Two alternate image sources under consideration for the Comanche helmet-mounted display have been evaluated for image quality. These sources were developed under phase IIA of a contract monitored by the Program Manager, Aircrew Integrated Systems (PM-ACIS), Huntsville, Alabama. One source is a 24-micron electroluminescent (EL) display with 1280 x 1024 resolution, developed by Honeywell, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Planar Systems, Inc., Beaverton, Oregon. The second source is a 12-micron liquid crystal display (LCD) also with 1280 x 1024 resolution, developed by Kaiser Electronics, San Jose, California, and Kopin Corporation, Tauton, Massachusetts. Measurements of the following parameters were made for both image sources: pixel geometry, pixel defects, maximum luminance, luminance uniformity, contrast uniformity, Gamma, contrast transfer function, gray levels, and temporal response. Both types of image sources performed reasonably well. However, the EL display suffered from image "burn-in' and excess pixel defects. The LCD display generally performed better; however, a major component, the backlight, which is important in defining maximum luminance and luminance uniformity, was not representative of the backlight to be used in the final design.

Final rept.