40. Community Need Technology is rapidly advancing at a pace that outmatches human capabilities. In many cases, civilian and military technologies are not developed with the human in mind. This results to poor integration between the human and technology/machine, such as cognitive and physiological overload. In military setting, the success of a military technology such an advanced weapon system/machine depends on the ability of the warfighter to use it effectively and efficiently. The DoD invests in human performance and recognizes the "human element" as a critical differentiator for providing military advantage with a technological near peer. At Wright State University, we have established collaborations with AFRL and addressing the S& T needs of AFRL. Our faculty conduct research in the following areas:

Physiological Performance: Research examining physiological and cognitive performance in Air Force relevant environment. The physiological and cognitive demand imposed on our warfighters in high performance weapon systems can be extreme. For example, the unexplained physiological episodes (UPE) observed in pilots is not well understood. We apply cutting edge imaging technologies at WSU to study the impact of hypoxic conditions on physiological processes, and its impact brain function. We collaborate with Air Force and Navy researchers at WPAFB to combine expertise and capabilities to conduct first of its kind studies using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to examine the impact of regulated breathing with hypoxic conditions on brain function. This research will support the development of better flight crew safety equipment, training of pilots and developing intervention strategies for sustaining performance during operation of high-performance weapon systems.

Cognitive Enhancement: Our collaborators at AFRL have been investigating the effect on non­invasive brain stimulation such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) to enhance vigilance and cognitive performance for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and multi-domain command and control personnel. Researchers at WSU seeks to understand the impact of these brain stimulation technologies on neural networks in the brain responsible for decision making. This research will provide molecular and behavioral understanding of brain stimulation techniques for increasing learning, memory, and reduced cognitive fatigue in our warfighters.

Human-Machine Teaming (HMT): The development of artificial intelligence (Al) and autonomous systems requires collaboration between the human and machine to accomplish tasks and objectives. HMT can be applied to both civilian and military operations. As machines and intelligent agents continue to mature, human operators will increasingly rely on these systems to augment and extend human and machine capabilities through collaborative HMT. Research at WSU seeks to address components of HMT such as trust and transparency, collaborative decision making, and cognitive models. Our research also addresses human performance and other human factor considerations in designing for optimal interactions in HMT Teams. Improved trust and transparency, shared awareness and collaborative decision making in HMT will result in faster and enhanced decision making of autonomous systems.