Aiding Complex Decision Making Through Augmented Reality

Abstract

Military personnel must perform in complex contested environments, where the challenges of decision making under fatigue or duress are common. An increased situational awareness will support individual and team decision making; however, current technological aids often obstruct real-world views and provide limited shared situational awareness. To overcome these difficulties, we are currently developing an Intelligent Augmented Reality Model (iARM) framework that will include: 1) an open source operating system that supports geolocation/triangulation, 2) data services that integrate voice, video, and images for facial/object recognition and pattern analysis, and 3) a hardware platform that integrates a computer processor, encrypted wireless, camera/video, and visor display. iARM will address various issues confronting soldiers today. Currently, access to information may be slow and inaccurate, information may be context-ignorant, systems do not learn over time, and handheld devices may distract from environmental information. iARM's primary goals are to improve decision making through increased situational awareness and reduced cognitive load during duress. Functioning as part of the human-machine system, iARM would provide military support across multiple domains. For example, iARM could present a flee path or create a model to enhance collective memory from a historical perspective by sensing environmental cues. This support would be presented via a naturalistic and unintrusive information display, augmenting the field environment.