No abstract

Even with advanced collaborative technology, communication remains a critical component to mission success. With the shift towards network-centric warfare, standard radio communication needs to meet the needs of today's warfighter. A net-centric communication management suite called Multi-Modal Communication (MMC) had been developed. This integrated system captures, displays, records, and archives radio and text-based communication to better equip the warfighters. This study examined the performance associated with monitoring communication channels, with access to different tools. Operators monitored and responded to the occurrence of critical phrases presented during a 27-min communicationmonitoring task. Communication performance was analyzed in regard to message detection, response accuracy, and time. Data showed that MMC provides a balance between the speed of radio listening and the accuracy and data-capturing capabilities of chat displays. MMC can be a beneficial tool to operators in its ability to increase intelligibly, while providing a persistent, searchable display that reduces perceived mental workload.

No abstract

The Multi-Modal Communication (MMC) is a network-centric communication management suite developed to improve communication performance for Command and Control operators. This tool provides operators with the ability to manage communication from voice and text-based systems in a single intuitive, dynamic display. MMC captures, records, and displays radio and chat communications to the operator so that they have instant access and full control over all current and past information. In addition to aiding in the retrieval of information, speech intelligibility over the Radio channels is increased by spatially separating each of the radio channels to virtual locations around the operator via their headphones. The combination of these features provides operators with the tools necessary to monitor multiple communication channels for critical information and make quick and accurate decisions since it affords operators with greater situational awareness while also reducing their perceived mental workload.The demonstration will be a real-time display and explanation of the features built in a network-centric communication management suite, called Multi-Modal Communication (MMC), by researchers and engineers at the Battlespace Acoustics Branch in the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). The presenter will describe the motivation behind the development of this program, which stemmed from critical needs within the operational Command and Control (C2) community and explain how these tools meet those needs. Throughout the demonstration, participants are encouraged to interact with the display. MMC Features InterfaceThe interface was designed to integrate all of the advanced features into an intuitive completely configurable display. The main window seen in Figure 1 allows operators to configure their radio and chat channels as desired to monitor/ transmit on. They have complete autonomy over the display and can rename each channel and assign it to specific workspaces, which can also be divided into tabs. Within the main window, the operator can utilize the quick view function that allows them to see the transcribed messages as well as interact with many of the controls found in the specific communication window. The main window can be minimized quickly to allow operators to view the specific communication windows seen in Figure 2. Operators may organize their windows in split screen views or through tabs.