The objective of this project is to develop a method for the prediction of survivability/vulnerability (s/v) to nuclear blast and shock of protective structural facilities. the particular problem is the characterization of expert judgment and technical intuition as elements in the assessment… More

It is essential that we understand the cognitive process underlying strategic and tactical decisionmaking in order to provide the most useful types of decision support. unfortunately, most of the research on decisionmaking has aimed at assessing the applicability of formal statistical decision… More

The rapid emergence of new pilot functions and new cockpit display technology has created a burden for display designers. previously, advances were slow and evolutionary, and there was time to develop and evaluate new display formats. now, progress is faster and revolutionary, so there is less… More

Side scan sonar has developed to the point where it is now an accepted part of hydrographic charting projects, as well as a broad range of ocean search and survey applications. one limitation on its utility, however, is the requirement to operate the system at relatively low speeds (5 knots or lor… More

This project is intended to identify means of evaluating artificial intelligence systems by contrasting their actual level of performance to the level that would have been expected for them. in some ways, the concept is related to the intelligence quotient, which is a ratio of mental age to… More

The objective is to develop artificial intelligence (ai) for increasing manufacturing capabilities. a case-based reasoning (cbr) approach to knowledge elicitation is proposed as a sensitive and effective strategy to derive and represent the critical knowledge. phase i will demonstrate the… More

Experience in making critical decisions under conditions of ambiguity, high risk, and time pressure comprise an essential component of nursing expertise. this aspect of expertise, though recognized as important, is difficult to gain access to or to communicate to others. nonetheless, ifhighly… More

The objective is to develop a knowledge-based assistant for the software engineering (se) process. a case-based-reasoning (cbr) approach to knowledge elicitation is proposed as a sensitive and effective strategy to derive and represent critical knowledge. phase i will demonstrate the feasibility of… More

The objective is to develop a knowledge-based assistant for estimating manpower, personnel, training, and safety requirements for new systems and subsystems. a case-based reasoning (cbr) approach to knowledge elicitation is proposed as a sensitive and effective strategy to derive and represent… More

Better training for decision making is needed, especially at executive levels, through training programs based on theories of proficient decision making. recently a naturalistic theory of decision making has emerged, the recognition-primed decision (rpd) model, which describes proficient decision… More

The objective is to develop a case-based reasoning (cbr) system for determining the allocation methods used by fire direction officers. case-based reasoning is a new approach to expert systems; compared to rule-based systems, cbr appears to be a more efficient, sensitive, and effective strategy to… More

Research is proposed which will test the effect of speech intelligibility levels on performance on an infantry task. the research will be conducted in the field and will use hostage, attack, or defense scenarios. speech intelligibility will be controlled through the use of a filtering circuit which… More

The introduction of artificial intelligence into computer-based instruction (cbi) promised the possibility of sophisticated systems that could provide one-on-one instruction efficiently and economically. unfortunately, efforts to develop systems that represent instructional expertise have been… More

Flight-mission operations can require decision-making under conditions--time pressure, psychological stress, poor information, uncertain communications--that make careful analysis difficult. recent research on strategies of experienced decision makers in complex operational tasks has generated such… More

The existing techniques for evaluating good and poor army unit performnce generate limited and potentially distorted impressions. yet performance measurement is necessary in order to assess the value of new weapons systems, tactics, and organizational structures. there is a need for a global,… More

The problem is that when army trainees reach their units they have forgotten much of the materials presented at their schools. the need is to identify the types of skills and methods that are most likely to result in robust instruction, to provide a firm basis for on-the-job-training (ojt) at the… More

Screening baggage and passengers for concealed weapons and explosives remains a significant component of the aviation security system. recent technological advances enhance our ability to obtain information about the shape and composition of concealed items. however, the development of decision… More

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a potentially life-threatening disease that affects significant numbers of neonates. Low-birthweight, premature infants are at greatest risk. The disease has implications for growth and development of those children who survive it. However, long-term impacts can be… More

Blood banks have an ongoing training need and have recently been mandated by the American Association of Blood Bankers (AABB, 1991) to provide competency evaluations of its staff members. Thus, there is an immediate need to develop criteria for training and methods for evaluating the skills… More

The project is to derive a model for Cognitive Task Analysis (CTA), which is the use of knowledge elicitation methods to probe the decisions, inferences, and situation assessment of people performing tasks, along with the use of representation techniques to convey the knowledge gained to personnel… More

Artificial Intelligence methods can rapidly generate plans for complex situations. However, these plans may be rejected by military experts, who judge dimensions such as robustness using operational rather than computational criteria. This project is designed to capture the tactical and strategic… More

A situational Filter is proposed to harness and focus the power of information technologies so that they do not result in decision-maker information over load. The Situational Filter is a hybrid in which the mental model of the commander directs the process of computer-based categorizing and… More

Klein Associates proposes using a decision-centered design approach to develop an advanced interface configuration for a realistic single- and multi-platform mission rehearsal system. Our approach is contrasted with the more traditional approaches of data- and system-centered design. With… More

This proposal outlines a program of work that will develop a test procedure to identify faulty wing bearings without removing the wing assemblies from the aircraft of Navy F-14 aircraft. The acoustic emission (AE) NDE technique, outlined in this proposal, would provide a nonintrusive, insitu method… More

Advanced information technologies create enormous increases in data availability and the potential for information overload. In addition, the pace of warfare will accelerate. C4I functions, attempting to meet the demands for accelerated planning cycles, will continue to require decision making under… More

Distributed Information Warfare Teams are vulnerable to many problems involving information sharing: inadvertent creation of overload conditions, failure to detect patterns that cross between team members, misinterpretations, and so forth. Many of these difficulties can be addressed by adding more… More

Systems and weapons platforms of the future are going to place more cognitive demands on the operators; conventional task analyses were designed for physical tasks, not for cognitive tasks. Furthermore, future systems will permit dramatically reduced manpower; this will require even more care in… More

We will apply powerful techniques of Cognitive Task Analysis to idenfity and represent the strategies and mental models of skilled maintenance technicians. Routine maintenance can be decomposed into steps and procedures, using methods of linear analysis. In contrast, sustainment attempts to… More

Klein Associates proposes using a decision-centered design approach to develop an advanced interface configuration for a realistic single- and multi-platform mission rehearsal system. Our approach is contrasted with the more traditional approaches of data- and system-centered design. With… More

Distributed Information Warfare Teams are vulnerable to many problems involving information sharing: inadvertent creation of overload conditions, failure to detect patterns that cross between team members, misinterpretations, and so forth. Many of these difficulties can be addressed by adding more… More

Evaluating a course of action (COA) is not trivial. The planner needs to have a strong experience base to detect unintended consequences, and to imagine how the COA will be carried out in the context of the situation. Recent research has identified a variety of several different strategies for COA… More

Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT) create new decision-making challenges for small unit leaders. To train small unit leaders to handle these challenges, we need to describe the decision requirements for MOUT: the critical judgments and decisions, the reasons why they are difficult, the… More

This Phase I SBIR project will test the feasibility of developing an Aircrew Assessment and Instruction Tool (AAIT) designed to aid instructors in delivering key elements of aircrew training. In the Phase I project, we propose to: use Cognitive Task Analysis to document the critical assessment,… More

Not Available We propose to develop a novel computer interface for air traffic control specialists (ATCSs) that integrates voice recognition and eye-tracking to enable hands-free interaction with an ATC display. The proposed research is innovative in that it presents

Not Available The augmented reality vision system for the Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower provides a controller-centered augmented reality display system improving human visual performance in monitoring airport surface operations under poor and zero visibility conditi

Assessing crowd dynamics is a nearly impossible task. The myriad of available data makes it difficult to determine how and when a crowd of people will act and/or react. What is needed is a taxonomy of how experts in the field of crowd dynamics assessmentdo what they do best. How do these… More

Emerging new missions, complex new teams, and rapid deployment goals require effective, integrated training systems to support geographically dispersed teams. Distributed Mission Training (DMT) is a new training concept being pioneered in the military, andin the Air Force in particular. DMT is… More

Vignettes and scenarios have come into widespread use as one basis for instruction. They have met with success, especially for training decision-making skills and the cognitive aspects of task performance. One challenge with using training vignettes is intheir development-what skill or support is… More

The only way to win a battle is to get ahead of the enemy's decision cycle. Traditional warfare has taught us this. Applied to the electronic battlefield, this means that we must first develop a coherent picture of who is attacking our networks and why. Wepropose to develop a tool that will help Air… More

The only way to win a battle is to get ahead of the enemy's decision cycle. Traditional warfare has taught us this. Applied to the electronic battlefield, this means that we must first develop a coherent picture of who is attacking our networks and why. Wepropose to develop a tool that will help Air… More

"Team interaction and coordination are critical elements in the complex systems of today and tomorrow. The field of cognitive engineering (DC) represents human requirements in order to improve design, but it has not yet adequately accounted for teamcomponents. CE has not yet transitioned research… More

"This project will develop a Macrocognitive Assessment Battery (MAB) to enable the Army to determine the readiness of its small unit leaders to handle the challenges created by Objective Force Warrior (OFW). The reliance on information technology in OFWwill increase the cognitive demands on small… More

Distance learning is rapidly becoming a key component in training tomorrow's soldiers, sailors, and aircrews. Among the new training techniques is the use of vignettes that pose realistic scenarios to which trainees must respond, enabling intense focus onspecific learning points and the sharing of… More

Naval systems of the future will be more multi-functional resulting in a higher cognitive demand on the operator. Furthermore, future systems will permit dramatic reductions in manpower that will require even more care in function allocation and willfurther increase cognitive demands on the… More

The Navy is taking revolutionary actions to redesign itself to take advantage of developments in information technology, such as automated systems. This project will explore the feasibility of developing a tool for enhancing operators' situation assessmentin an environment characterized by increased… More

The Army, along with many other organizations, is investing heavily in advanced technology, including information technology, expecting to revolutionize operations. The MINDPRINT program is designed as a front-end analysis tool to identify the cognitivetraining requirements for operating the… More

Navy personnel must be prepared to think and act under fire. Navy systems must support, not hinder, the ability to think and act in situations marked by high stakes, time pressure, ambiguous or conflicting information, and rapid change. How can the Navy leverage information technologies to… More

While assumptions can be made about the behavior of Westerners in response to law enforcement actions, we cannot assuredly say the same for non-Western cultures. Tactics used for crowd control in the U.S. can be interpreted and responded to much differently in diverse cultures. This Phase I will… More

Centralized command and control of air assets has been a goal of many major military operations since the end of World War II. With the ever-increasing importance of air support in modern warfighting tactics, the commander of these assets (the JFACC) must be effective. This is a lofty goal,… More

One of the largest challenges facing our nation's current and future military systems is how to best make use of the remarkable proliferation of information technologies to support human decision processes. There is a sense of extraordinary potential for advancing our collaborative decision… More

The U.S. Navy is taking revolutionary actions to redesign itself around the opportunities afforded by advanced technologies. These technologies provide Navy personnel with greater amounts of data, but that, by itself, is not enough. Information has to serve a purpose: to improve the ability of… More

The purpose of the Joint Force Air Component Commander (JFACC) Expedient Mentoring Interface (JEMENI) research is to address a need in the preparation of JFACCs and their Air Operations Center (AOC) staff. We will expand the results of our Phase I Cognitive Task Analysis (CTA) findings into a… More

The purpose of this Phase II is to develop training in the decision skills needed to control crowds of non-western cultures. In Phase I, military and civilian crowd control experts were interviewed with the Critical Decision Method to uncover crowd control challenges, strategies, and factors, as… More

Cognitive Systems Engineering (CSE) extends the concept of Systems Engineering (SE) with the intent of presenting a framework for engineering systems to support and extend human cognitive capabilities. Unfortunately, the two disciplines, CSE and SE, are rarely coordinated in practice. Both share a… More