Conformal Displays: Human Factors Analysis of Innovative Landing Aids

In the past couple of years research on display content for helicopter operations headed a new direction. The already reached goals could evolve into a paradigm change for information visualization. Technology advancements allow implementing three-dimensional and conformal content on a helmet-mounted see-through device. This superimposed imagery inherits the same optical flow as the environment. It is supposed to ease switching between display information and environmental cues. The concept is neither pathbreaking nor new, but it has not been successfully established in aviation yet. Nevertheless, there are certainly some advantages to expect – at least from perspective of human-centered system design. Within the following pages the next generation displays will be presented and discussed with a focus on human factors. Beginning with recalling some human factor related research facts an experiment comparing the former two-dimensional research displays will be presented. Before introducing the DLR conformal symbol set and the three experiments about an innovative drift indication related research activities towards conformal symbol sets will be addressed