Legibility of Self-Luminous Display Variations Viewed through Artificially Turbid Waters.

摘要

Two laboratory experiments were conducted into the problem of optimizing the characteristics of self-luminous displays for legibility in turbid water typical of Navy diving operations. The turbidity characteristics of coastal oceanic and harbor waters were simulated by artificial materials whose concentrations and physical diameters matched the median values of suspensoids in the two natural waters. Optical properties of the two artificially turbid waters were measured several times during the period of the experiments,and the 'Harbor'samples were compared to properties of samples taken from the Chesapeake Bay. Experimental variations in the self-luminous digital display included size,luminance and wavelength;maximum legible viewing distance was used as the observer's response criterion. Both experiments used a repeated measures experimental design,each with ten observers recruited from diving elements of the U.S. Navy. Legibility of the display was significantly affected by the turbidity differences. Results suggest that displays,viewed through a facemask in turbid water by dark-adapted observers,need to be closer to the eyes,brighter,and larger than displays viewed in air;also the shorter wavelengths (blue/green) were more legible than the longer wavelengths (yellow/orange). (Author)