Human-Machine Interaction

Visualization of Flight Parameters in the Peripheral Visual Field, shown in the Design of Helicopter Cockpits

Working with the helicopter, the pilot’s visual focus is located outside the cockpit. Thus, flight instruments are visible only in the peripheral visual field.

A new approach was developed in this thesis to present helicopter system parameters in the peripheral visual field, using dynamic indicators. Information is coded into patterns of size and motion. Simulator experiments demonstrated that the perception of peripherally information is clearly improved by the novel dynamic display components.

Professional pilots participated in designing, improving, and validating the display concept. Due to the experimental results it is expected that the fault diagnosis in the cockpit of helicopters can be facilitated and that an allocation of the required information is possible on the whole visual field.

Doctoral Candidate 

Dr.-Ing. Jörg-O. Hartz, 1997