Rapidly changing technology and near-peer adversaries in the Great Power Competition are dramatically changing the battlefield of the future with artificial intelligence and autonomous systems emerging as major components in small unit maneuvers. The Hyper-Enabled Operator System (HEO) is designed to allow operators to interface with autonomous systems without increasing users' cognitive load in order to achieve successful manned-unmanned interactions that increase survivability and lethality of operators. For HEO to succeed, however, it is essential that all technical components coalesce around a strong human machine interface (HMI) and that architecture for sensors, weapons, computing, and radio systems are designed for human operators in actual use cases. The goal of this capstone project is to emphasize the importance of HMI-centered design as a key pillar of the HEO system and to caution against implementing technology without thoroughly considering how it will be used by operators in actual war-fighting situations. Too much focus on developing HEO technology without sufficient attention to how such innovative technology will be adopted by the end-user creates a gap in technical capacity and human capabilities that can lead to cognitive overload for users and wasted development and procurement resources.Major, United States Air ForceLieutenant Junior Grade, United States NavyChief Petty Officer, United States NavyCommander, United States NavyApproved for public release. distribution is unlimite
