Icarus: Human-Machine Interface Design Concepts for Directed Energy Weapons

The design of the High Energy Laser (HEL) operator Human-Machine Interface (HMI) faces a number of challenges. The HEL operator will be asked to deal with large quantities of information and fast-paced task demands over a wide variety of tasking. These multiple and high-frequency task demands could lead to fatigue and lethal errors. Pacific Science & Engineering is highly experienced in developing evidence-based, effective HMIs for information-rich, fast paced, and high stakes environments. The objective of this Phase I effort is to develop innovative and effective HMI concepts and provide analyses to demonstrate the viability of these concepts so that they can be fully realized as high-fidelity prototypes in Phase II. During Phase I, PSE will use its proprietary user-centered design methodology to develop an evidence-based concept for the HEL operator HMI and then assess its feasibility. The benefits of these new, evidence-based operator HMI concepts are that they fit the operators’ tasking, workflow, and cognitive capabilities, thereby reducing operator fatigue, response delay, and error while improving operator situation awareness and decision making. The application goal is full implementation of these HMI concepts within the HEL system by applying the HEL HMI style guide to be developed by this project.