Multimodal Interface Toolkit for UAV Systems (MITUS)

Future Army missions will rely on a variety of unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) that require advanced human-system interfaces (HSIs) to achieve mission success in challenging operational environments. Multimodal interfaces, because of their advantages in perceptual bandwidth maximization, represent one particularly promising approach to HSI implementation. To support the development of these advanced HSIs, we propose to design and prototype a Multimodal Interface Toolkit for UAV Systems (MITUS). Three core tasks characterize our approach. First, we will perform a cognitive task analysis on a representative demonstration scenario to: identify sources of information and types of inputs to UAV systems; develop general requirements for operator input and information display; define situational influences on these displays and input requirements; and identify display elements in existing and planned UAV interface systems. Second, we will design and demonstrate feasibility a toolkit that will support the rapid prototyping of new multimodal display and control concepts using readily available hardware and software systems, as well as the integration of these concepts with existing or planned UAV control stations. Third, we will develop a methodology for assessing the impact of each interface concept, including measures of improvement in both task performance and operator situation awareness.