Quantum Machine Learning for Multi-Robot-Assisted Tactical Augmented Reality

Abstract

Dismounted situational awareness (DSA) is a critical component of military operations. It is enhanced by tactical augmented reality (TAR) systems that overlay digital information onto soldiers' physical environments. Traditional TAR systems rely predominantly on data from soldier-mounted cameras, which can limit their effectiveness and increase the risk of soldiers being exposed to unseen threats. To address these challenges, we propose a new TAR framework called Tactical Augmented Reality on the Move (TAROTM). TAROTM utilizes advanced military robots, such as quadruped unmanned ground vehicles (QUGVs), that are organized into specialized collaborative teams to support sensing, data processing, storage, and analytics. Given the significant volume of data, amount of traffic, and delay constraints associated with TAROTM, we explore quantum machine learning (QML)'s potential to enable real-time data processing, analytics, and distribution. As a case study, we employ QML to optimize sensor-to-shooter data routing in TAROTM. Additionally, we discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with integrating QML in the TAROTM system.