Your man/machine interface must be available 100% of the time. Naturally, your display therefore must be an environmentally ruggedized, full color, tri-notch filtered, high-contrast, sunlight readable, active matrix liquid crystal display (AMLCD) with a heater, a cold-cathode fluorescent backlight, and dual mode day/night dimming ranges. For graphically rich, multifunction indication with a need for full color, this could be so; but for a dedicated-function or alphanumeric multiple function display, the size, cost of packaging that AMLCD into your available envelope could be prohibitive; not to mention the latent expense of managing the source stability risks. For dedicated functional requirements a rugged, backlit direct drive or low mux rate segmented or dot matrix transflective LCD may be a very cost effective solution. Three instruments that provide just such a solution for a bubble canopy environment and that also include NVIS Green A chromaticity and NVIS Class A radiance-compliant LED backlighting will be reviewed, along with their operational requirements.
The following paper presents a summary of flight demonstration results on dichroic liquid crystal displays (LCDs) subjected to over one year field use in harsh continental US fielded conditions. The LCD modules were subjected to actual solar loading to test for UV and mechanical damage that resulted in void formation in the liquid crystal. White spots or gas bubbles that appeared as white areas in the black background of a dichroic liquid crystal display were observed. This presentation is based on the original presentation of Electronic Liquid Crystal Display Environments and Military Applications for SPIE AeroSense '95, Cockpit Displays session. Conclusions form 1995 will be briefly reviewed and compared to results of fielded units as well as the results of the laboratory testing on samples utilizing LCD technologies. The time frame for the field demonstration data will include up to the date of the paper submission and will cover a minimum of 14 months of field use. The original concerns of the end user and the major results of the analysis of the dichroic LCDs after voids were found in less than one year of original deployment will be reviewed. The field demonstration took place in the weapons system that showed the highest incident of voids over that deployment period, and second weapon system under identical field use. Data was collected on equal numbers of units of original configuration and improved configuration LCD modules in weapons system deployment in the southwestern US.
The Liquid Crystal Display provides a necessary information interface to pilots from their aircraft and equipment. In order to successfully complete mission requirements, increased amounts of information are made available to pilots. The control of commercial and military air transports, weapons systems and ordinance that contain the highest technology electronics requires pilots to have instant access to large amounts of data. Mechanical dials and 'steam gauges' alone do not have the capability to provide that data. Operational readiness comes with a need for all display systems to have the utmost availability, reliability and maintainability. Original specifications developed from the initial use of smaller fixed format liquid crystal displays have been reproduced over the years with little specification maintenance or attention to actual environmental demands that may or may not have been apparent with mechanical dials (white paint on black dials). As the Liquid Crystal Display grows increasingly important in the aircraft, the need for improved reliability increases. The examples that follow will suggest that further definition is needed on exactly how and where the displays are to be used, and in what environments they will be required to survive. With cooperative efforts of among equipment designers, display designers, and specification writers, new and updated specifications targeted directly for liquid crystal display systems will help to achieve cost effective, high reliability information display systems for users.
MIL-L-85762 defines the optical performance requirements of displays in military aircraft cockpits where compatibility with night vision systems is required. A detailed description of the measurement techniques and of the results will be presented. A measurement technique that best simulates actual usage will be recommended.
Electronic display readability in all display operating environments is the final goal of display design. There are a number of operating environment and display performance characteristics that influence readability. The effects of the performance characteristics vary according to the environment. No one display technology or component can give a complete solution to readability requirements without attention to all of these variables. It is strongly recommended that a display designer be included during the early stages of the cockpit or flight deck design process. Otherwise, the display requirements may not reflect the real needs of the user's environment.
Conference Committee Involvement (1)
Defense, Security, and Cockpit Displays III
19 April 2006 | Orlando (Kissimmee), Florida, United States
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