SBIR-STTR Award

Phase I entails a systematic investigation of handheld devices and wiki-based information sharing in relation to the needs and requirements of PSYOP soldiers in order to produce an optimal design of the Mobile Intelligence Data Acquisition System (MIDAS). The investigation will thoroughly cover hardware, software and Human Computer Interaction (HCI) considerations, capitalizing on user-centered design throughout the design cycle. The end result of Phase I will be a functioning prototype of the cultural intelligence wiki and the specific guidelines for selecting the three handheld devices and accessories (based on availability at time of selection) for wiki integration and evaluation during the Phase II product testing and development cycle.

Keywords:
Cultural Intelligence, Wiki, Handheld Devices, Psyop, Human Factors, Information Sharing

This proposal offers a detailed work plan to conduct the research and development tasks necessary to produce a system composed of software, application servers, PCs, and handheld computers for use by highly-mobile military personnel to collect and process cultural information, intelligence, and data. Development of the system will be facilitated by our extensive military research and operational experience and by knowledge of the technological and programmatic issues derived from our previous work in mobile computing. Development of a functional prototype during Phase I ensures a successful outcome of the proposed Phase II effort. Also, the system could easily be adapted for use as a job aid in any occupation in which terminology, information sharing, and lessons learned are productivity enablers.

Benefits:
The system architecture has been designed to be sufficiently flexible to support any content domain, including technical, medical, service, maintenance, and marketing, as well as cultural. In short, any business, industry, or government organization that has the requirement to share and maintain up-to-date information, terminology, media, and lessons learned is a potential user of the system.

Keywords:
Software, Mobile Computing, Information Sharing Networks, Human Factors, Cultural Intelligence