SBIR-STTR Award

This proposal offers a solution for the development of a revolutionary new, low-cost, human machine interface for aviators. In this endeavor, Kutta and its partners design and develop an innovative concept that leverages commercial off the shelf (COTS) hardware and software. The well-structured applied research Work Plan overcomes some of the known issues with the Kinect and other COTS gaming technology for gesture recognition and head tracking with an equally innovative solution that leverages nano-technology. The resulting research yields an optimized product that takes advantage of as much COTS technology as possible to drive cost out of the resulting product. The product is a ubiquitous controller that can be utilized by pilots in the air, soldiers on the ground, and drivers in their automobiles to interact with machines through innovative gestures and head tracking technology. The Phase I work culminates in a demonstration of the product in a simulated cockpit and summary of the lessons learned through actual quantitative applied research. The Phase I option concludes with recommended methodologies and action plans on how to design, develop, test, and ruggedize the technology for transition into the Department of Defense aviation community.

Keywords:
Kinect, Tracking, Gesture, Cockpit, Pilot, Blackhawk, Helicopter, Controller.

As a developer of Unmanned Aerial System Ground Control Stations, the U.S. Army?s Bi-Directional Remote Video Transceiver (BDRVT®), and several other manned-aircraft technologies, Kutta is keenly aware of human machine interface (HMI) issues inside military cockpits. Based on an extensive Phase I hardware analysis that tested multiple Commercial off the Shelf (COTS) laser-based technologies similar to Microsoft?s Kinect?, Kutta discovered some major deficiencies that must be overcome to integrate these COTS technologies into a military cockpit. Our researchers also analyzed multiple proprietary and open-source head tracking and gesture recognition software applications. Lastly, we utilized the information gleaned from the Phase I research to quickly prototype a head-tracking and gesture recognition system and tied it into our existing manned/unmanned teaming cockpit simulator. The Phase I research allowed us to confidently develop a plan to modify existing COTs technology in an innovative fashion to overcome the limitations of the current state-of-the-art and bring accurate head tracking and gesture recognition to current and future Department of Defense air vehicles. The proposed Phase II effort culminates with the integration of a rugged gesture recognition system within an aircraft cockpit and proof of concept test flight with several prestigious Phase II partners.

Keywords:
Gesture, Recognition, Tracking, Cockpit, Bdrvt®, Human, Machine, Interface.