Real-time decision aid for enhancing ship’s self-defense

This report describes the approach for an innovative Decision Aid Support System (DASS) that will provide evasive recommendations for the Commanding Officer (CO), Officer of the Deck (OOD), and tracking party during the critical time that occurs immediately following the detection of a possible hostile torpedo. DASS will allow the CO, OOD, and tracking party to review and modify tactics during the mission planning phase and then draw on those tactics in the high-stress environment, which occurs subsequent to the detection of a suspected hostile torpedo. DASS will not only provide evasive recommendations in a timely manner, but will also provide comprehensive insight into the decision-making process. This insight allows the user to view and modify DASS recommendations, observe the relationship between the recommendations and the raw data, and execute the plan. DASS will enable the user to override any portion of this plan and will modify the plan accordingly. DASS will consist of displays, controls, and algorithms, that provide a seamless integration of tactics and sensor data into the decision-making process and allow the operator to be involved in that process. This distinctive feature will facilitate the acceptance of this new concept by the Submarine Navy. The displays will utilize formats that provide quick visualization and assimilation of the information and controls that allow easy modification of that information, using familiar concepts. The user interface will be supported by knowledge-based algorithms that will recommend own ship evasive maneuvers, countermeasures (CMs) and torpedo launches. Unique to DASS will be its ability to develop recommended decisions with incomplete and inconsistent data. A proposed DASS option would utilize new technologies, including but not be limited to, eye monitoring, brain monitoring, motion monitoring, advanced touch screens, automated verbal commands, and haptics (body pressure devices). Body monitoring technologies would allow DASS to quickly react to subtle commands. Brain monitoring will allow DASS to detect user confusion and provide added support. Eye monitoring will allow DASS to detect when the user is searching for information and automatically provide that information. Touch screens will allow easier entry of commands. A commercial DASS version would be an ideal decision aid in numerous crisis management situations, such as operating rooms, commercial airplane cockpits, airport control towers, nuclear power plants, robotic assembly facilities, and municipal traffic control. Each of these situations should have a plan prior to a crisis, sensor information to monitor the crisis, and will sometimes have to make a decision with incomplete or inconsistent information. DASS development will be supported by a simulation system, which will be used to demonstrate and evaluate the concepts.