From data to information: data reduction for operator workload management

Modern multi-mission naval aircraft must operate in increasingly complex mission environments with potentially large numbers of air, surface, and undersea contacts. While operating under strict rules of engagement, the operators of the aircraft must be able to readily sort through the considerable volume of data to locate and suitably interact with the contacts of interest interspersed in the environment. This paper presents the concepts and methodologies which IBM and the US Navy are providing in the Block II upgrade for the Light Airborne MultiPurpose System (LAMPS) MK III Weapon System to achieve the mission objectives and assist the crew through workload reduction. A hierarchical approach to system processing and data reduction, combined with a unique combination of operator interaction presentations and methodologies, will allow the LAMPS MK III crew to deal with a much more complex environment than would be expected using present technology. These approaches enable the system operators to effectively access and use the information of interest while eliminating the need to search through large amounts of data