The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has launched a program that seeks to help operators of highly automated and artificial intelligence systems respond to unexpected off-nominal behavior of technology.
DARPA said Friday it aims to explore human-machine interface tools that could offer users a basic understanding of the processes, performance and environmental context of an artificial intelligence system through the Enhancing Design for Graceful Extensibility project.
The agency intends for the EDGE HMI toolkit to consist of models quantifying situational awareness demands, methods expediting and maturing design implementation and a breadboard for early realistic test and verification.
Bart Russell, a program manager in DARPA’s Defense Science Office, said that such interfaces are needed to facilitate information exchange between a system and a person.
“It’s not about how fast you press a button or the ergonomics of your cockpit, it’s about how well you perceive the information that’s coming to you,” Russell added.
DARPA is scheduled to host a webinar on June 1 to discuss the EDGE effort with potential offerors and the agency expects to release a solicitation notice on the SAM website in the coming weeks.
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