Developing a Tactical Language for Future Robotic Teammates

Abstract

The transition of robots from valuable tools to useful teammates to humans is contingent upon successful communication methods. Effective communication has been shown to have a positive effect on the development and quality of shared mental models and on performance within human-human teams. Likely, effective communication will have a similarly positive effect within future human-robot teams. The purpose of this effort was, therefore, to develop a vocabulary database that facilitates the identification of suitable terms for tactical Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) in military contexts. The database can be utilized for the selection of appropriate terms to capture mission and movement intent, as well as to inform the selection of alternate terms to reduce communication errors. The end result of this research will help support the development of a human-robot language that enhances shared mental models among team members, and produce better interactions between human-robot teams.