Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea (대한인간공학회지)

Ergonomics Society of Korea (대한인간공학회)
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An Experimental Study on the Impacts of Luminance Contrast Upon Readability in VDT Environments

휘도대비가 가독성에 미치는 영향에 대한 실험 연구 - 화면 크기와 가독량을 고려한 휘도대비 가이드라인 -

  • Lee, Su-Jin (Department of Visual Communication, Hongik University) ;
  • Kim, Jin-Woo (School of Business, Yonsei University)
  • Published : 2007.05.31
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Abstract

The study investigates the effects of luminance contrast, which is the contrast between text color and background color, on readability in VDT environments. Our research goals are to prove that the relationship between luminance contrast and readability is not linear and to explore the best luminance contrast level for optimal readability. We conducted two pretests before the main experiment to determine the operational readability and luminance contrast levels. We also conducted a controlled main experiment, in which luminance contrast, reading amount and screen size were tested in terms of its relation with readability. The results of the main experiment indicate that the readability has a non-linear relation with luminance contrast, and the optimal readability is obtained when the contrast is equal to 0.951. Furthermore, the non-linear function and optional point stay constant regardless of screen size and reading amount. The paper ends with implications of the results that maximal contrast does not always mean the optimal readability.

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