Associate Systems

How can I blend human and machine intelligence?

How do Associates aid Humans?

How does the Human communicate with the Associate?

	What is the history of Associate Systems?
	ASK YOUR OWN QUESTION

Q: How can I blend human and machine intelligence?
A: Associate Systems Aid Humans.

An associate system is an adaptive, computer-based aiding system that operates as an intelligent associate assisting the human user in performing tasks.

Risky, complex environments or "systems of systems," can greatly challenge the cognitive capabilities of humans in ways that are not amenable to conventional automation. Intelligent agents made using Associate Systems technology  provide real-time support for human limitations, thereby bolstering and extending human performance under difficult conditions, such as

Intelligent Command and Control

Automated Risk Analysis Exploiting Large Datamarts

Multi Semi/Autonomous Vehicle Tasking and Control

Coordinating Wide Area Decision Support

	Role Based Information Delivery
	Intent Processing / Intent Centric Warfare

Q: How do Associates aid Humans?
A: Joint Control with Mixed Initiative and Bounded Discretion.

The associate metaphor is based on three behavioral capabilities:

Mixed initiative. The human user and the associate each individually possess the information and the knowledge to:

Recognize the need to take action

Determine the course of action

Execute the course of action successfully

Bounded discretion. Despite the intelligent agents' capability to exercise initiative, the human user always remains in charge. The associate may only perform those activities which:

It has been authorized to perform

Are consistent with the human user's intentions

Domain competency. An associate has broad competence in the operational domain:

Its domain skills are less those of a narrow expert than of a well-integrated generalist.

It has specific knowledge about its human user, and about system functions that it and the human jointly control.

Thus, intelligent agents designed to follow the human user's lead, aiding whenever necessary without the need for explicit instructions if within its bounded discretion. The human user preserves the opportunity to perform all system tasks completely manually or with some degree of aiding from the associate. In the extreme, the associate also has the capability to perform all of the system tasks autonomously (such as in unmanned system applications), although perhaps not as well as the fully rested and alert human user, and only if authorized. An associate system provides as its goal, a completely functionally integrated system.

Q: How does the Human communicate with the Associate?
A: Communication via Adaptive User Interfaces and a Shared Understanding of the Domain .

The associate and human communicate both explicitly and implicitly.

Adaptive User Interface. Guided by situational awareness, domain knowledge, and principles of human-centered design, the associate system dynamically configures user interfaces to acquire, provide, and appropriately emphasize explicit information that best supports operating effectively in the current state.

Intent Interpretation. By observing the human's actions, and interpreting them in the context of task models known to both human and associate, the associate can infer the human's intentions by explaining them in terms of implied plans for achieving shared task goals. Thus, the human can implicitly signal an intention to switch tasks, strategies, or operational modes, simply through task-oriented behavior.

With little or no guidance, associate systems help users to achieve goals-adapting to environmental changes and changes in the user's intent.

Q: What is the history of Associate Systems?
A: The first associate system program was the historic Pilot's Associate, conducted from 1986 through 1992 under the sponsorship of DARPA and the US Air Force. Prior to founding ASI, Dr. Norm Geddes led the development of intelligent user interface technology for the Pilot's Associate program as Director of Operator Support Systems with Search Technology, Inc.

Development and maturation of associate system artificial intelligence software technology continued under the Army Rotorcraft Pilot's Associate program. This program, the Army's largest S&T program, consisted of extensive evaluations of the associate functions, culminating in a flight demonstration on an AH-64D Longbow Apache in 1998-1999.

In a parallel joint NASA/FAA program, associate systemsartificial intelligence software technology is explored as a means for planning and coordination within an advanced air traffic management system to support Free Flight operations. During Phase 1 of the NASA AATT program, associate systems technology was demonstrated in a large shared model of intentions and also in management of complex trajectory conflicts directly by pilots.

Based on these programs and others, associate systems intelligent agents have shown that real-time intelligent behavior can be successfully applied to support humans in complex environments where automation is not completely acceptable.

In ensuing years, associate systems have been demonstrated working cooperatively with their users to assess, plan, and act in concert with user intentions and the situation in a wide variety of domains.

As ASI's founder and chairman, Norm has led the development and commercialization of associate systems artificial intelligence software technology across a broad set of domains, contributing directly to the design and development of many of the intelligent systems algorithms and knowledge representations now used for building associate systems with ASI's PreAct® intelligent software suite.

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