A playbook interface for mixed initiative control of multiple unmanned vehicle teams

In ongoing research on the DARPA mixed initiative control of automata teams program, we are refining the concept of a ´playbook interface´ to allow a human to express his or her intent to multiple unmanned vehicles and sophisticated planning and control software to stipulate or constrain the methods that the automated agents use to achieve that intent. Our playbook interface is based on a model of the tasks and goals possible in the domain, shared by both humans and automated agents, that facilitates communication about intents and outcomes and can serve as the basis of a wide variety of user interfaces ranging from extremely detailed (for use in pre-mission planning and play development) to extremely streamlined (for inflight ´play calling´). We present the architecture required for a playbook interface, the various interaction styles it supports, and a preliminary example implementing this approach in an unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) domain.