AD Hoc Study on Human Robot Interface Issues

Abstract

The Army Science Board Panel was tasked to: (1) Examine Army, DARPA, Navy, Air Force and NASA unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) research and development efforts focused on human-machine interfaces, command and control of robots and supervisory control; (2) Project technologies and capabilities into the 2015-2020 timeframe and assess technology voids that may remain; (3) Determine the availability issues for applicable commercial systems and technologies; and (4) Propose cost-effective options or strategies for addressing identified technology voids. The Panel's findings discuss the absence of a systematic study of human-robot interface design and a disconnect between end-users and the development process. The Panel's overall recommendations include: (1) development of an operational architecture with support from experimental data collected in operationally relevant scenarios in realistic environments; (2) Formulation of an FCS Block I human-robot interaction architecture consistent the FCS Operational Requirements Document in time for the FCS Milestone B decision; and (3) Establishment of a Science and Technology program aimed at developing a technical architecture for human robot interactions focused on autonomous ground robots.