DEFINITION OF SELECTED TERMS
21 CLW
21st Century Land Warrior
Accommodation
The automatic adjustment of the eyes to achieve focus on objects at different distances from the viewer.
Adaptation
The automatic adjustment of the pupil in response to different levels of ambient illumination.
Attention narrowing
Limiting attention to only one object, class of objects, or sensory channel out of the full perceptual domain--implies possible loss of valuable information.
Built-in test equipment
Computer-based devices that automatically conduct fault detection procedures.
Center of gravity
The physical center of gravity of a person's body together with all attached equipment.
Cognitive capability
The upper limit of a person's ability to process incoming information such that useful conclusions or actions follow.
Conformality
The degree of agreement or match between two superimposed images--as in a see-through display that generates a synthetic outline of an object that is in the field of view and superimposes the outline on the image of the object.
Cue
Information (e.g., a visual signal) that is directive--that points to a particular interpretation or next step.
Manpower and Personnel Integration (MANPRINT)
A formal procedure adopted by the U.S. Army to help ensure the operational effectiveness of human-machine systems.
Situation awareness
Generically, the perception of the elements in the environment within a volume of time and space, the comprehension of their meaning, and the projection of their status in the near future. For a dismounted soldier, it incorporates such specifics as the location of hostile elements relative to one's own position and the status of one's own equipment particularly weapons.
Spatial disorientation
Loss of the perception of one's bodily position in space in relation to some fixed reference object--e.g., the inability to distinguish up from down.
TOW
Tube launched, Optically aimed, Wire guided anti-tank missile.
Vergence
The position (aim line) of one eye relative to the position (aim line) of the other eye.
Visual rivalry
The condition whereby two objects in the visual field elicit attention at the same time but require different ocular orientation or accommodation. If each eye has a different field of view, the image from one eye can be excluded from perceptual awareness--i.e., suppressed.
Workload
The perceived volume of response demands relative to the ability to generate the required responses--i.e., a high workload is one that occupies all or nearly all of a worker's capabilities.