Blue force tracking for dismounted soldiers : experiments to evaluate its effects on soldier performance / Geoffrey Ho, Mike Tombu, Justin G. Hollands, Ken Ueno, Matthew Lamb, Nada Pavlovic, DRDC - Toronto...: D68-2/234-2018E-PDF
"Today’s Blue Force Tracking (BFT) systems use Global Positioning System (GPS) to track individual soldiers. In two experiments, we investigated the effects of BFT on soldier performance using a first-person computer simulation. In Experiment 1, 36 participants led a section to locate and support another force under enemy contact. They did the task with a Two Dimensional (2D) map with Accurate BFT, Inaccurate BFT, or No BFT. The results showed that when using BFT, soldiers were faster in engaging the enemy but other performance variables were not significant. They also used their BFT map more frequently compared to the No BFT condition. The Inaccurate BFT did not negatively affect performance. In Experiment 2, participants led a firebase in similar hasty attack missions. In each mission, a unique event could affect the decision to attack. Participants used no BFT, a 2D map with BFT, or three different augmented reality displays. The BFT again could have 100% signal accuracy or some inaccuracy. The results showed that having BFT supported more accurate event detection and marginally faster event detection times. An accurate BFT also resulted in faster attack decisions in some conditions. However, this did not translate to more accurate decisions. BFT accuracy did not affect the participants’ ability to accurately locate and map blue force positions, but they had more confidence in their ability with accurate BFT systems. There was no additional benefit for augmented reality BFT over a BFT map system. The studies suggest that BFT supports mission performance even when it is not perfectly accurate, and augmented reality systems have limited benefit relative to a handheld system, at least for the tasks examined"--Abstract, page i.
Permanent link to this Catalogue record:
publications.gc.ca/pub?id=9.875305&sl=0
| Department/Agency | Defence R&D Canada. Toronto Research Centre. |
|---|---|
| Title | Blue force tracking for dismounted soldiers : experiments to evaluate its effects on soldier performance / Geoffrey Ho, Mike Tombu, Justin G. Hollands, Ken Ueno, Matthew Lamb, Nada Pavlovic, DRDC - Toronto Research Centre. |
| Series title | Scientific report ; DRDC-RDDC-2018-R234 |
| Publication type | Series - View Master Record |
| Language | [English] |
| Format | Electronic |
| Electronic document | |
| Note(s) | Title from cover. "January 2019." "Can unclassified." Includes bibliographical references. Includes abstract in French. |
| Publishing information | Ottawa, ON : Defence Research and Development Canada = Recherche et développement pour la défense Canada, 2019. ©2019 |
| Author / Contributor | Ho, Geoffrey, author. Tombu, Mike, author. Hollands, Justin G., author. Ueno, Ken, 1966- author. Lamb, Matthew, author. Pavlovic, Nada, author. |
| Description | 1 online resource (viii, 43 pages, 2 unnumbered pages) : graphs, photographs. |
| Catalogue number |
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| Subject terms | Military personnel Global positioning systems Performance assessment |