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DEA 3250/6510 CLASS NOTES

INFORMATION DISPLAYS

Display Function
To give accurate and unambiguous info to the operator about the functional condition of the system.

Display can provide:

1. Need to know information - warning
2. Nice to know info - advisory (e.g. fuel indicator gas gauge in car)
3. Historical info (e.g. odometer in car, forklift with dial that tells how long in operation
4. Anticipatory display look forward in time and makes a prediction (e.g. cars that will anticipate when a collision will occur; lunar Rover for the moon; collision avoidance for air traffic control)

Basic Functional Requirements of a Display

1. Speed
   1. how quickly does the display respond?
   2. how quickly does the user respond?
2. Accuracy - avoid errors and ambiguity
3. Sensitivity - ability to detect changes in the variable being displayed at a relevant magnitude

Human Functional Requirements

1. Detection - The user must be able to detect either the presence of the display or a change in the display (e.g. excellent signage graphics that are poorly visible but the lighting is so bad)
2. Recognition - the user has to be able to extract information from the display. Often an issue of:
   1. figure/ground contrast (e.g. printing a brochure in red on a gray background make it very difficult for older people to read it).
   2. display design details
   3. ambient setting (kind of illumination)
3. Understanding
   1. words - target appropriate language/languages; don't create ambiguity
   2. symbols - unambiguous, detectable, and recognizable

STATIC DISPLAYS

Static displays are displays where the underlying variable does not going to change with time.

Static displays include road signs, symbols, instructions etc.

Typically, static display design use the following conventions:

1. Prohibited - red "prohibited" circle symbol , usually with a red line from top left to bottom right. Also red has to be 35% of sign area , and background has to be white
2. Warning signs and danger signs - triangle (yellow or orange background) has to be minimum 50% of sign area. Outline must be black.
3. Mandatory action (you must do something) - filled circle with a blue background and usually a white figure or symbol on this.
4. Safe - square green background and must be at least 50% sign area.
5. Emergency shut down requirements: · symbol had to be black
6. Road warning, hazard area - black angled stripes on either a yellow or orange background.

In addition to how well the sign is designed, where sign is located is also critical for visibility (e.g. a sign may fade in strong sunlight or be hidden by bushes and trees).

Signs containing text should also be written in appropriate languages.

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