Visual Factors Affecting Human Operator Performance with a Helmet-Mounted Display

We discuss three factors that could alter human operators' perception of a remote worksite and adversely affect their task performance. First, we discuss the effect of image degradation on task performance. Our experimental results are similar to corresponding visual psychophysical experimental results, suggesting that the psychophysical results might be helpful for predicting the performance under other viewing conditions. The second factor is the control of the different viewing parameters. Dynamic control could be disorienting, but if the parameters are fixed, the operator might not feel telepresent. The interface through which the parameters are controlled also requires careful consideration and we discuss the advantages of using a helmet-mounted display. The third factor, the display update rate, can be affected by hardware limitations, transmission delays, or long rendering times. By understanding the effects of these factors, interfaces that efficiently convey information about the remote environment to the operator can be built.