Human Factors in the Design of Tactical Display Systems for the Individual Soldier (1995) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
1 The Military Environment
1 The Military Environment
Pages 9-25
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 9... ...
The land warriors of tomorrow, equipped with systems with sophisticated capabilities, will be more formidable fighters only if the new systems build their individual confidence and aid the confidence and cohesion of their units. Role of the Infantry Soldier The mission of the infantry soldier in a war-fighting environment in the twenty-first century will not be dramatically different than that of today.
|
From page 10... ...
The infantry soldiers of tomorrow could be required to react to an even broader array of noncombat or not-active combat requirements, such as peace enforcement, stabilization and civil support missions, counterinsurgency and counter terrorism, humanitarian relief in a potentially hostile environment, and political interventions. Changing intemational power balances may increase the frequency of low-intensity conflicts, bring about increased counter-terrorism actions, and expand the range of peacekeeping tasks.
|
From page 11... ...
THE LAND WARRIOR SYSTEM: MISSION CONSIDERATIONS The complex technology and pervasive impact of the proposed Island Warrior System on infantry soldiers raises a number of basic doctrine questions about the autonomy of an individual soldier. Is it a design objective to give tomorrow's land warriors information that could allow them to make more independent decisions about their individual tactical actions?
|
From page 12... ...
Other questions concern the amount or level of interaction among squad members to correct or update visual data and set priorities for information. While procedures can be developed to address these questions, the most significant issue is whether the And Warrior System will create a situation of task and information overload for individual soldiers and lower level leaders.
|
From page 13... ...
In an operation other than war, a squad leader with a mission to defend a key area and control elements of the civilian population would be very focused on the rule of engagement, identification of potential threats, and ensuring appropriate use of force; in contrast, in a mid-intensity defend mission, the leader would be concerned with planning fires, controlling direct fires, and rapid response with all and any firepower available. Island Warrior Mission and Task Performance To understand the human factors effects of the proposed Land Warnor System with its helmet-mounted displays, it is necessary to correlate the critical tasks that infantry soldiers and leaders must accomplish and the functional capabilities of the proposed system.
|
From page 14... ...
React to nuclear, biological, chemical Employ night vision device Prepare position Identify friend or foe Engage targets Respond to leaders' orders React to nuclear, biological, chemical Employ night vision device Team or Control fire team move Issue order Plan defense Squad And navigate Enforce ROE Plan fires Leader React to nuclear, Control maneuver :Issue order biological, chemical Report location Control direct fires Report location React to nuclear, React to nuclear, Control night vision biological, chemical biological, chemical device Control night vision Control night vision File situation report device device File situation report File situation report Platoon Plan move Plan attack Plan defense Leader Control squads Plan maneuver Plan fire support And navigate Preplan fires Coordinate left and Control night vision Issue order right device Control mission/ Issue order Report location maneuver/fires Control defense actions File situation report Call for fires Call for fires Coordinate left and Direct air defense right File situation report File situation report 14
|
From page 15... ...
.. ~141q INFANTRY PERSON AND TASK SOLDIER Move Tactically Detect Enemy Identify Target Engage Target Employ NVD SQUAD LEADER Control Move Report Location Plan and Control Issue Orders Control NVD PLATOON LDR Plan Issue Orders Coordinate Control Move/Fires Control NVD Report/SITREP xl x 1 xl x LN x x x ~ i ~ ..
|
From page 16... ...
The first minutes after an initial enemy contact determine whether the squad and platoon will be successful in maintaining contact by rapidly increasing rates of fire and executing squad maneuvers to fix the enemy. Knowing friendly positions and the location of the enemy accurately is essential if requests for fire support are to be timely and effective.
|
From page 17... ...
Losing or degrading the quality of information a soldier is currently receiving under daylight conditions and which the soldier perceives to be critical could affect how and under what conditions the soldier will use the system. Success in combat requires that infantry soldiers control their fear and behave in a predictable manner, no matter how tired they are or how uncertain the situation is.
|
From page 18... ...
in contrast, a display that reduces vision in daylight, induces motion sickness, increases workload and reading time, causes discomfort, or requires constant adjustment will affect individual confidence and unit cohesion. Individual and collective training is conducted to improve confidence, overcome fear, and enhance performance reliability.
|
From page 19... ...
As noted above, infantry missions are conducted day and night, in all weather conditions and in all terrains and under threat conditions ranging from civil disobedience to high intensity war. These factors place great stress on the individual soldier.
|
From page 20... ...
People under heat stress sweat, and sweat is a problem for the use of any visual display since profuse sweating has a significant impact on visual capabilities including visual acuity. In addition, the presence of sweat means that soldiers brushing sweat from their eyes may miss information solely from this mechanical problem and not from some more complex effect on cognitive activity.
|
From page 21... ...
The physical form of disturbance in cold exposure is shivering. Shivering is a process designed to spend stored energy solely to heat the body: the oscillating motion experienced is not directed to behavioral goals and, in fact, directly interferes with them.
|
From page 22... ...
Fatigue Fatigue is often agreed to be a critical facet of performance that can vitally effect mission success particularly in prolonged operations, yet major research efforts by the armed services and others have not led to real understanding. Defined recently as the "subjectively experienced disinclination to continue performing the task at hand," attempts to define fatigue have each had to fight hard against tautology.
|
From page 23... ...
First, what critical doctrinal and employment priorities must or should the Land Warrior Systems and the head-mounted display meet? Second, what are the limitations of cognitive, psychological, and physical capabilities of the infantry soldiers in the active force and the National Guard and Army Reserve who will use the Land Warrior System?
|
From page 24... ...
In order to achieve the expected enhancements in human performance, the Land Warrior System and its head-mounted display must be designed to support the mental, psychological, and physical characteristics of tomorrow's infantry soldier. Complex electronic displays and battle sights will not achieve the Army's goal if the displays provide overwhelming levels of information that a soldier may not need and, in fact, that he may not be able to process effectively under critical battlefield conditions.
|
From page 25... ...
complexities of the display and the system require extraordinary personnel selection or training demands that will not allow the development and maintenance of combat proficiency of infantry soldiers, their combat potential could be lost.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.