Attempt to evaluate pictogram complexity using fractal dimension

Abstract

Pictograms are used in a variety of situations, including road signs, public facilities such as train stations and airports, evacuation guidance during disasters, and icons on computer screens. Pictograms can provide guidance and instructions without being affected by language differences. For example, a foreigner who does not understand the script or language of the country may not be able to understand a sign written in the language but may be able to understand a pictogram. Thus, pictograms have the advantages mentioned above. Pictograms must be easy to understand, so that people can understand what they mean immediately, but there are pictograms that are difficult to understand. We assume that there are many factors that contribute to the understandability of a pictogram, one of which is the complexity of the pictures in the pictogram. For example, if there are many picture elements in a pictogram, it becomes more complex, and it may take that much longer to read and may be difficult to understand. Therefore, we would like to investigate the relationship between pictogram picture complexity and reading time. It is first necessary to quantify the pictogram's pictorial complexity to investigate the relationship.In this paper, we attempt to quantify the complexity of pictogram images using fractal dimension. Kosaka et al. conducted an experiment in which 13 participants read 56 pictograms and answered what each pictogram was. The answers and reading time when they read pictograms were recorded. We calculated the fractal dimension of these pictograms and examined the relationship between the calculated fractal dimension values and the reading time, the calculated fractal dimension values and the percentage of correct answers to what the pictogram indicated. The experimental results indicated that the reading time and the percentage of correct answers rate were not correlated with fractal dimension.

Keywords: Pictogram, Fractal Dimensions, Complexity, Reading Time

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1004810