Cognitively Sensitive User Interface for Command and Control Applications

While there are broad guidelines for display or user interface design, creating effective human-computer interfaces for complex, dynamic systems control is challenging. Ad hoc approaches which consider the human as an afterthought are limiting. This research proposed a systematic approach to human / computer interface design that focuses on both the semantic and syntactic aspects of display design in the context of human-in-the-loop supervisory control of intelligent, autonomous multi-agent simulated unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). A systematic way to understand what needs to be displayed, how it should be displayed, and how the integrated system needs to be assessed is outlined through a combination of concepts from naturalistic decision making, semiotic analysis, and situational awareness literature. A new sprocket-based design was designed and evaluated in this research. For the practical designer, this research developed a systematic, iterative design process: design using cognitive sensitive principles, test the new interface in a laboratory situation; bring in subject matter experts to examine the interface in isolation; and finally, incorporate the resulting feedback into a full-size simulation. At each one of these steps, the operator, the engineer and the designer reexamined the results

Multi-Criteria Decision Making in Complex Decision Environments

In the future, many decisions will either be fully automated or supported by autonomous system. Consequently, it is of high importance that we understand how to integrate human preferences correctly. This dissertation dives into the research field of multi-criteria decision making and investigates the satellite image acquisition scheduling problem and the unmanned aerial vehicle routing problem to further the research on a priori preference integration frameworks. The work will aid in the transition towards autonomous decision making in complex decision environments. A discussion on the future of pairwise and setwise preference articulation methods is also undertaken. "Simply put, a direct consequence of the improved decision-making methods is,that bad decisions more clearly will stand out as what they are - bad decisions.

Towards Reliable Multi-Path Routing : An Integrated Cooperation Model for Drones

Ad-hoc networks have evolved into a vital wireless communication component by offering an adaptable infrastructure suitable for various scenarios in our increasingly interconnected and mobile world. However, this adaptability also exposes these networks to security challenges, given their dynamic nature, where nodes frequently join and leave. This dynamism is advantageous but presents resource constraints and vulnerability to malicious nodes, impacting data transmission reliability and security. In this context, this article explores the development of a secure routing protocol for Ad-hoc networks based on a cooperation reinforcement model to reduce the degradation of routing performance. We leverage the reputation of nodes as an additional security layer to monitor their behavior and evaluate their level of reliability. To exemplify our solution, we focus on drone fleets (UAVs) as a pertinent case study. Drones frequently operate in dynamic, challenging environments, relying on Ad-hoc networks for communication. They serve as an apt illustration, highlighting the complexities of the issue and the efficacy of our proposed remedy. The simulation results show the effectiveness of our proposed solution compared to stae-of-the-artsolutions