Sponsors

Please click the tabs below to know more about the present and past sponsors and projects in which Dr.Narayanan was the Principle Investigator. These Sponsors and projects supported the research work in Interactive Sytems Modeling & Simulations Laboratory.

Air Force Research Laboratories

The following is the list of projects that were sponsored by Air Force Research Labs. Click on the project's name to view more information about it:

Cyber Warfare

Adaptive Agents

ISL-Information Search Through Integrated Learning Techniques

JADIS-GA

UMAST-UCAV Modeling and Analysis SimulationTestbed

Click on the following link to enter the Air Force Research Lab's website:

http://www.wpafb.af.mil/bc/wlrad.htm

National Science Foundation

The following is the list of projects that were sponsored by National Science Foundation. Click on the project's name to view more information about it:

An Integrative Graduate Education and Research Training (IGERT)

Click on the following link to enter the National Science Foundation's website:

http://www.nsf.gov/

Oil Companies Consortium

The following is the list of projects that were sponsored by Oil Companies Consortium. Click on the project's name to view more information about it:

Scenario - Based Training Research Center for Operator Performance

Air Force Office of Scientific Research

The following is the list of projects that were sponsored by Air Force Office of Scientific Research. Click on the project's name to view more information about it:

JADIS : Java Based Architecture for Developing Interactive Simulations

JADIS-WEB

Click on the following link to enter the Air Force Office of Scientific Research's website:

http://www.afrl.af.mil/afosr.html

LEXIS-NEXIS Corporation

The following is the list of projects that were sponsored by LEXIS-NEXIS. Click on the project's name to view more information about it:

CINCOT : Corporate Information Consumption Tree

Click on the following link to enter the LEXIS-NEXIS's website:

http://www.lexis-nexis.com

Ohio Space Grant Consortium

The following is the list of projects that were sponsored by the Ohio Space Grant Consortium. Click on the project's name to view more information about it:

Click on the following link to enter the Ohio Space Grant Consortium's website:

http://www.osgc.org

State of Ohio : DAGSI/AFRL Research Programs

The following is the list of projects that were sponsored by the State of Ohio's DAGSI/AFRL Research Program. Click on the project's name to view more information about it:

ABMIC : Agent Based Mixed-Initiative Collaboration

Air Force Logistics Modeling

Self Evolving Adaptive Interfaces

Command and Control of Remotely Operated Vehicles

Click on the following link to enter the State of Ohio's DAGSI/AFRL website:

http://www.dagsi.org

Systran Federal Corporation

Click on the project's name to view more information about it:

DPCB : Distributed Printed Circuit Based Modeling

Click on the following link to enter the Systran Federal Corporation's website:

http://www.systranfederal.com/

Research Center for Operator Performance

In this project "Research Center for Operator Performance" the operator performance is classified into major factors that effect the human performance. These are inturn classified into various sub-divisions. This map helps to divide tasks performed by human operator and the area that can be improved with help of this research project. To know more about this project please click the link below.

Website of Operator Performance

Cyber Warfare

The objective of this research was to develop Cognitive Cyber Weapon Selection Tools (CCWST) which would induce changes in the human decision making patterns of adversaries by changing adversarial cognitive states. The four major cognitive states selected for this study were deception, distraction, distrust and confusion. In order to observe such cognitive states and to quantify them objectively, a simulated cyber attack environment was developed. This environment has the capabilities to deploy cognitive cyber weapons on to a participants’ computer. Once deployed, these weapons can alter content on web pages and change information and details of the data entered onto Microsoft excel sheets. We hypothesize that the participants would delay their decisions and their error rate would increase during the experiment on deploying certain cognitive weapons developed.

Website of Cyber Warfare

IGERT

Learning with Disability (LwD) is a Wright State University interdisciplinary initiative. They conduct research, training and service programs that enhance formal education and lifelong learning for people with all types of physical and learning disabilities.Interdisciplinary doctoral specialization in Technology-based Learning with Disability - An Integrative Graduate Education and Research Training (IGERT) Grant sponsored by the National Science Foundation.
The LwD Ph.D program is supported by a five year National Science Foundation (NSF) award for Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeships (IGERT). This award provides the opportunity to support qualified graduate students as IGERT Fellows. Fellows receive a stipend, tuition, and fees for up to three years. Fellows must commit to complete four LwD courses, 2 quarters of practicum, and a dissertation that is relevant to learning with disabilities. They are also expected to participate in IGERT program activities including research meetings, workshops, and conferences.To know more about the IGERT grant and IGERT fellows please click the link below.

Website of LWD - IGERT Home

ABMIC

In the most basic sense, this research intends to examine the nature of human collaboration with the goal of gaining a better understanding of the cognitive processes involved. In the most practical sense, the research is to build systems that facilitate human collaboration and to model on computers the behavior that leads to successful cooperation. To study collaboration, we will study a particular type of collaboration that is relevant to many intelligent activities; that is, we will examine planning by teams of people that are engaged with computer systems and vast amounts of information. One of the most difficult tasks during such activity is to present to each person just the right amount of information in the form best suited to their particular piece of the team effort. To provide solutions to this problem, we will experiment with mixed-initiative approaches that synthesize human and machine decisions, case-based approaches that reuse past experience, agent-based technologies that encapsulate specialized knowledge, and cognitive systems engineering methods of user-modeling.

Air Force Logistics Modeling

As the Air Force (AF) moves towards becoming an Expeditionary Aerospace Force (EAF) composed of Air Expeditionary Forces (AEFs), logistical issues, for both deploying and sustaining these forces, will drive the EAF vision. Models of logistics processes and integrated information technologies to support distributed logistics personnel are critical in supporting the EAF concept. Current logistics models cannot address the myriad of foreseen and unforeseen issues that the EAF concept presents. The proposed research program will develop a web-based, portable, and reusable environment for simulation modeling and analysis to provide the timeliness and relevance required to conduct the necessary analyses facing Air Force logisticians, planners and strategists.

The overall goal is to develop model-based information technology systems that support predictive analysis using web-based simulations and tailored user interfaces to logistics personnel at different levels of abstraction. The simulations and associated interfaces will support what-if analysis, look-ahead, and integration with real-time information from distributed sources. The proposed effort will: (1) develop theories and methodologies for integrating simulations with information support, (2) design, implement, and evaluate proof-of-concept analysis tools, (3) interface with ongoing efforts in the related programs in AFRL such as LOCIS that focuses on integrated technologies for information access and integration, and (4) support operational and staff logistics development and planning organizations. The overall approach will be supported by a computational architecture implemented using Java.

Adaptive Agents

Distributed modeling and simulation architectures that emulate complex, real-world dynamics and constraints are useful in the analysis and understanding of adaptive agent behavior, both human and automated, in the control of complex, dynamic, supervisory control systems. This research, sponsored by the US Air Force Research Lab, has resulted in the design of a distributed simulation environment and application in developing an adaptive agent architecture in the context of a multiple interconnected power plant facilities. The model provides an interconnected work domain that requires adaptive behavior from an operator. The architecture applies the model-view-controller paradigm in decomposing the simulation model from the user interfaces and systems control. The specific model is multi-layered in that it encompasses a business module, system control module, and a maintenance module. The modules are implemented as interdependent Java processes. The separation of these components allows the simulation to be distributed across both local and wide area networks that reflect the real-world complexity. In addition, the distributed simulation architecture provides for the modules to be controlled separately while the adaptive behavior of the operator is analyzed. The operator of the simulation may either be a human operator with supervisory control of the simulation through the primary system control interface or an intelligent agent process that is separated from the models. This intelligent agent embodies a generic architecture for adaptive human behavior and applies multiple knowledge representation methods.

CINCOT

Designing effective electronic information systems to support search and retrieval in real-world applications is a complex and highly challenging endeavor. Several factors, including the user's cognitive capabilities and limitations, the work domain and task constraints, and the content and form of the electronic medium, influence the interactive information-seeking process. This research, supported by LEXIS-NEXIS, developed an approach to model real-world information seeking in a corporate environment. Our approach used several methods, including self-reported user questionnaires, field studies of real-world professionals searching for information, and cognitive modeling techniques. The modeling results characterize different categories of corporate information seeking, goals of information seeking, electronic sources used, and search strategies and tactics applied during prototypical information search and retrieval. The modeling results were applied to the design of human-centered interfaces used in a real-world electronic information system.

DPCB

This research supported by Systran Federal Corp., focused on the design and implementation of a distributed modeling and simulation architecture for representing printed circuit card systems. Using the architecture, an analyst can represent PCCA systems at different levels of abstraction including entities at the shop level, machine level, and at the machine sub-component level. The model layers can also be distributed where each modeling layer can be executed on different computer platforms. Real-time and dynamic data communication occurs during simulation execution where some of the objects can be synthetic objects and some updates could occur from real-world sensors. Thus, some of the data could be large and but not time critical, whereas other data could be small but time critical. A process planner can perform what-if analysis on different alternatives using a system interface at a remote computer and predict realistic system performance using several measures including cycle time and system throughput. The architecture implements concepts from object-oriented programming, model-view-controller paradigm, and distributed computing to provide a flexible environment to model several classes of placement/insertion machines and various PCCA systems. Parts of the simulation model are distributed across computing platforms. A placement controller encapsulates the control/coordination issues in model integration. A human process planner can connect in to the executing simulation and interact with the simulation through a graphical user interface. During simulation execution, data used by the simulation can change dynamically. There is significant inter-process communication between the distributed simulation models and between the simulation and the interface. The communication between computers is facilitated through Common Object Request Broker (CORBA) technology.

ISL

Information analysis involves discovering information, determining contextual relevance, and synthesizing useful knowledge from distributed, heterogeneous information sources. For example, a logistician may potentially have to review a large quantity of data from many relevant sources in order to make a resource decision. During the review process, logisticians may be able to provide a list of keywords related to the specific information that they need. The search process then begins using this list of keywords. The logistician must then manually filter the results of the search in order to synthesize useful information. A search process based solely on keywords, may result in missing important sources of information, finding too many unrelated sources of data, or a combination of both situations due to the problems of synonymy or polysemy. Synonymy is when several different terms have the same meaning and polysemy is when a single word has more than one meaning. Information about the content of the information sources is needed for integrating sources and for overcoming the synonymy and polysemy problems associated with key word search techniques. Higher-level understanding of terms in a domain, i.e., semantics, can help in overcoming these problems. This higher-level information can then be used for supporting information search and retrieval techniques. Developing an understanding of information sources in the form of semantic representation is fundamentally a complex reasoning process. Manual generation of semantic concepts in a domain is inefficient. Complete automation of the process could lead to inaccuracies and therefore be ineffective.

In this research effort, sponsored by USAF research laboratory, we have developed an approach that integrates intelligent agent technology with human reasoning for generating semantic concept spaces to support information search and retrieval from distributed information sources. Our approach is based on a frame-based metadata representation, which contains knowledge about interesting concepts in a domain and their location in the information sources. We generate metadata associated with a collection of distributed information sources through a combination of computerized reasoning processes and a human reasoner. The metadata is used by a novel information search and retrieval system, which supports keyword and semantic search methods and filters results, based on user profiles. The user profiles are adapted through unsupervised and supervised learning techniques. This research included the design, implementation, and evaluation of a computational system that embodied our approach.

JADIS & JADIS Web

Portable interactive simulations that support concurrent multi-user interaction are useful in the analysis of large and semi-structured problems especially those in which human interaction are of important consideration. Emerging concepts in distributed computing provide enabling technologies for the development of flexible and portable interactive simulation infrastructure. This research, supported by US Air Force Research Laboratory and Air Force Office of Scientific Research, led to the development of an object-based interactive simulation architecture, called JADIS and a web-enabled version JADIS-WEB, through which multiple users can interact concurrently with an executing simulation from distributed locations. The simulation executes on a server and users can connect in to the simulation and provide user commands through interfaces implemented as separate processes. The architectural components were applied to a real-world problem in the domain of airbase logistics. This research also evaluated the effectiveness of various means of facilitating communication between interfaces and the simulation process including the use of Java application programming through sockets, Java programs integrated with Common Object Request Broker Architecture technology, and Java's remote method invocation protocol.

JADIS - GA

This research supported by Systran Federal Corp., focused on the design and implementation of a distributed modeling and simulation architecture for representing printed circuit card systems. Using the architecture, an analyst can represent PCCA systems at different levels of abstraction including entities at the shop level, machine level, and at the machine sub-component level. The model layers can also be distributed where each modeling layer can be executed on different computer platforms. Real-time and dynamic data communication occurs during simulation execution where some of the objects can be synthetic objects and some updates could occur from real-world sensors. Thus, some of the data could be large and but not time critical, whereas other data could be small but time critical. A process planner can perform what-if analysis on different alternatives using a system interface at a remote computer and predict realistic system performance using several measures including cycle time and system throughput. The architecture implements concepts from object-oriented programming, model-view-controller paradigm, and distributed computing to provide a flexible environment to model several classes of placement/insertion machines and various PCCA systems. Parts of the simulation model are distributed across computing platforms. A placement controller encapsulates the control/coordination issues in model integration. A human process planner can connect in to the executing simulation and interact with the simulation through a graphical user interface. During simulation execution, data used by the simulation can change dynamically. There is significant inter-process communication between the distributed simulation models and between the simulation and the interface. The communication between computers is facilitated through Common Object Request Broker (CORBA) technology.

Self Evolving Adaptive Interfaces

In dynamic situations where task requirements and operator states can change from moment to moment, such as those found in battle conflicts or agile work environments, a fixed interface only provides the best mappings between the user and technology over the narrow predefined range fixed during design, producing sub optimal performance outside of this design envelope. The research aim of this project is to develop and test operator-system interfaces which adapt to the operator's state in real-time and thus provide the operator with the right information at the right time. Providing this capability will enable operators to make faster and more accurate decisions. The performance enhancement provided by adaptive interfaces will reduce the number of required operators, as well as reduce training requirements by enhancing the novice operator's performance ability. Previous research in adaptive interfaces has focused primarily on identifying and measuring operator state variables that could prompt adaptation of interface features and dynamic function allocation in noncomplex task environments.

Command & Control of Remotely Operated Vehicles

Uninhabited Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs) refer to UAVs capable of delivering weapons. The UCAV weapon system will exploit the design and operational freedoms of relocating the pilot outside the vehicle to enable a new paradigm in aircraft affordability while maintaining the rationale, judgment, and moral qualities of the human operator. The proposed research program develops a model-based approach to support human-centered automation in the command and control of remotely operated vehicles.. The models will be validated using expert planners and skilled pilots in the USAF. The computational models generated from this approach will define the information requirements and content for the human teleoperator and provide a testbed for what-if analysis. The proposed research adopts a multidisciplinary research approach bringing together experts on intelligent flight control systems, human interface design, and systems modeling in two DAGSI schools (WSU & AFIT) and across two branches (HECP & HECI) of AFRL's Human Effectiveness Directorate.