Characterizing Human Visual Performance in Dim Industrial Environments: An Eye-Tracking Sensor-Based Study on Mine Monitoring Interface Layouts

In underground mining operations, intelligent electronic monitoring and control systems have gradually become essential tools for practitioners to obtain operational information. Because underground mines are characterized by low-light environments that differ substantially from above-ground natural lighting, screen-related factors can strongly affect visual search tasks. It is therefore important to examine how interface layout influences visual search efficiency under low-illuminance mining conditions. This study utilized eye-tracking sensing technology to evaluate user performance within a simulated underground electronic monitoring and control system. Interface layout and ambient illuminance were set as experimental variables to investigate their effects on users’ search efficiency, quantitative eye-movement metrics, and usability satisfaction. The results showed that interface layout and ambient illuminance had significant main effects on task completion time, fixation count, saccade count, and subjective usability score. Among the tested layouts, the Three-Column Layout (THCL) showed the most favorable performance in task completion time, fixation count, and subjective usability score, while visual search efficiency was generally higher under the 50-lx condition.