Soldier Situation Awareness

David TackHumansystems Inc.

Soldier System Technology Roadmap

Human and System Integration Workshop

September 2010

Outline

• Why SA?

• What is SA?

• What forms can it take?

• Why is Human-System Integration important for SA systems?

• Irregular & protracted conflicts

• Highly adaptive and agile adversaries

• Asymmetrical threats

• Complex terrain

• Full Spectrum conflict (3 block war)

• Non-linear/contiguous battlespace

Future Soldier Systems

Future BattlespaceFuture Battlespace

• Net-enabled WarfareNet-enabled Warfare

• Netted FiresNetted Fires

• Adaptive Dispersed OpsAdaptive Dispersed Ops

• Dismounted RoleDismounted Role

• Night OperationsNight Operations

What is SA?

sit-u-a-tion n. 1. manner is which a thing is placed in relation to its surroundings. 2. a place; locality 3. position or condition with regard to circumstances 4. a combination of circumstances at any one time

a-ware adj. 1. Orig., on one’s guard, vigilant 2. knowing or realizing; conscious; informed

Webster’s New World Dictionary

• Something to do with digital maps.• Has soldier location information.• Blue-force tracking.

Marketing Definition?

What is SA?

“the ability to have accurate real-time information of friendly, enemy, neutral, and non-combatant locations; a common, relevant picture of the battlefield scaled to specific levels of interest and special need”

U.S. Army TRADOC Pam 525-5

• Assaulter vs Commander

• Local vs Global

• Phase of Mission

• Day vs Night

• SA Level

How do SA needs vary?

What is SA?

“the perception of elements in the environment within a volume of time and space, the comprehension of their meaning, and the projection of their status in the near future.”

Endsley 1987

Perception

What?• Perception of sensory cues

(visual, auditory, tactual)• Often too much information,

too many cues• Need to perceive critical SA

cues• Affected by arousal and

attention

Soldier Examples:• Detect, Recognize, ID• Location

• Self• Unit members• Friendly units• Enemy• Non-combatants

• Terrain/obstacles• Threats • Activities

Enhancing Senses

Tactual

Auditory

Visual

Off-Bore Weapon Sights

Remote Sensing

Sensory Enhancement

Comprehension

What?• Integration of multiple

information bits to find meaning• Involves combining, interpreting,

storing, and retrieving information.

• Comprehension is often related to operational relevance to mission and individual goals

Soldier Examples:• Enemy

• Activities• Strengths/Weaknesses• Composition

• Friendly• Status/Abilities• Capabilities

• Status of Mission• Best navigation path • Deviation from plans• Deviation from expectations• Quality of information

Communications

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Pro

po

rtio

n o

f F

un

ctio

n b

y M

issi

on

Typ

e

Status Location Task Assign Plan/Probsolv Game Key Repeat Mes

Radio

No Radio

M2

M1

Moving to Blg A4

New RV at 14:20

Comd

2IC

Comd

2IC

Visualize Ground

The Half Life Virtual Environment The Real WorldThe Half Life Virtual Environment The Real World3D Fly-through

In-Building SA

T : Route A Targets O: Open Door : Route B Targets C: Closed Door

Building C4B/Floor 1 Building C4B/Floor 2

Unexpected Barrier

Objective A

Building Passage

Original Start Pt. B

Building C4A/2

Unexpected Barrier

Objective B Actual Start Pt. A

Original Start Pt. A

Building C4A/Floor 1 Building C4A/Floor 2

T

T

T

T

T

T

C C

C

C

C

O

O

O

O

O

O

C C Actual Start Pt. B

Building C4A/1

T

T

Measurement Pt. A

Target

Measurement Pt. A

Measurement Pt. B

Measurement Pt. B

Projection

Soldier Examples:

• Enemy• Where will they be going?• What will they be doing?• How will they perform? • What is their intent?• How will they react to our plan?

• Friendly• Where will we be going?• What will we be doing?• How will we perform? • How will we react to their

actions?

What?

• The ability to forecast future situation events and dynamics

• Soldiers with the highest levels of comprehension employ projection

• Experienced operators rely on future projection to understand alternative outcomes and improve timely decision-making

Future SA Integration Developments

Summary:

• SA is more than just digital maps.• SA needs differ by role, conditions, mission

phase, and the level of awareness required.• Many different technologies must be

seamlessly integrated into the soldier system to provide effective SA.

• The benefits of SA technologies must not come at a physical or mental cost to the soldier.

• Effective SA integration is very complex.

Technology is a means not an end

Human-System Integration is the key to success