Human Interaction & Visualization Environment (HIVE) for Swarms

Swarming systems are an emerging technology offering new offensive and defensive capabilities, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness for military and commercial unmanned systems. Swarm communication limitations, emergent behaviors, decentralized control, and control of vehicle groups present challenges for human operators interacting with swarms and for the design of swarm systems and user interfaces. In this SBIR, Pacific Science & Engineering (PSE) is addressing these issues by identifying the key human cognitive and perceptual challenges in swarm operations, and engaging in systematic user interface design to develop a Human Interaction & Visualization Environment (HIVE) for Swarms that specifically mitigates those challenges. The HIVE interfaces will integrate concepts and research from ongoing unmanned vehicle control system interface and autonomy efforts, to leverage relevant work and align with development efforts for transition.