Robotic Displays for Dismounted Warfighters:A Field Study

This study investigated the scalability of unmanned vehicle displays for dismounted warfighters. Task performance, workload, and preferences for three display devices were examined in two operational settings: teleoperation of an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) and intelligence gathering from a remote unmanned vehicle. Previous research has demonstrated variability in operational needs with regard to active teleoperation versus passive intelligence gathering. Thus, it was important to identify whether there was actually a dichotomy between the two in terms of screen space requirements and whether this difference stems from task differences or other factors. Thirty-one soldiers participated in a field study at Fort Benning, Georgia. They were required to perform teleoperation and intelligence-gathering tasks. Results reconfirmed the hypothesis that display type influences performance in intelligence-related tasks that require the use of video feed and digital map. No significant differences among display types were found in the UGV teleoperation task. Dismounted warfighters can adequately perform both active and passive duties with a handheld device on which the video window is as small as 4.3 inches in diameter. However, monocular helmet-mounted displays for robotic displays can be problematic and should be carefully assessed before use in dismounted warfighters’ missions.