Supervisory HMI Enabling Practical Autonomous Robot Direction (SHEPARD)

Despite demonstrated successes, significant barriers remain to the widespread integration of unmanned systems into military operations. Current control schemes require a trained operator to remotely control an unmanned system in response to a Commanders orders. This added layer of indirection increases the complexity of the command structure, introducing latency and reducing situational awareness. Charles River Analytics proposes to develop a Supervisory HMI Enabling Practical Autonomous Robot Direction (SHEPARD). The proposed human-machine interface (HMI) consists of a portable software package and a modular hardware kit, including a camera and a lightweight, wearable operator control unit (OCU). SHEPARD fuses multiple proven robot control technologies to provide a natural and reliable hands-free HMI for soldiers operating in diverse environments. A key innovation of the proposed HMI is the development of a context-sensitive control module enabling natural, reliable control of multiple platforms by fusing multi-modal inputs (e.g., voice, gestures) with operational context.