HomeOptimization of computer output for cockpit displays
John Uhlarik, PhD
During the year, two graduate students received support to work on projects related to aviation human factors. The focus of the research was on ways to optimize the formatting of computer generated information as it applies to cockpit displays. Kimberly Raddatz and Christina Prey conducted research on a variety of issues regarding the presentation of weather, traffic, and terrain information. The initial projects were instrumental to obtaining an FAA contract to examine usablility issues and to establish certification guidelines for currently available weather avionics and weather information service providers. The students made two presentations at a NASA/FAA weather workshop held at NASA Langley research center.
In addition, four graduate students (Peter Elgin, Christina Prey, Kimberly Radditz, and Rickey Thomas) received support from the KSG to develop an entry to the NASAS SATS Program Student Design Competition. They won first place in the Systems Innovation Category and also received the highest overall ratings of all the categories. As a result two of the students (Elgin and Thomas) were awarded Summer Research Fellowships at the NASA LAngely Research Center, and all four made a technical presentation at a NASA Technical Forum at AirVenture in Oskosh Wisonsin.