Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!ucsd!nprdc!trejo
From: trejo@nprdc.arpa (Leonard J. Trejo)
Newsgroups: comp.cog-eng
Subject: Re: Color in Screen Displays
Summary: There is no simple answer.
Keywords: color, screen display, user interface, fatigue, ergonomics
Message-ID: <1132@arctic.nprdc.arpa>
Date: 5 Dec 88 22:30:36 GMT
References: <2789@hound.UUCP>
Sender: news@nprdc.arpa
Reply-To: trejo@nprdc.arpa (Leonard J. Trejo)
Organization: Navy Personnel R & D Center
Lines: 111

In article <2789@hound.UUCP> nib@hound.UUCP (N.BENIMOFF) writes:
>Does anyone know where I can find some good empirical data relating to
>the following question:  
>
>Are there colors that should be avoided in constructing a user interface
>for presentation on a CRT due to fatigue factors?  I.E., consider the
>following scenario.  We have a user who sits in front of a color CRT
>looking at text and graphics for the better part of an 8-hour shift.
>Are there colors that, more than others, might cause problems of a 
>fatigue or perceptual nature?
>
>Thanks for any help.
>
>Nick Benimoff
>AT&T Bell Laboratories
>att!hound!nib

The question you ask does not yet have a simple answer.  It is the
subject of much current research.  Sometime next year, Plenum will
publish a book, entitled "Color in electronic displays," in which I and
Harry Snyder will have a chapter on measurement of human performance
and David Meister will have a chapter on human performance issues.
A NATO working group (RSG-13) is sponsoring the book.  Until the book
appears, attached are some references that may be helpful to you.
DOD-sponsored technical notes & reports can be obtained from
DTIC (Defense Technical Information Center), Cameron Station,
Alexandria, VA 22304-6145.

Off the cuff, there are two critical factors to be aware of:

1. Do not use color contrasts that primarily produce blue-cone
difference signals (e.g. blue text on yellow background, etc.) for
small symbols.  This will provide poor symbol edge definition, 
reduced legibility, and inadequate cues for accomodation--all of 
which will produce eye strain.  Red- or green cone contrast is 
necessary for small symbols, and the addition of some luminance 
contrast is best.  

2. Use a light background color (e.g. gray) rather than black.  This 
will allow for better perceived levels of colored symbol saturation 
and better color discrimination across varying conditions of
ambient illumination.

			REFERENCES

Boynton, R. M. (1979). Human Color Vision.  New York:  Holt,
                       _____ _____ ______
    Rinehart, & Winston.
Burnette, C. A. (1985) Uses of Color in Complex  Information
                       ____ __ _____ __ _______  ___________
    Displays  (HFOSL  Technical  Note 71-85-04).  San Diego:
    ________
    Navy Personnel Research and Development Center.
Hardesty, G. K. C.  &  Projector,  T.  H.  (1973).  NAVSHIPS
                                                    ________
    Display Illumination Design Guide.  Section I: Introduc-
    _______ ____________ ______ _____   _______ _  _________
    tion to Light and Color.  Annapolis: Naval Ship Research
    ____ __ _____ ___ _____
    and Development Center.
Heglin, H. J. (1973). NAVSHIPS Display  Illumination  Design
                      ________ _______  ____________  ______
    Guide.   Section  II:  Human Factors (Technical Document
    _____    _______  __   _____ _______
    223).  San Diego: Naval Electronics Laboratory.
Meister, D. (1984). Human Engineering Data Base  for  Design
                    _____ ___________ ____ ____  ___  ______
    and Selection of Cathode Ray Tube and Other Display Sys-
    ___ _________ __ _______ ___ ____ ___ _____ _______ ____
    tems (NPRDC Technical Report 84-51).   San  Diego:  Navy
    ____
    Personnel Research and Development Center.
Merrifield,  R.  M.  and  Silverstein,  L.  D.  (1986).  The
                                                         ___
    development and evaluation of color systems for airborne
    ___________ ___ __________ __ _____ _______ ___ ________
    applications:  Fundamental   visual,   perceptual,   and
    ____________   ___________   ______    __________    ___
    display  systems  considerations (NADC Report No. 86011-
    _______  _______  ______________
    60).  Warminster: Naval Air Development Center.
MIL-STD-1472C (1981). Human Engineering Design Criteria  for
                      _____ ___________ ______ ________  ___
    Military Systems, Equipment and Facilities.  Washington,
    ________ _______  _________ ___ __________
    D. C.:  U. S. Department of Defense.
Trejo, L. J., and Lewis, G. W. (1987).  Brain mechanisms for
    human  color  vision.   In  A.  M.  Crawford  and  M. H.
    Metcalfe (Eds.)  FY86  Independent  Research/Independent
                     ____  ___________  ________ ___________
    Exploratory  Development  (NPRDC  Special  Report 87-1),
    ___________  ___________
    January, San Diego: Navy Personnel Research and Develop-
    ment Center.
Trejo, L. J., & Lewis, G. W. (In press).  Sensitivity to hue
    differences  measured  by  visual evoked potentials.  In
    Proceedings    of    the    First    Navy    Independent
    ___________    __    ___    _____    ____    ___________
    Research/Independent  Exploratory Development Symposium.
    ________ ___________  ___________ ___________ _________
    Laurel, MD: Chemical Propulsion Information Agency.
Wagner, D. W. (1977). Color Coding: An annotated  bibliogra-
                      _____ ______  __ _________  __________
    phy (NWC Technical Publication 5922).  China Lake: Naval
    ___  ___ _________ ___________ ____
    Weapons Center.
Wyszecki, G. & Stiles, W. S. (1982). Color Science: Concepts
                                     _____ _______  ________
    and  Methods, Quantitative Data and Formulae.  New York:
    ___  _______  ____________ ____ ___ ________
    John Wiley & Sons.