The Principle of the Static Arc with Indirect Mobility in Cognitive Arc-Based Interfaces: From Microbiological Identification to Avionics Systems

This work formalizes the cognitive role of arc-based visual representations across different technological domains. The analysis originates from a microbiological device described in the 1984 Italian patent (IT 1183052), also related to U.S. Patent 4,643,974, developed at Sclavo S.p.A., which provides the empirical basis for the model discussed in this work. The device features a circular arrangement of biochemical tests for the identification of Candida species. In this system, predefined colored arcs do not represent time-varying quantitative values, but act as static logical structures that enable direct visual pattern recognition. The study compares this model with modern visualization systems in avionics, wearable interfaces, and advanced helmet-mounted displays used in fifth-generation aircraft. A fundamental distinction is identified between dynamic arcs, which encode measurable quantities, and static arcs with indirect mobility, which encode logical configurations enabling immediate recognition of complex states. The principle of the static arc with indirect mobility is therefore formalized as a representation model in which information emerges through the progressive activation of a predefined geometric structure. In this framework, the transition from data to decision does not rely on numerical interpretation, but on the direct recognition of visual configurations. The results show that arc-based geometries, when structured as stable configurations, induce pre-attentive visual processing, reducing cognitive load and enabling rapid interpretation of complex systems. This principle provides a general framework for the design of cognitive interfaces that transform data into immediately recognizable forms, with potential applications in high-information environments such as avionics, human–machine interfaces, and sensor fusion systems.