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DISPLAY SYSTEM DESIGN PROBLEMS 



and is not as easily defined as the familiar electrical to electrical conversions 

 in units such as the receiver. Many important facets of the problem 

 therefore are not well understood; many others are understood in different 

 ways by different people. This makes it difficult to compose a set of broad 

 principles which can cover any of the conceivable situations. Thus, while 

 the material in this chapter can provide guidance, the actual design of a 

 specific display system for a specific application usually requires some new 

 approaches which must be invented and proved in the course of the system 

 design. Flight test research facilities and simulation laboratories are 

 invaluable for collecting the necessary empirical data. 



One approach to the design problem that has been quite successful is to 

 form a balanced design team of systems engineers, human engineers (or 

 psychologists), and display equipment design personnel. This approach 

 facilitates the solution of the many problems posed by the strong interrela- 

 tionships between system considerations, human factors, and component 

 limitations. 



12-2 USES OF DISPLAY INFORMATION 



The general display problem is shown in Fig. 12-1. Information from 

 a variety of sources — in this case an airborne radar — enters the display 



Control Actions 



Fig. 12-1 Typical Airborne Weapons System, Showing Functions ot Indicator, 

 Operator, and Control Subsystem (Display and Control Subsystem). 



system in the form of electrical signals. The display device is a transducer 

 which changes the electrical signals into some form of visual indication 

 (and may, at times, code the signals in terms of an established tactical 

 doctrine). The numan operator observes this indication, assimilates 

 information contained thereupon, and takes some action such as positioning 

 a control, communicating a message, etc. 



