Panel 4: Exploring Policy and Human Performance Issues Associated with Manned, Unmanned, and Autonomous Systems
Friday 5 November 2010 — 11:00-12:30
Moderator: Randall Shumaker, Institute for Simulation & Training. Orlando, FL, U.S.A.
Panelists:
Esther Beltran-Forsythe, MD, Autonoma University of Barcelona, Spain
Jeffrey Bradshaw, Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, U.S.A.
Jessie Chen, U. S. Army Research Laboratory- Human Research & Engineering Directorate, U.S.A.
Ming Hou, Ph.D., Defence Research and Development Canada
ABSTRACT
In this panel, leading researchers will discuss the multi-faceted nature of the scientific and societal issues associated with the development, training, and implementation of manned, unmanned, and autonomous systems. The goal of this panel is to explore policy, technology, and human performance implications cutting across the design, development, and deployment of such systems. The panel will stimulate thinking on how to develop a roadmap for research and policy-development in unmanned systems.
OVERVIEW
This panel brings together leading researchers to discuss the multi-faceted nature of the scientific and societal issues associated with the development, training, and implementation of manned, unmanned, and autonomous systems. The goal of this panel is to explore policy, technology, and human performance implications cutting across the design, development, and deployment of such systems.
First, the variety of potential uses for such systems, coupled with their increasing prevalence in military and civilian operations, presents a series of challenges that must be addressed by the policy community. For example, at the policy level, airspace management and integration must be addressed by civilian (e.g., Federal Aviation Administration and Department of Homeland Security) and military (e.g., Department of Defense) agencies and related organizations. Creating policy and procedures for operating in national and international airspace requires that the complexities inherent in inter-agency cooperation be effectively addressed. Second, at the technology level, the increasing ability to interoperate with manned systems necessitates that we more fully understand how these systems can better address what is known about human-automation teamwork and that these considerations be fully taken into account in the design and operations of these distributed, networked systems. Challenges arising from spectrum management and network interoperability similarly require more strategic inter-agency collaboration. Third, at the operations level, training and certification must be addressed by the human factors and related communities as the varied size and capability of such systems requires that we better understand the knowledge, skills, and aptitudes associated with their safe use. For example, human performance issues, such as trust and confidence in such systems, multi-team coordination with autonomous and semi-autonomous systems, and display design, all necessitate a more integrated approach to system design and training.
In short, this panel will: (1) expose conference participants to the variety of inter-mingled issues associated with manned, unmanned, and autonomous systems; (2) stimulate thinking on the components of a potential roadmap for research and policy-development on these issues; and, (3) engage audience members in a rich dialogue to more fully explore and address these challenges.
PANEL PARTICIPANTS
Randall Shumaker, Panel Chair (Ph.D. Computer Science, University of Pennsylvania), directs the operations of the Institute for Simulation & Training. Previously Superintendent, Information Technology Division, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, he brings considerable expertise in human-machine interface and artificial intelligence to the institute and UCF. His personal research interests include artificial intelligence, biomorphic computing methods, and advanced techniques for software development. As a former Presidential rank Senior Executive, United States of America Voting Member in the NATO Information Systems Technology Panel, and frequent reviewer and advisor for military research programs, he has significant insight into military and high consequence civilian applications of technology. He has had significant success in transitioning research from academia into government and industry. Shumaker is the author of more than fifty scientific publications and is a frequent speaker on a variety of technical topics. He has served as a reviewer for several professional publications and for federal agencies including DARPA, DDR&E, ONR, NASA, and ARL. He received a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Pennsylvania, is a Professional Engineer, and a Commercial Pilot, SEL, MEL, IA.
Jeffrey M. Bradshaw (Ph.D., Cognitive Science, University of Washington) is a Senior Research Scientist at the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC) where he leads the research group developing the KAoS policy and domain services framework. Though his earliest publications were focused on memory and language, his research focus soon turned to a wide variety of topics relating human and machine intelligence. With Ken Ford, he edited the seminal volume Knowledge Acquisition as a Modeling Activity, and became well-known for his role in helping develop a suite of successful methodologies and tools for automated knowledge acquisition. Working with Boeing, he also led groundbreaking industry-wide efforts in aviation safety and training technologies, founding the emerging technologies group of the Aviation Industry Computer-Based Training Committee (AICC). Jeff has helped pioneer the research area of multi-agent systems, and his first book on the topic, Software Agents, became a classic in the field and a best-seller for The MIT Press. He is a member of the Technical Committee for IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics, the IFIP Working Group on HCI and Visualization, and for the Aerospace Human Factors and Ergonomics of the IEA. Recently, he served as co-program chair for Intelligent User Interfaces (IUI 2008) and as Program Vice Chair, 2008 IEEE International Conference on Distributed Human-Machine Systems (DHMS 2008). Along with Maarten Sierhuis, he leads an international series of workshops exploring scientific issues in Human-Agent-Robot Teamwork.
Esther Beltran-Forsythe (MD; Autonoma University of Barcelona, Spain. Dr.PH; Aerospace Medicine/Occupational Medicine, University of Texas –Houston Health Science Center). Dr. Beltran-Forsythe provides professional teaching and training in flight physiology, emergency procedures, and tactical missions to international teams (rotary & fixed wing crews) under Southern Aeromedical Institute. She has extensive experience working, training, and teaching applications of human factors to aerospace industry, space sciences, safety, emergency management, life sciences, aerospace medicine/occupational and environmental health. Dr. Beltran-Forsythe received postgraduate fellowships from the Scandinavian Educational Medical System (Riskhospitalet Oslo, Norway; Uppsala University, Sweden) and she graduated with Masters in Space Science from University of North Dakota. She became a professor for Odegard Center of Aerospace Sciences and Medical School at University of North Dakota. She has worked for NASA-Johnson Space Center developing safety protocols and testing for Astronauts performing extravehicular activities. She is a member of the International Committee for Pre-breathe reduction protocol for construction and assembly of International Space Station under Astronaut Dr. Mike Gernhardt. Dr. Beltran-Forsythe served as Medical Doctor for the underwater archaeological excavation Tektas Burnu in Turkey sponsored by Institute Nautical Archaeological Institute and National Geographic. She has held positions as Assistant Professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University for Department of Aviation teaching Safety in Aviation courses and she has been a member of graduate committee theses and adjunct professor for campuses worldwide. She has served as a medical representative World Health Organization to Department of Labor- Nicaragua diving and fishery industry. She is currently working for Bristow Academy under a Military Training Program dedicated to helicopter pilots of Central and South America. She is a member of the International Committee from AUVSI Headquarters (Association of Unmanned Vehicles Systems International) and is currently President of AUVSI Peninsula Chapter. She is a member of the Aerospace Medical Association, has served as committee member of scientific programs for annual conferences and was a member of the organizational committee of Space Development Summit 2009. Her research interests include developing safety protocols and training programs for work in extreme environments and integrating autonomous systems with humans in high risk occupations.
Jessie Y. C. Chen (Ph.D., Applied Experimental & Human Factors Psychology, University of Central Florida) is a Research Psychologist at U. S. Army Research Laboratory- Human Research & Engineering Directorate (field office in Orlando, Florida. Her research interests include human-robot interaction (HRI), human-vehicle interaction, supervisory control, and individual differences. Jessie is the recipient of the 2008 Army-wide Modeling and Simulation Award for the category of Individual Experimentation based on her research on HRI in multitasking environments.
Ming Hou (Ph.D., Human Factors, University of Toronto) is a Defence Scientist and the Head of the Advanced Interface Group, Defence Research and Development Canada – Toronto, where he is responsible for providing informed decisions to the Canadian Forces on investment in and application of advanced technologies for operator machine interface requirements. His research interests include applied cognition, intelligent adaptive system design, virtual/mixed reality, supervisory control of uninhabited vehicles, and e-learning. Dr. Hou was the Chair of the Symposium on Human Factors and Ergonomics at the 2009 IEEE Toronto International Conference –Science and Technology for Humanity. He has been the Co-Chair of the International Symposium on Mixed and Virtual Reality since 2004.
