, e.g., public transport timetables, was tested. The minimal and the optimal legibility conditions of short words in 5X7 dot matrix and 14 line segment characters were compared with the legibility of continuous characters. The words were presented by screen projection with decreasing size of characters with fixed distance to the subject (minimum legibility). Optimal legibility was determined subjectively. The size of characters of negative contrast has to be increased by 20 compared with positive contrast. The 5X7 dot matrix characters are as legible as continuous letters. The 14 line segment characters must be presented 1.3 times higher for the same legibility. White characters on blue background were preferred by most subjects.