ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors report two series of psychophysical studies that they carried out to study night vision goggle (NVG) vision. The first used a model display in which they simulated the distortions that were introduced by NVG so that they could be studied under well controlled laboratory conditions. The second series was concerned with contrast sensitivity and the influence of colored ambient light, a common problem in aircraft cockpits. Because of the application of precise psychophysical techniques, both series led to an enhanced understanding of how a human perceives when using these devices. To understand the substantial effects of NVGs on human visual perception, it is necessary to understand the engineering underlying these devices that permits humans to see in nearly total darkness. The main advantage of NVG devices is that they raise scene luminance sufficiently to allow the observer to see in what would otherwise be visually a completely dark situation.
