Effects of Autonomous vs. Remotely-Operated Unmanned Weapon Systems on Human-Robot Teamwork and Trust

In the United States Military, 2011 marks the third year of a 25 year plan to increase the number of unmanned systems across the air, ground, and maritime domains. These systems perform as members of human-robot teams either autonomously or by remote-operation. The success of employing unmanned systems in coordination with human team members depends on system capabilities which support teamwork and trust. Weaponization of these systems introduces new concerns in teamwork and trust research. This paper presents research comparing the effects of autonomous and remotely-operated unmanned weapon systems on human-robot teamwork and trust. The results will contribute to the development of recommended roles and automation levels for future weaponized robotic systems