SRI International Develops Software for Real-Time Coordination of Military Operations

Intelligent Distributed Systems Adapt Mission Plans to Changes on the Battlefield

MENLO PARK, Calif.– September 20, 2005 – SRI International, an independent nonprofit research and development organization, today announced that the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) awarded it a contract for the development of a software system called COORDINATORs (Coordination Decision Support Assistants) to support mission planning for fielded military units.    

"The COORDINATORs program is creating distributed intelligent software systems that will help fielded units adapt their mission plans as the situation around them changes and affects their plans," said Tom Wagner, Ph.D., DARPA program manager. "Intelligent software COORDINATORs do this by reasoning about the tasks assigned to a given unit, the task timings, how the tasks interact with those of other units, and by evaluating possible changes such as changing task timings, task assignments, or selecting from pre-planned contingencies."

Automated Decision Support for Military Field Units
SRI and its team will focus on developing software for sequential event processing and peer-to-peer coordination for a mission already underway . Widely distributed units will use COORDINATORs to exchange and analyze information, evaluate response options, and coordinate activities. A scheduling capability will enable all mission elements to operate from a common understanding when adjusting assignments in response to unexpected events.

"Assessing the value and relevance of new information through COORDINATORs and various interacting systems will let tactical military teams take advantage of developing opportunities," said SRI's co-principal investigator Charles Ortiz, Ph.D. "Continuous negotiation through distributed scheduling technology will allow human decision-makers to concentrate on the big picture in the battlefield."

Soldiers at all hierarchical levels in a tactical scenario will benefit from the parallel and interdependent task analysis capabilities of this technology. "The result will be an increased chance of success," said SRI co-principal investigator Regis Vincent, Ph.D. "Since plans can be changed and adapted, the mission can proceed with minimal chance of injury or loss of life."

The SRI COORDINATORs Team
SRI's renowned Artificial Intelligence Center is leading one of three DARPA-sponsored COORDINATORs teams. Participants in the SRI-led team include Carnegie-Mellon University, Harvard University, University of Maryland, Vassar College, Cornell University, and Active Computing, Inc.

About SRI's Artificial Intelligence Center
SRI International's Artificial Intelligence Center (AIC) (www.ai.sri.com) is one of the world's major centers of research in artificial intelligence. Founded in 1966, the AIC has been a pioneer and a major contributor to the development of computer capabilities for intelligent behavior in complex situations. Its objectives are to understand the computational principles underlying intelligence in man and machines and to develop methods for building computer-based systems to solve problems, to communicate with people, and to perceive and interact with the physical world.

About SRI International
Silicon Valley-based SRI International (www.sri.com) is one of the world's leading independent research and technology development organizations. Founded as Stanford Research Institute in 1946, SRI has been meeting the strategic needs of clients for almost 60 years. The nonprofit research institute performs contract research and development for government agencies, commercial businesses and private foundations. In addition to conducting contract R&D, SRI licenses its technologies, forms strategic partnerships and creates spin-off companies.

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