Supporting the Design of Autonomous Platform Behaviors with an Adapted Cognitive Task Analysis

Author(s):

Craig J. Johnson, Joe T. Rexwinkle, and Julia L. Wright

Abstract:

Future robotic platforms are anticipated to include autonomous technology that will work interdependently with operators to execute complex tasks. Therefore, it is important to understand the nature of these behaviors more precisely in order to design effective systems. This report provides generalized guidelines for developing a contextual understanding of military tasks in support of robotic platform development. It describes how that process was applied to elicit and characterize the berm drill—a common, crew-level, tactical task in armor formations—to support the design of a vehicle platform outfitted with autonomous technology. The process includes an extended cognitive task analysis, which was tailored to capture elements needed for effective algorithm and system design in anticipated iterations of robotic platforms capable of performing mobility and target identification functions interdependently with an operator.