Assessing the impact of bi-directional information flow in UGV operation: a pilot study

In June 2007, the Robotics Program Office of the U.S. Army Research Laboratory and General Dynamics Robotics Systems (GDRS) engaged in an exploratory assessment of how bidirectional information flow impacts Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) operation. The purposes of the pilot study were to frame scenarios, protocol, infrastructure, and metrics for a more formal experiment planned for the fall of 2007 while providing current data feedback for the architecture developers. The study was conducted at Fort Indiantown Gap, PA over two distinct areas of rolling vegetated terrain using the eXperimental Unmanned Vehicle (XUV). In this paper, we will share the preliminary findings of the impact of bi-directional information flow on observed robotic behavior, discuss the associated impact on the operator, and relate lessons learned to the planning of our fall 2007 experiment.