Effects of electronic‐book display and inclination on users' comprehension under various ambient illuminance conditions

Abstract— This study used several electronic‐book (e‐book) displays (a conventional LCD under transmissive mode, a conventional LCD under reflective mode, a Ch‐LC display, and an e‐ink display) to investigate the effect of e‐book inclination (105° and 135°) and ambient illuminance (200, 800, 1500, and 2200 lux) on the comprehension of subjects. Results indicate that the ambient illuminance does not significantly affect the comprehension of subjects. However, their comprehension differed significantly when using different e‐book displays. In addition, the interaction between illuminance and e‐book display had a significant effect on their comprehension. When the ambient illuminance was set at 800, 1500, and 2200 lux, the subjects' comprehension for reading different e‐book displays did not show a significant difference. When the ambient illuminance was set at 200 lux, however, their comprehension for reading a Ch‐LC display, an e‐ink display, and a conventional LCD under transmissive mode were better than their comprehension of reading a conventional LCD under reflective mode. Regarding the inclination for using e‐books, the subjects' comprehension was better under 105° than that under 135°.     

Background illumination and its effects on peripheral visual awareness for miners using cap lamps

The effects on the detection of objects moving in the peripheral field of adding ambient illumination (giving an illuminance of 5 lux) to that provided by a miner's cap lamp were examined in simulated underground conditions. The results indicated that an object moving into the visual field was detected at a significantly wider angle with the 5 lux ambient illuminance than without it and that greater target reflectance also increased the range of peripheral vision.     

Effects of cricket ball colour and illuminance levels on catching behaviour in professional cricketers

In recent years there have been many alterations to equipment and technology in professional cricket, including the introduction of white balls during day — night matches. In the present study simulated slip-catching performance and movement initiation time were examined in professional cricketers when ball colour and illuminance levels differed. Five male professional cricketers (mean age: 27.3 ± 1.4 years) volunteered to catch a total of 60 cricket balls, 20 (10 red and 10 white) under each of three illuminance levels (571, 1143 and 1714 lux). Balls were projected from a ball machine at 20 m s^?1 (45 mph) over a distance of 8.4 m, to the subject's dominant side. Catching performance was measured using an established catching scale. Movement initiation times for each hand were also calculated for each trial using a motion-analysis system. Data were submitted to separate two-way (ball colour [2] × illuminance level [3]) repeated measures analysis of variance. No significant effects were obtained for ball colour or illuminance levels for either catching performance or movement initiation time. Neither ball colour nor light level (within the range tested) affected slip-catching performance and movement initiation times in professional cricketers. Therefore it was concluded that the changes made to ball colour and light conditions in professional cricket were not detrimental to catching performance.     

Measuring the effects of lighting on the readability of electronic devices

The aim of this study was to understand to what extent people can read e‐paper devices under various conditions of ambient illuminance that can occur indoors. In this study, 110 young to elderly subjects participated in an experiment to evaluate the effects of 14 different levels of ambient lighting on their reading from three different electronic devises and paper text. The participants were asked to undergo a timed read task and then to evaluate the readability of two eReader devices (a regular electronic display and one with a front light) in comparison with a backlit liquid crystal device and conventional paper text. The results indicated that backlit and front lit devices are easier to read at less than 200 lx and the reflective device is easier to read at levels above 500 lx.     

Investigation of perceived image quality and colourfulness in mobile displays for different cultures,ambient illumination,and resolution

This study explored the effects of culture, ambient illumination, and resolution on perceived image quality and colourfulness of mobile displays. Thirty Taiwanese and 30 American students participated in the experiment. Two types of culture (Taiwanese and American), two types of illumination level (1500 lux and 7000 lux), and five types of resolution level (320×240, 260×208, 200×160, 140×112, and 80×64) were investigated in the experiment. Interactions between culture and resolution, and between illumination and resolution, were found for both perceived image quality and colourfulness. The results indicated that subjects were able to detect smaller differences in perceived image quality but not for colourfulness, and Taiwanese subjects could detect smaller differences than could the American subjects for both perceived image quality and colourfulness. The results further indicated that Taiwanese subjects were able to detect smaller differences at most of the resolution levels for colourfulness in 1500 lux than were the American subjects.

Practitioner Summary: This study found, from culture differences and ergonomics considerations, that Taiwanese subjects could detect smaller differences than could American subjects when evaluating perceived image quality and colourfulness on mobile displays. Mobile display manufacturers can use the results of this study as a reference for future mobile display design.     

Effects of ambient illuminance on users' visual performance using various electronic displays

Abstract— This study investigated the effect of ambient illuminance (50, 500, 1500, 3000, 6000, and 9000 lx) on participants' visual performance using four electronic displays (conventional LCD under transmissive mode, conventional LCD under reflective mode, Ch‐LC display, and E‐ink display). Analysis results indicate that participants' visual performance shows significant difference under various ambient illuminance and electronic displays. The interaction between ambient illuminance and electronic display also has significant effect on participants' visual performance. When participants use the conventional LCD under transmissive mode, ambient luminance has no significant effect on participants' visual performance. However, participants' visual performance is significantly different under various ambient illuminances using the conventional LCD under reflective mode, Ch‐LC display, and E‐ink display. The conventional LCD under transmissive mode is the only choice at a lower illuminance of 50 lx. Higher illuminance (500 lx) for E‐ink displays may result in as good a performance as the conventional LCD under transmissive mode; nevertheless, much higher illuminance (1500 lx) for the conventional LCD under reflectance mode and Ch‐LC display may achieve better performance.     

Visual recognition efficiency of handheld infrared thermometer interface information under low ambient illuminance

One of the symptoms of plagues, epidemics or pandemics is often a fever, so during such unprecedented times, handheld infrared thermometers are vital devices for monitoring symptomatic individuals. It is therefore very important to enhance reading efficiency when these thermometers are used for lengthy periods of time in a low illuminance environment. The need for the efficient reading of infrared thermometers or a fast reaction time when reading the information is even more relevant now during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, a target search experiment of digital characters is carried out through a simulated interface and use scenarios of a handheld thermometer based on three variables: the inclination angle or slant of the seven segment display characters, screen brightness, and ambient illuminance. The experimental results show that the inclination angle or slant of the characters and ambient illuminance have a significant effect on the reaction speed. In general, the slowest reaction time is found when reading characters with a slant of 10° to the left and the reaction time is the fastest with a right slant of 20°. A continued reduction in ambient illuminance does not affect the visual recognition performance but instead further enhances reading efficiency. Increasing the screen brightness increases the reaction time more in relatively low ambient illuminance conditions as opposed to relatively high ambient illuminance, which implies that in higher ambient illuminance conditions, a brighter screen needs to be used to obtain the same reaction speed as that in lower ambient illuminance conditions.     

Effects of ambient illuminance and electronic displays on users' visual performance for young and elderly users

Abstract— This study investigated the effects of age (young participants aged 20–30 and elderly participants older than 60), ambient illuminance (50, 500, 1 500, 3000, 6000, and 9000 lx) on participants' visual performance when using various electronic displays (conventional transmissive LCD, Ch‐LC display, and E‐ink display). Overall, the results indicated that participants' visual performance showed sign if icant difference among various ambient il luminance cond itions, electronic displays, and between two groups of participants. Significantly different visual performance was observed between young and elderly participants. The interaction among ambient illuminance, type of electronic display, and age had a significant effect on participants' visual performance. When participants used the E‐ink display, both young and elderly participants had significantly worse visual performance under an ambient illuminance of 50 lx compared to other illuminance settings. When participants used the Ch‐LC display, young participants had significantly worse visual performance under an ambient illuminance of 50 lx compared to other illuminance settings, but elderly participants had significantly better visual performance under an ambient illuminance higher than 1500 lx. When young participants used a conventional transmissive LCD, the ambient illuminance had no significant effect on their visual performance. When elderly participants use a conventional transmissive LCD, an illuminance of 50 and 6000 lx seem to have a detrimental effect on their visual performance.     

Effects of contrast and ambient illumination on visual discomfort of autostereoscopic display

The conflict between vergence and accommodation is the main perceptual factors contributing to visual discomfort when viewing autostereoscopic display. The key factors relevant to the accommodation and vergence are the ambient illumination and the contrast. The current study was a 2 × 3 × 3 mixed design comparing VFSI and VIMS symptoms between 2D and 3D video clips with three contrast levels under three ambient illumination levels on the autostereoscopic display. Twenty participants were required to evaluate the degree of discomfort by filing out questionnaires after watching those video clips. According to the result analysis, the 3D viewing participants reported more severe symptoms compared to 2D. The moderate contrast conditions were found to be the optimum for viewing comfort. The difference between VFSI and VIMS symptoms become larger with increasing contrast. The results also suggested the optimum 3D illumination condition should not be too high to effectively relieve visual discomfort. VIMS symptoms were more sensitive to the changes in ambient illumination than VFSI. Moreover, significant interaction between contrast and ambient illumination was found. Participants felt the most comfortable in the combination effect of moderate level of contrast and the high level of ambient illumination.     

Relationship between age differences and display parameters on visual comfort for autostereoscopic display

In order to investigate the age differences for viewing autostereoscopic display, we conduct a 3 × 3 × 3 × 4 mixed design with repeated measurement experiment by using three‐dimensional (3D) video clips. Visual comfort is compared between four age groups with a questionnaire. Results of subjective evaluation are compared through the chi‐square test to check if there is a statistical significance between groups with respect to the distribution of number and proportion according to five levels of visual comfort. Then we examine age differences of visual comfort under three key display parameters including crosstalk, ambient illumination, and disparity. The results indicate that the degree of comfort varies considerably among age groups as the parameters of the display system change. Although the seniors feel most discomfort and the children get best experience in general, there is no statistical difference among the subjects when the ambient illumination is medium or disparity is large. So, it is necessary to take account of the age differences in designing 3D display parameters for enhancing visual comfort.     

The effects of graphic metaphor,gesture interaction,and form factor on e‐book performances and preferences

Reading e‐books on touch‐based mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet personal computer (PCs) are increasing. We conducted a comparative study on the usability of e‐books provided on smartphones and tablet PCs, which are typical touch‐based mobile devices. An experiment was carried out to see the effects of graphic metaphor and gesture interaction. This study evaluated reading speed, readability, similarity, and satisfaction for 16 combinations of e‐book interfaces (two Metaphor levels × four Display size and Screen modes × two Gesture levels). Overall, performance and subjective ratings showed better results on tablet PCs with larger fonts on a larger screen than on smartphones with smaller fonts on smaller screens. In the smartphone‐landscape mode, the effect of turning a page is a factor that hinders the speed of user reading. In contrast, the users’ readability, similarity, and satisfaction were higher when the page‐turning effect was provided. It showed faster reading speeds when a flicking interaction is provided on tablet PCs. From the standpoint of readability, the portrait mode was better on smartphones. Also, the tablet PC‐portrait mode was the most satisfactory.     

Organic LED full-color passive-matrix display

Abstract— A full-color 5.2-inch 1/4-VGA passive-matrix organic LED display has been developed, adopting selective deposition for the different emitting materials. The display features 320 (×3) × 240 pixels with an equivalent pixel size of 0.33 × 0.33 mm, white peak luminance of over 150 cd/m², and power consumption of 6 W.     

Optimization of operating parameters of video display units in text reading task: Luminance contrast,viewing distance,and character size

Abstract— The purpose of this study is to determine the reading performance of operators on a desktop computer. The effects of luminance contrast, viewing distance, and character size on the speed of reading were investigated. The luminance contrast between the background and character was varied while color contrast was held near‐constant. Stimuli with different levels of character size, viewing distance, and luminance contrast were considered while assessing the readability performance. The luminance contrast between the background and character (0.01, 0.15, and 1.00), character sizes (0.2, 1.5, and 4°), and viewing distance (40, 50, and 60 cm) were used, and the performance of the operators were recorded in terms of words per minutes (WPM). Standard workplace design recommendations to position the center of the visual display terminal (VDT) 15° and 40° below horizontal eye level were used for the visually intensive readability task. An orthogonal array, the signal‐to‐noise (S/N) ratio, and the analysis of variance (ANOVA) were employed to investigate the above‐mentioned operating parameters to determine the optimum readability performance. The results indicated that performance was better at a 15° viewing angle as compared to a 40° viewing angle.     

Lighting level and productivity: a field study in the electronics industry

The effect of illuminance on the speed and the quality (percentage of errors) with which workers assemble electronic devices was studied in an electronics factory in The Netherlands. For the study, the horizontal illuminance was alternated per work shift between 800 and 1200 lux. The first test was done during the summer and a second test during the winter. A significant effect of illuminance has been found. With 1200 lux at the working plane, the speed of production in the summer was 2.9% higher than with 800 lux. In the winter it was 3.1% higher with the increased illuminance. There was no significant effect of the illuminance on the percentage of errors.     

Investigation of legibility and visual fatigue for simulated flexible electronic paper under various surface treatments and ambient illumination conditions

This study employs simulated electronic paper to investigate critical issues and focuses on improving legibility of display and reducing users' visual fatigue. Three critical factors - choice of surface treatment, ambient illumination, and bending curvature - are evaluated through the method of a letter-search task. The results show that subjects performed better on legibility and felt less visual fatigue with an anti-glare treatment. Choosing the better anti-glare treatment instead of the anti-reflection series can save significant cost for manufacturers. In addition, ambient lighting of 1500 lux is more appropriate for reading on electronic paper than an environment with extreme illumination (e.g., 8000 lux). The present study also found that curvature had no impact on legibility or visual fatigue. These evaluations of simulated electronic paper may provide manufacturers useful information in fulfilling ergonomic requirements for product design.     

Lighting level and productivity: a field study in the electronics industry

The effect of illuminance on the speed and the quality (percentage of errors) with which workers assemble electronic devices was studied in an electronics factory in The Netherlands. For the study, the horizontal illuminance was alternated per work shift between 800 and 1200 lux. The first test was done during the summer and a second test during the winter. A significant effect of illuminance has been found. With 1200 lux at the working plane, the speed of production in the summer was 2.9% higher than with 800 lux. In the winter it was 3.1% higher with the increased illuminance. There was no significant effect of the illuminance on the percentage of errors.     

Implementation of a 3 times zoom lens barrel system for a 5M camera module using a mobile phone

In this study, we developed a small 3 times zoom lens barrel for a 5M camera module to load a mobile phone set. Its dimensions are 16mm × 9mm × 28mm and is constructed with 8 sheets of lenses, two step motors, some gears, a cam plate and so on.     

Psychophysical research on switching between light emitting and reflecting modes of light adaptable display considering equal visibility

Viewing high-luminance displays such as liquid crystal displays or organic light emitting diode displays under low-light conditions causes an unbearable glare, while viewing them with low luminance under bright-light conditions reduces visibility. Recently, several research groups have reported light adaptable displays (LADs) to extend display visibility over a wide range of light conditions. Here, we present a psychophysical study on how to effectively utilize the LAD using two different display types for the first time. LAD features two switchable display types: light emitting mode (LEM) and light reflecting mode (LRM). To maintain visibility and prevent visual artifacts, we investigate when to switch modes between LEM and LRM. We conduct psychophysical experiments involving seventy subjects. They are asked to select illuminance levels under which they perceive that the LEM and LRM look the same depending on luminance of the LEM. We propose a mode-switching condition by combining our previous results on the comfortable luminance of LEM display according to the ambient illuminance and the selected illuminance results providing equal visibility of both LEM and LRM displays.     

应用于矿井LED电子显示牌的点阵式绘图软件设计

针对矿井LED电子显示牌采用矢量图技术绘图存在的图形绘制不精确、可视性差等问题,提出一种可应用于不同型号电子显示牌的点阵式绘图软件设计方案,介绍了该软件的总体设计及BMP图像的灰度化步骤。点阵式绘图软件基于组件的设计理念,实现了所见即所得的绘图功能、文字点阵转换功能、BMP图片导入/转换功能、ICO图标导入/导出功能、模拟显示功能及对外通用接口功能。比较发现,采用点阵式绘图软件绘制的原始图形及实际显示效果均明显好于采用矢量图技术绘制的图形。     

Survey of actual viewing conditions at home and appropriate luminance of LCD‐TV screens

Abstract— To understand actual viewing conditions at home is important for TV design. And the preferred luminance level of LCD TVs under actual viewing conditions is also important in order to obtain both good picture quality and low power consumption. The actual viewing conditions of households and the preferred luminance levels was investigated. In a field test of 83 households, the display luminance, screen illuminance, and viewing locations were measured on site. In laboratory experiments, young and elderly subjects adjusted the luminance of an LCD‐TV screen to their preferred levels under different screen illuminance levels, angular screen sizes, and average luminance levels (ALL) of the images. As a result, two equations, which represent the preferred luminance level of LCD‐TV screens corresponding to different viewing conditions for young and elderly subjects were obtained. When the ALL of the images was 25% and the screen illuminance and angular screen size were set at 100 lx and 20°, respectively, the preferred luminance was 1 60 cd/m² for the young subjects and 248 cd/m² for the elderly subjects. By using the setting of the preferred luminance of an LCD TV under actual viewing conditions, it is possible to conserve energy consumption.