Psychophysical assessments of image-sensor fused imagery.

The goal of this study was to determine the perceptual advantages of multiband sensor-fused (achromatic and chromatic) imagery over conventional single-band nighttime (image-intensified and infrared) imagery for a wide range of visual tasks, including detection, orientation, and scene recognition. Participants were 151 active-duty military observers whose reaction time and accuracy scores were recorded during a visual search task. Data indicate that sensor fusion did not improve performance relative to that obtained with single-band imagery on a target detection task but did facilitate object recognition, judgments of spatial orientation, and scene recognition. Observers' recognition and orientation judgments were improved by the emergent information within the image-fused imagery (i.e., combining dominant information from two or more sensors into a single displayed image). Actual or potential applications of this research include the deployment of image-sensor fused systems for automobile, aviation, and maritime displays to increase operators' visual processing during low-light conditions.

A maritime navigation display that provides visual feedback to improve conning officers' ship-handling during low visibility environments.

Navigating a ship at night in close proximity to another vessel is a dangerous task. To improve conning officers' night time ship-handling performance, a visual navigation display is proposed that is mounted on the stern of the aircraft carrier that will help shipboard conning officers manoeuvre in a battle group formation. To test the effectiveness of the visual navigation display, the Nimitz-class aircraft and plane guard vessel, a Ticonderoga-class cruiser, were modelled in a virtual environment. A navigation display condition had significantly fewer navigational positional errors than a non-navigation display condition. The navigation display provided immediate feedback as to whether the aircraft carrier had changed bearing or speed, thus enabling the operator to initiate the appropriate input to maintain station astern of the carrier. Actual or potential applications of this research include the deployment of a maritime navigation display to assist conning officers' ship handling.