Human-Systems Integration and Distributed Expertise Coordination for Humanitarian Operations

Sammanfattning

An ongoing challenge in many human-automation/robotic teaming (HART) task contexts is that of function allocation: who has the ability, capability, and expertise to perform elements of a complex, critical task in a challenging environmental context. An important and globally relevant example is distributed expertise coordination in humanitarian search and rescue (SAR) response. SAR responses are a set of activities conducted typically to reduce negative impacts of adverse events (whether human- or naturally-caused). Humanitarian operations mark a distinct type of task context with unique challenges to coordination of distributed forms and dimensions of expertise and situation awareness with shared task goals, with life-critical urgency and ill-defined boundary conditions. The timely flow and coordination of knowledge between team members in a SAR situation becomes critical to maintaining overall cohesion and effective, efficient task performance. Delayed information regarding system states may have expired and may no longer be of use when undertaking time-sensitive SAR operations. Poor allocation of function between automated agents and humans will also degrade shared understanding of SAR progress towards saving lives. Our research highlights concerns to address when considering multi-team HART implementations.