Abstract:
Increasing complexity of military vehicles, high noise levels, and the command and control demands of modern warfare put high physical and mental load on crews operating the vehicles. The need for indirect driving and simultaneous control of various robotic systems demands multisensory interfaces between the crew and the operated systems. One of the promising types of new interfaces is a three-dimensional (3D) audio interface that presents warning signals and tactical messages at spatial locations associated with the content of the emitted signals or messages. However, not all the information can be displayed through a 3D audio interface with the needed resolution and sound quality, and either too little or too much information can be equally detrimental to the user. This paper summarizes data obtained through a user's survey administered to 107 tankers regarding expected functionality of 3D interfaces in armored vehicles. The results of the survey strongly support the value of the 3D audio interface for most of the vehicle's systems and for most operational conditions. The general results and the specific details of the survey are discussed.