Crewstation Configuration Design for Gas Plasma/Touch Surface Panel Interface with Aircraft Tactical Computer Systems

Abstract

This study investigated optimization of display configuration for information processing at the non-acoustic sensor operator crewstation of the U.S. Navy long range maritime patrol airplane (P-3). The scope of the investigation was limited to three candidate configurations considered for installation in the P-3C with respect to operator tasks of detection, tracking, and data entry. Each configuration consisted of four displays and one cursor control. Two large displays and two interactive control panel (ICP) gas plasma displays were arranged in stacked, flanking, and grouped configuration. Data entry was via trackball cursor control and touch overlay on the ICP displays.

This study was performed using the Aircrew Station Technology Assessment Laboratory (ASTAL) at the Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, Maryland. ASTAL provided a dynamically and physically reconfigurable asset for the study. The three candidate configurations were reproduced at high fidelity in terms of geometry and function. Operator tasks were simulated to provide basic functional and real world equivalents to exercise visual and motor performance skills. The dynamic simulation provided performance values for discrete visual detection tracking, and data entry tasks. Time-based task termination criteria were established to provide operator overload, or task failure, data. The study design was a 3 × 3 matrix of crew station configuration versus operator tasks.

Data were recorded on the ASTAL VAX 11/750 computer with audio-visual augmentation. Measured criteria included speed and accuracy of visual detection, classification, tracking, and operator data entry. Comparisons were made of left versus right-handed ICP data entry and stimulus detection-response distance for each configuration.

Analysis of the metrics of each configuration revealed significant variation in performance criteria dependent upon configuration. Stacked configuration proved least effective overall. Flanking was better than grouped for visual detection. Data entry was enhanced by the grouped configuration.