Human Robotic Interface Design based on Human Decision Making

The human robot interface design can directly affect the operator’s ability and desire to complete a task. The design also affects operator’s ability to understand current situation and to make decisions as well as supervise and provide high level commands to robotic system. There is also a wealth of human factors research that can affect all HRI designs while it is possible to spend a significant amount of time discussing specific interaction techniques. Such research is related to human decision making, vigilance, workload levels, situation awareness and human errors. These areas should be considered when developing a human robotic interface.

Human decision making area appears to be an untapped resource for the field of HRIs. These decisions are made rapidly in dynamic environment under varies condition. Such decision may have dire consequences depending upon the human’s current task. For example pilots during take off, a chemical process operator during a chemical leak, and individual when driving the car down in busy street. An understanding of the human decision process should be incorporated into the human robotic interface design in order to support the process human’s employ. The field of human decision making research involves individuals making decisions as well as teams of individuals.

Klien has studied human decision making with domain experts including pilots, firemen, nurses and nuclear power plant operator since 1985. The intent of his work is to identify how humans make rapid and effective decisions in a natural environment under difficult conditions.

Clint Bowers and Eduardo Salas are fundamental contributors to research regarding human decision making. They focus on how a system may or may not support the human decision make process. They look at how training can affect decision making when automation is used to support decision making in complex systems.

The naturalistic decision making result from Klein’s work may be applied to the development of cooperation techniques and decision making for robotic teams.