Color symbology in helmet mounted visors and heads up displays

ABSTRACT: Color coding of symbology can improve operator performance and reduce workload by reducing display clutter and aiding visual search. For example, all enemy symbols could be colored red, and all friendly symbols colored green allowing the distinction between enemy and friendly to be made at a glance. For the most effective operation, the specified color set must be unambiguous and resistant to being washed out by the color of the out the window (OTW) environment, be it a blue sky, desert scenery, setting sun or night vision green when the symbology is overlaid in the eyepiece of the night vision goggle. Symbol luminance and chromaticity are two components that determine the effect of daylight on color naming and discrimination. In our Phase I efforts SA Photonics has developed a color set which is robust to ambient environments and to night vision goggle imagery. We also evaluated dynamic colors, which can be changed depending on the coloration of ambient light. This Phase I work paves the way for our Phase II efforts to quantify acceptance and performance using this color set and to develop a method for optimizing colors depending on the HMDs color gamut. BENEFIT: The benefits of SA Photonics work on color symbology are: Increased performance and situational awareness due to preservation of color cues Uniform visibility across multiple backgrounds including blue skies and oceans, red sunsets, brown desert scenery and green vegetation Optimization of color contrast for any HMD Ease of setting up and testing any HMD to ensure colors look the same from unit to unit