SHEVI: A Soldier's HMD Eye-Voice Interface

A concept for a Soldier's IM Eye-Voice Interface (SHEVI) is proposed as an ideal technology to provide hands-off control of head mounted display information. SHEVI builds on earlier research performed by the proposed research team which demonstrated the feasibility of versatile discrete and continuous control by combining eye-control and voice-control techniques. SHEVI addresses the extension of the previous eye-voice interface research into the context of applications for mounted and dismounted soldiers, equipped with head mounted displays (HMDs). An approach is presented for adapting known eye and voice interface techniques to the HMD context and for developing new techniques tailored to soldier needs. It is argued, based on published reports and recent experience, that the underlying interaction technologies can be made viable for field operation in the near term. The proposed Phase I effort will culminate in a proof-of-concept demonstration that will show eye-voice interface mechanisms controlling head mounted displays in a mock-up of a military task scenario. SHEVI will provide a versatile and effective interface for use with many complex systems where the human has a continuous or repeated need for information retrieval, where rapid display interaction is required, and where hands-off control is desired. Potential applications are envisioned for current and near term military crewstations, equipment maintenance, teleoperation, and medical procedures. Applications for other complex commercial systems and for a human-system interface for disabled people are also considered.