A scalable soldier-machine interface for human-robotic interaction
Brian Samples · Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE · 2007
As part of the Crew-Automated and integration Testbed (CAT) Advanced Technology Objective (ATO), the US Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Research, Development, and Engineering Center (TARDEC) developed crew stations that provided soldiers the ability to control both manned and unmanned vehicles. The crew stations were designed to optimize soldier workload and provide the ability to conduct mission planning, route planning, reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition (RSTA), and fire control capabilities. The crew station software is fully configurable, portable (between crew stations), and interoperable with one another. However, the software architecture was optimized for the specific computing platform utilized by each crew station and user interfaces were hard coded. Current CAT crew station capabilities are required to execute on other crew station configurations as well as handheld devices to meet the needs of expanded soldier roles, including dismounted infantry. TARDEC is currently exploring ways to develop a scalable software architecture that is able to adapt to the physical characteristics of differing computing platforms and devices. In addition, based upon a soldier's role, the software must be able to adapt and optimize the displays based upon individual soldier needs. And finally, the software must be capable of applying a unique style to the presentation of information to the soldier. Future programs require more robust software architectures that take these requirements into account. This paper will describe how scalable software architectures can be designed to address each of these unique requirements.