Information Processing Using Helmet Mounted Displays and Voice Interactive Systems

Assessment of helmet mounted virtual image display technologies for application to surveillance-type aircraft indicates that suitably augmented designs using multiple images and opaque visors can replace large screen displays and improve operator performance in a variety of missions (e.g., electronic warfare, airborne early warning and antisubmarine warfare). Additional assessment of the benefits of integrating voice interactive systems (voice command, voice synthesis) for the above missions indicates that utility is determined by interoperator verbal communication requirements. In high communication workload situations, total task performance could be degraded. Task situations where virtual image displays and voice interactive system integration can be effectively employed are described.