User-Centered Interfaces

In creating user-centered interfaces, we focus on improving the ability of computers to understand more about what the user is doing, saying, and thinking in order to provide the user with information based on how they are best able to operate and communicate.

Objectives

The technology and ability to collect large volumes of information from diverse sources and deliver that information in the form of active screen displays to warfighters are rapidly exceeding an individual's ability to prioritize and assimilate critical information and respond quickly and accurately. We are helping humans to more efficiently and effectively interact with machines. We focus on improving the ability of computers to understand more about what the user is doing, saying, and thinking and thereby provide information to a user based on how they are best able to operate and communicate.

Key Technologies

We are developing and delivering a number of innovative technologies including:

• Speech-Understanding System, Intelligent Environment (SUSIE) is a speaker-independent, spoken-language understanding system already fielded to multiple domains, including logistics, shipboard monitoring, and control of unmanned vehicles.
• Alert mediation and context recovery is a highly extensible application framework of the engine for the Human Alerting Interruption Logistics system. It provides a user with negotiation-based controls to enable the most effective handling of the most critical alerts presented to a user.
• Multimodal interaction provides the ease and flexibility needed to swiftly report via a mobile device in the field. It combines handwriting with speech and pen gesture on a map.
• Improving warfighter information intake under stress uses neurological and physiological sensors to present information to a user in a stressful, high-workload environment. Based on sensor feedback, the system changes timing, modality, and format of information presented to the operator. We are applying this technology to the Tactical Tomahawk Weapons Control System.
• Human Alerting Interruption Logistics (HAIL) manages high-frequency alerts to operators in the Aegis Combat Information Center. HAIL is expected to transition to the fleet through the Aegis Open Architecture.
• Usability study for speech activated Apache pilot assistant reduces pilot distraction by providing key information through a Heads Up Display and spoken-language interface.
• Dynamic Tactical Targeting (DTT) integrates fusion, prediction, and dynamic sensor-management components to help manage the collection process. We are designing, developing, and testing a human centered interface for the Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Commander's Interface in collaboration with Lockheed Martin Integrated Systems and Solutions-Denver (IS&S).
• Learning Analyst Profiles (LAP) is part of the Analyst Automation project. LAP will increase performance and reduce workload of intelligence analysts by identifying and suggesting the highest-interest information given the current circumstances in collaboration with Lockheed Martin IS&S-Valley Forge.

Applications and Transition Opportunities

We have several technologies ready for transitions into a variety of applications:

• Speech-Understanding Systems are capable of understanding natural, spoken-language in most accents and in noisy environments. This technology can be used as a control device, allowing a pilot or operator to speak to the aircraft naturally, as if it were an additional crewmember, and use it to operate a wide range of other systems.
• Alert Mediation and Context Recovery can be integrated into many command-and-control or situational- awareness environments to help operators determine the criticality of alert information and return to normal operations once an alert has been resolved.
• Augmented Cognition that uses a variety of sensors to detect an operator's level of stress and then adapt the manner in which information is presented to the operator, thereby achieving maximum efficiency in highly stressful environments.

User-Centered Interfaces is one of several Business Areas for the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory