2022 Assessment of the DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory (2024) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
2 Humans in Complex Systems
2 Humans in Complex Systems
Pages 15-34
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 15... ...
Army Research Laboratory (ARL) , "Foundational Research Competencies and Core Competencies," document for the Army Research Laboratory Technical Assessment Board, received March 30, 2022.
|
From page 16... ...
The "Psycho-Social Dynamics of Human Agent Teaming" project explored how team composition affects team performance with AI; what the ideal role of agents is in facilitating optimized team performance in mixed teams of humans and agents; and how perceptions of competence or warmth (e.g., congeniality) in the AI agent affect team acceptance.
|
From page 17... ...
While initial studies have to be done in controlled laboratory studies, further work will be needed to translate the 6 DEVCOM ARL, "HCxS TAB Bi-directional Human-Technology Communication Core Competency," readahead document provided to the Panel on Assessment of Humans in Complex Systems for the November 2, 2022, meeting.
|
From page 18... ...
Research in this core competency leveraged novel and high-quality data sets that were best in class in terms of the sample size, the multi-spatiotemporal scale, and the controlled context of the measures: The presentation "Leveraging Individual Differences and Big Data to Inform Psychological Theory" presented by a researcher at The George Washington University showed research focused on identifying whether, and if so, how individual differences between people influence natural decision-making behaviors. In one project, researchers leveraged data from a smartphone application that simulated the task of airport security 7 DEVCOM ARL "Foundational Research Competencies and Core Competencies" document for the Army Research Laboratory Technical Assessment Board, received March 30, 2022.
|
From page 19... ...
2. Research in this core competency demonstrated excellent synergy using fundamental science to drive improvements in applied technology: The presentation, "Leveraging Big Data to Disentangle Effects of Distractor Interference and Improve Prediction of Visual Search Performance," by an ARL presenter showed research demonstrating development of a process that first uses statistical approaches to model a large human behavioral data set taken during a visual search task and then leverage the extracted model to improve visual display systems in order to enhance human performance in that same visual search task.
|
From page 20... ...
. Working with the INFORMS Laboratory would allow researchers to set up "in-lab" ecologically relevant contexts where big data sets could be acquired from human operators over time into a large human behavioral data base.
|
From page 21... ...
Addressing these questions will require expertise in ergonomics, product development, and coaching and learning science and may be facilitated by the incorporation of wearable sensor technology. Human-Guided System Adaptation Core Competency Accomplishments and Advancements The Human-Guided System Adaptation core competency focuses on research underpinning novel approaches for soldiers to effectively and efficiently guide the adaptation of intelligent technologies to create new or upgraded human-system capabilities.8 The Human-Guided System Adaptation team is leading the field in terms of algorithm, AI, simulation, integration, and implementation of human-guided mechatronic systems.
|
From page 22... ...
The "MEERKAT Intelligent and Interactive Data Structures for Complex Data Types" demo was also very forward-thinking, and it will be interesting to see how its investigators quantify success in this effort. The continuously adaptable exobots demo (presentation name: "Continuously Adaptive Human-inthe-Loop Exobot")
|
From page 23... ...
The associated hackathon, where students tried to understand how it worked, was a nice approach to train people how to think about this space; however, in this case, it would also be important to try to increase the demographic diversity of participants. The "MEERKAT Intelligent and Interactive Data Structures for Complex Data Types" program seeks to answer the question of how to design data structures and the format of data to inspire AI learning -- and so require human supervision to help the AI learn.
|
From page 24... ...
The research aimed specifically at developing better understanding of teams operating in complex environments is exceptional. The human system team interaction team leads have developed metrics -- such as those for qualities like team cohesion, trust, warmth, forcemultiplication factor and collective knowledge development -- as well as field exploitation of these metrics.
|
From page 25... ...
systems that were showcased during and following the INFORMS Laboratory multi-team demonstration were also outstanding, representing significant progress in the challenging task of developing empirically derived and objective metrics for team behaviors, performance, and effectiveness. These two playback systems allow analysts and observers to monitor team behaviors in real time as well as to conduct post hoc analyses to glean insights into team behaviors, communications, and interactions.
|
From page 26... ...
12 DEVCOM ARL, "Foundational Research Competencies and Core Competencies" document for the Army Research Laboratory Technical Assessment Board, received March 30, 2022.
|
From page 27... ...
can be used to shift arousal state and increase task performance and thereby putatively improve human–agent teaming. The "Improving Working Memory in Recurrent Neural Networks via Optimal Noise Control" presentation was impressive on many grounds.
|
From page 28... ...
Research Portfolio Opportunities and Challenges In terms of opportunities, although the presented research is already exemplary and at par with major research institutions, for higher impact at the individual level more focus on "closing the loop" is suggested. That is, in addition to doing basic science research, more emphasis could be spent on applying the knowledge learned into real-world ecological settings, which might further accelerate the research, as well as its impact.
|
From page 29... ...
Two lines of research stood out for computational modeling: (1) phenomenological modeling (e.g., the presentation "Improving Working Memory in Recurrent Neural Networks via Optimal Noise Control")
|
From page 30... ...
The expertise with the human-system team interactions core competency is very good, and it was observed that ARL has equipped itself exceptionally well to be able to explore team performance and team effectiveness. Still, it was not clear that they currently have the in-house research design and statistical expertise to fully exploit their state-of-the-art laboratory tools.
|
From page 31... ...
To meet the needs of the human-system team interactions core competency it was observed that facilities and resources available to the individuals working on the team research at ARL were outstanding with the exception of the INFORMS Laboratory, which, as described above, does not have a convenient or uncomplicated means of updating the software in their large bank of computers and servers due to the local computer security restrictions. This problem poses a significant hindrance to the programmers and research scientists working in the INFORMS Laboratory.
|
From page 32... ...
Currently, this laboratory does not have a convenient or uncomplicated means of updating the software in their large bank of computers and servers due to the local computer security restrictions. This problem poses a significant hindrance to the programmers and research scientists working in the INFORMS Laboratory In particular, the usage of industry-standard and cuttingedge technologies requires continual upgrading and software maintenance, often over the open internet, which is challenging to undertake in the secure network environment that ARL requires.
|
From page 33... ...
, computer scientists, and applied mathematicians who can develop and apply leading edge ML algorithms and tools and computing infrastructure that enables rapid, parallel computation. Expertise in statistical analysis and data science may be grown locally through working more closely with ARL's extramural partners or by expanding the educational and training opportunities focused on statistical analysis and data science for current staff.
|
From page 34... ...
In particular, the usage of industry-standard and cutting-edge technologies requires continual upgrading and software maintenance, often over the open internet, which is challenging to undertake in the secure network environment that ARL requires. It is worth investing in this laboratory and adequately resourcing it with appropriately trained staff (requiring a combination of IT management and game development expertise)
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.