Human-Automation Speech Interface

In applications involving human-automation interactions, a two-way speech interface can be an effective and efficient mode to supplement/complement other more common interface designs involving graphical or haptic modes. For defense-related applications, the speech processing system needs to be standalone without dependence on a bank of powerful servers. The primary Phase I activity for this AFWERX SBIR open topic will be for customer discovery to jointly develop a roadmap with an Air Force program for implementation of a speech interface to support human-automation interaction. The speech interface technology developed by Optimal Synthesis Inc. 9OSI0 has gone through several SBIR developments supported by the Navy, DARPA, and NASA, with commercial products deployed under SBIR Phase III awards. The OSI team has successfully applied it to air traffic control (ATC) interaction with UAVs, cockpit interaction between human pilot and flight-control automation, NASA ATC research in replacing human pseudo-pilots with speech agent, and Navy antisubmarine warfare training system. OSI’s speech interface technology has been commercialized as a speech agent under NASA SBIR Phase III awards. Future commercialization to the Air Force will be in the form of tailorable products available for integration by prime contractors for aircraft automation or other needs in operational training.