Concepts for Human-Swarm Interaction

October 09, 2023

With drones of different types being an integral part of the modern battlefield, with one drone typically controlled by one operator, R&D efforts are progressing to questions regarding how one operator can control a swarm of drones with say a minimum of 20-50 drones. This pushes the need to address questions and design decisions on another level of interaction.

As a part of the Swedish Armed Forces R&D programme, FoT (Forskning & Teknikutveckling), the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (Försvarets Materielverk, FMV) has contracted GEISTT to develop a concept demonstrator for human-swarm interaction. The development of the demonstrator leverages simulation capabilities and methodologies already in progress in the SVART IRIS project, funded by the Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket, TRV), thus representing a spin-in on other government funded research thus allowing this new project to focus more on the human-swarm interaction aspects.

The project is part of the Military Innovation Program within FoT, and within the project’s scope is also to address how a capability of this type can be utilised to strengthen agile R&D processes, for example by offering a venue for students and researchers into military applications of their research interests.

GEISTT is honoured to once again be selected to serve R&D efforts of the Swedish Armed Forces and contribute to progress the understanding of how these potentially disruptive swarm systems can be controlled and utilised by human decision-makers.

Human Swarm Interaction HMI Concept (GEISTT)