Author Description

In order to study the effect of display configuration on the spatial awareness facet of situation awareness (SA), we modified three displays with visual spatial enhancements to study their effects on local awareness and guidance and on global spatial awareness. A 2D coplanar display, a 3D exocentric display, and a 3D immersed/2D plan view display were modified using object display enhancements and visual momentum techniques. Pilots flew each display in a simulated low level tactical environment. Pilots' tasks were to navigate by the most direct route possible between waypoints positioned in 3D space and avoid stationary air and ground hazards (local awareness and guidance tasks). Additionally, they had to detect and verbally locate the position of intruder aircraft relative to ownship (clock position, relative altitude, and distance) that appeared on the screen. They also judged if and where the intruder would cross ownship's flight path (front, behind, not crossing) and the intruder's altitude change (climbing, level, or descending) (the global spatial awareness tasks). Results showed the spatial enhancements were effective in increasing local and global spatial situation awareness but did not eliminate all of the costs associated with each display format. The discussion explores the benefits and remaining costs of each display format in the context spatial situation awareness.