What Can You Say with Only Three Pixels?

The size limitations of mobile devices can make information display especially difficult. Micro-displays must take into account the viability of different sizes and configurations for informing users, the flexibility they provide for different types of messages, and under which conditions these results are achieved. An experiment was performed to measure user learning and comprehension of five sets of messages of increasing information size and complexity on a simulated three-light visual display. Results show that these “pixel-based” displays can transmit detailed, information-rich messages up to 6.75 bits in size with minimal training.

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