AUGMENTED REALITY SPATIAL CUES FOR TARGET ACQUISITION

The increasing complexity and dynamic character of modern warfare is generating numerous time-critical decision points that can exceed the cognitive capacity of the average Marine. By reducing extraneous cognitive demands through the use of augmented reality (AR), warfighters may gain more bandwidth to focus on essential tactical decisions. AR has the potential to enhance the speed and accuracy of target acquisition by delivering landmark cues linked to pre-planned tactical control measures. This thesis investigates the effectiveness of AR in lowering cognitive load and improving human performance by deploying an AR system with Marines in the field. The experiment will assess the time and accuracy of target acquisition by machine gun section leaders. The findings aim to support the development of tools that help Marines maintain a tactical edge and contribute to the ongoing research of the Office of Naval Research Code 34, Human Performance, Training and Education (HPT&E).

Department dc:contributor.department

Computer Science (CS)

Grantor dc:publisher

Monterey, CA; Naval Postgraduate School

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Sveum, Dillon J.

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Darken, Rudolph P.
• McDowell, Perry L.

Statement dc:rights

• This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10945/74733

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:calhoun.nps.edu:10945/74733