Visual Comfort of the Head Mounted Display in the F35
Summary
The F35 is the first jet to fly with a Head Mounted Display (HMD) instead of a Head Up Display (HUD). The HMD is built into the helmet of the pilot. Previous research has shown that eye complaints are a potential limitation while using a HMD. Therefore, research towards visual comfort is of great importance for HMD usage. We examine the influence of symbol eccentricity (15, 30 or 45 deg), spacing (small, medium or large) and polarity (same or opposite) on task performance and visual comfort. Participants’ eye strain and health complaints were obtained before, during and after the experiment, by using questionnaires. Task performance (reaction time (RT) and percentage correct responses) was measured throughout the experiment. Results show a main effect for the RT of both the eccentricity and spacing condition and participants reported a significant increase of health complaints. The degree of eye strain, however, did not show a significant effect, i.e. neither increased nor decreased as the experiment progressed. In conclusion, the eccentricity that optimizes the RT, degree of eye strain and health complaints (i.e. an eccentricity with a maximum of 30 deg) should be taken into account when using the HMD’s.