Trust in Sensing Technologies and Human Wingmen: Analogies for Human-Machine Teams

The true value of a human-machine team (HMT) consisting of a capable human and an automated or autonomous system will depend, in part, on the richness and dynamic nature of the interactions and degree of shared awareness between the human and the technology. Contemporary views of HMTs emphasize the notion of bidirectional transparency, one type of which is Robot-of-Human (RoH) transparency. Technologies that are capable of RoH transparency may have awareness of human physiological and cognitive states, and adapt their behavior based on these states thus providing augmentation to operators. Yet despite the burgeoning presence of health monitoring devices, little is known about how humans feel about an automated system using sensing capabilities to augment them in a work environment. The current study provides some preliminary data on user acceptance of sensing capabilities on automated systems. The present research examines an emerging predictor of trust in automation, Perfect Automation Schema, as a predictor of trust in the sensing capabilities. Additionally, the current study examines trust of a human wingman as an analogy for looking at trust within the context of a HMT. The findings suggest that Perfect Automation Schema is related to some facets of sensing technology acceptance. Further, trust of a human wingman is contingent on familiarity and experience.