Applications of agent architectures to decision support in distributed simulation and training systems

This work develops the approach and presents the results of a new model for applying intelligent agents to complex distributed interactive simulation for command and control. In the framework of tactical command, control communications, computers and intelligence (C4I), software agents provide a novel approach for efficient decision support and distributed interactive mission training. An agent-based architecture for decision support is designed, implemented and is applied in a distributed interactive simulation to significantly enhance the command and control training during simulated exercises. The architecture is based on monitoring, evaluation, and advice agents, which cooperate to provide alternatives to the dec ision-maker in a time and resource constrained environment. The architecture is implemented and tested within the context of an AWACS Weapons Director trainer tool. The foundation of the work required a wide range of preliminary research topics to be covered, including real-time systems, resource allocation, agent-based computing, decision support systems, and distributed interactive simulations. The major contribution of our work is the construction of a multi-agent architecture and its application to an operational decision support system for command and control interactive simulation. The architectural design for the multi-agent system was drafted in the first stage of the work. In the next stage rules of engagement, objective and cost functions were determined in the AWACS (Airforce command and control) decision support domain. Finally, the multi-agent architecture was implemented and evaluated inside a distributed interactive simulation test-bed for AWACS Vv\u27Ds. The evaluation process combined individual and team use of the decision support system to improve the performance results of WD trainees. The decision support system is designed and implemented a distributed architecture for performance-oriented management of software agents. The approach provides new agent interaction protocols and utilizes agent performance monitoring and remote synchronization mechanisms. This multi-agent architecture enables direct and indirect agent communication as well as dynamic hierarchical agent coordination. Inter-agent communications use predefined interfaces, protocols, and open channels with specified ontology and semantics. Services can be requested and responses with results received over such communication modes. Both traditional (functional) parameters and nonfunctional (e.g. QoS, deadline, etc.) requirements and captured in service requests

Chat Communication in a Command and Control Environment: How Does It Help?

Military command and control (C2) teams are often faced with difficult, complex, and distributed operations amidst the fog and friction of war. To deal with this uncertainty, teams rely on clear and effective communication to coordinate their actions; two current conduits for communication in distributed military teams include voice and chat. Chat communication is regarded by many in the C2 world as the premier method of communicating with the power to lessen some of the traffic and disturbances of current voice communication, and its usage continues to exponentially increase. Despite this operational view, countless laboratory studies have demonstrated detrimental effects of chat communication relative to voice communication. The current study investigates the gap between laboratory research results and usage in complex environments, and empirically tests the effect that chat communication has on tactical C2 performance through an air battle management synthetic task environment. Results demonstrate that participants performed better on time-critical, emergent events with voice communication and better on preplanned missions when they had access to archival information. Voice communication is a valuable, high bandwidth channel that is essential for coordination in highly complex situations, while chat communication is a nonintrusive form of communication that allows the operator flexibility in prioritizing the information flow through the use of archival information. The challenge in operational settings with overcrowded radio channels, however, is to protect the voice channel to ensure it is available when the situation demands it. With careful implementation, voice and chat communication can be complementary technologies to facilitate complex work

DDG 51 operational evaluation: measures of workload from Combat Information Center communication patterns

This thesis analyzes 2,700 verbal transmissions from an audio tap on DDG-51's CIC internal communication network during the ship's OPEVAL. The frequency and duration of these voice transmissions are analyzed to explore for systematic changes. these changes are associated with different workload levels and the levels of stress induced by eight simulated combat scenarios. The data shows that CIC team member communication patterns varied as a function of workload. The use of verbal communication patterns as unobtrusive, noninvasive measures of workload in operational settings is discussed and recommendations are made to further develop these measures.http://archive.org/details/ddg51operational00conlLieutenant, United States NavyApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited

The role of noise events in noise research, policy and practice (peaks, events or both...)

ABSTRACT Commissioned by the Netherlands Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment RIVM organized an expert meeting about reaction to sudden noise, and the way peak noise is dealt with in science, policy and practice. The aim was to exchange knowledge and ideas and formulate recommendations about situations with sudden high noise levels. Examples were presented from theory and practice, pertaining to road-and air traffic, high speed trains and impulse noise from pile driving and shooting. Acoustic aspects and moderating factors were discussed, such as unpredictability; trust in the government and expectations about future exposures. The main conclusion was that in most cases available noise-effect relations based on average weighted measures (Lden, Lnight) can be used. Additional indicators are primarily needed to better communicate with the public on the impact of peak events; noise exposure levels, where possible and relevant, should be presented to the public in understandable measures such as events, duration and quality as well as the effects of interventions. When not communicated well, the number of complainants and percentage of highly annoyed will be high irrespective of the exact noise levels. This paper presents the highlights of the workshop, and more recent findings in relation to military air traffic and the role of peak levels on registry based health effects

Transport airplane flight deck development survey and analysis: Report and recommendations

Results of a survey and analysis of research and development work related to improving transport airplane flight deck equipment and aircrew performance is reported. Research and development related to flight deck advancement in general, as well as that concerned directly with terminal area operations, is described and discussed

Aerospace Medicine and Biology: A Continuing Bibliography With Indexes

In its subject coverage, Aerospace Medicine and Biology concentrates on the biological, physiological, psychological, and environmental effects to which humans are subjected during and following simulated or actual flight in the Earth's atmosphere or in interplanetary space. References describing similar effects on biological organisms of lower order are also included. Such related topics as sanitary problems, pharmacology, toxicology, safety and survival, life support systems, exobiology, and personnel factors receive appropriate attention. Applied research receives the most emphasis, but references to fundamental studies and theoretical principles related to experimental development also qualify for inclusion. Each entry in the publication consists of a standard bibliographic citation accompanied, in most cases, by an abstract

Air Force–Navy Integration in Strike Warfare

One of the most remarkable aspects of American joint-force combat capa- bility today is the close harmony that has steadily evolved since the 1991 Persian Gulf War in the integrated conduct of aerial strike operations by the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy, along with the latter’s closely associated Marine Corps air assets. This under-recognized and little-appreciated aspect of the nation’s warfighting posture stands in marked contrast to the more familiar and con- tested relationship between the two services in the roles and resources arena, where a fundamentally different incentive structure has tended to prevail and where seemingly zero-sum battles for limited defense dollars have appeared to be the natural order of things from one budget cycle to the next

An examination into the effects of speech rate on perceived stress in monolingual and bilingual populations

Stress is the body’s response to adverse or demanding circumstances and can cause physical changes such as increased respiratory rate and increased vocal cord muscle tension which can affect speech production and the acoustic properties of speech such as speech rate (duration). Acoustic properties such as duration and intensity act as cues in stress judgements, with duration proving to be the factor that provides the greatest fluctuation in these judgements. In the present study, 55 monolingual and bilingual (Spanish and English speaking) participants listened to 6 audio files spoken at 3 varying speeds in both English and Spanish and rated how stressed they perceived the speaker to be. Contrary to what was predicted, the results demonstrated high intra-cultural similarities in terms of perceptions of stress. As hypothesised, higher stress ratings were attributed to the faster spoken files, although they were also attributed to those files spoken in Spanish. There were interactions between the speed of audio and participant group, language spoken and participant group, speed of audio and language spoken and finally speed of audio, language being spoken and participant group. These results demonstrate that speech rate has significant effects on perceptions of stress and also suggest that the effect of speech rate on these perceptions varies between languages However, previous literature would suggest that the acoustic properties of speech are affected differently in real life scenarios compared to when speech is manipulated artificially. Suggesting that further research should endeavour to avoid electronically manipulated audios, instead capturing naturally occurring audio files