Abstract
To enhance the peripheral legibility of numerals we designed three versions of the digits from 1 through 9 by modifying the complexity of each numeral (equivalent to their digit skeleton) while controlling for variations in other physical parameters. Observers identified the different versions of the digits in random three-digit strings, presented within their peripheral visual field. Our results showed that the digit ‘1’ should have a narrow design without a crossbar at the bottom, the digits ‘3’ and ‘9’ should benefit from open apertures, and the digit ‘7’ should have a straight leg and no serif at the horizontal bar. The data further demonstrated that crowded digits presented in the periphery of the visual field generally profit from a short morphological skeleton. The findings can improve the identifiability of numbers for readers with normal visions as well as for readers with central visual field loss.
Keywords
typefaces, numerals, legibility, inclusive design
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2018.246
Citation
Beier, S., Bernard, J., and Castet, E. (2018) Numeral Legibility and Visual Complexity, in Storni, C., Leahy, K., McMahon, M., Lloyd, P. and Bohemia, E. (eds.), Design as a catalyst for change - DRS International Conference 2018, 25-28 June, Limerick, Ireland. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2018.246
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Numeral Legibility and Visual Complexity
To enhance the peripheral legibility of numerals we designed three versions of the digits from 1 through 9 by modifying the complexity of each numeral (equivalent to their digit skeleton) while controlling for variations in other physical parameters. Observers identified the different versions of the digits in random three-digit strings, presented within their peripheral visual field. Our results showed that the digit ‘1’ should have a narrow design without a crossbar at the bottom, the digits ‘3’ and ‘9’ should benefit from open apertures, and the digit ‘7’ should have a straight leg and no serif at the horizontal bar. The data further demonstrated that crowded digits presented in the periphery of the visual field generally profit from a short morphological skeleton. The findings can improve the identifiability of numbers for readers with normal visions as well as for readers with central visual field loss.