Head-mounted displays in short conjugate simulators: human-machine interface issues

Aviation simulators can be made low-cost, reconfigurable and transportable by using Head-Mounted Displays as the primary image source. With the growth of these applications, there has been a move towards smaller systems, with shorter and shorter distances between the trainee and the screen used for out-the-window visuals. As this distance gets shorter, the HMD depth of focus, the zone of single vision and the interpupillary distance settings begin to have an impact on the user's viewing comfort. This paper will address some of these issues and make recommendations for implementing HMDs in this new generation of simulators.