Improved performance from integrated audio video displays

Several laboratory studies and flight demonstrations have indicated the potential benefits to operators/pilots of combined audio/visual displays (McKinley and Ericson, 1997). The primary focus of these previous studies was cockpit applications but significant laboratory and field work was accomplished in command and control applications. However, most audio and visual displays and their associated symbologies have been developed independently and therefore were not integrated in a human factors sense. Potential benefits from developing integrated audio/visual displays and symbologies include: reduced operator response time, improved situation awareness, reduced search excursions, improved visual target detection ranges, improved target discrimination, and reduced workload. In order to realize these, and other potential benefits, research is needed to truly integrate aural and visual displays and symbologies. The purpose of this paper is to present the results from previous studies and describe a plan to improve the integration of audio/visual displays and symbologies.