Autonomy Requires FULL OODA Loop

THE OODA LOOP IS VITAL FOR SCALED OPERATIONS

Great engineering challenges require strong leadership and an exceptional process. There are many decision-making models that have been developed, but only one has stood the test of time for solving complex and multi-faceted engineering challenges. The Observe - Orient - Decide - Act Loop, better known as OODA, was developed by Colonel John Boyd in the 1950s. Colonel Boyd was a military strategist, fighter pilot, and inspired many aircraft designs produced for the United States.

The OODA Loop has been effectively used by NASA, the FAA, DoD Agencies, and countless private industry organizations to push the bounds of science and technology. OODA provides a unified approach that can easily be trained, replicated, and measured. It is time to embrace the OODA Loop and Accelerate the "Path to Commerce" for intelligent and autonomous systems.

What is the OODA Loop and how does it apply to engineering?

In a NASA whitepaper: Method for Determining the Level of Autonomy, Ryan, Jeremy, and Richard comment: "Boyd’s system adds two important characteristics to the four-tiered system, feedback, and implicit control. Feedback is the concept that decisions do not necessarily have to become actions. Decisions themselves can spark new analysis tasks or requests for new observations. Implicit control is the process that runs in the background. For a human spaceflight vehicle the background trajectory process is GN&C (Guidance, Navigation, and Control). This process has implicit control of the vehicle and will continue to carry out its programmed commands for the vehicle unless instructed otherwise by a human or autonomous manager."

How can the OODA Loop be applied to Autonomous Systems?

Noblis Autonomy at Scale

Intelligent Machines Advancing Technology to Improve Our Future

https://noblis.org/autonomy-at-scale/

NASA Defines Autonomous Systems

Autonomous and automated systems are incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) into the management and control of complex systems. Autonomous systems are operated independently of other management and control systems, though may include human operators (i.e., crew) as part of the operation. Crewed spacecraft, aircraft, and ships are examples of autonomous systems.?Automated systems are independent of human operators though their management and control may be centralized or distributed.?The basis of these autonomous and automated systems are defined through the?system integrating physics. The AI requires a detailed understanding of the system as a whole, which the?system integrating physics?provides. In addition, an understanding of each of the system functions, subsystems, and environments is necessary for AI decisions to be sound with regard to system operations.?

What NASA could teach Tesla about the limits of autopilot.

NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration?- Data Reasoning (DRF):?https://buff.ly/3llSOCe?are critical.?Ken Freeman,?William R. Van Dalsem?NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration?- Data Reasoning Fabric (DRF) a reality:?

NASA Autonomous System Levels (OODA Loop) Autonomy Level?

NASA Level 8

• Observe - The computer gathers, filters, and prioritizes data without displaying any information to the human.?
• Orient?- The computer predicts, interprets, and integrates data into a result that is not displayed to the human.?
• Decide - The computer performs ranking tasks. The computer performs final ranking, but does not display results to the human.?
• Act - Computer executes automatically and does not allow any human interaction.?

NASA Level 7

• Observe - The computer gathers, filters, and prioritizes data without displaying any information to the human. Though, a "program functioning" flag is displayed.?
• Orient?- The computer anlayzes, predicts, interprets, and integrates data into a result which is only displayed to the human if result fits programmed context (context dependant summaries).?
• Decide - The computer performs ranking tasks. The computer performs final ranking and displays a reduced set of ranked options without displaying "why" decisions were made to the human.?
• Act - Computer executes automatically and only informs the human if required by context. It allows for override ability after execution. Human is shadow for contingencies.?

NASA Level 6

• Observe - The computer gathers, filters, and prioritizes information displayed to the human.?
• Orient?- The computer overlays predictions with analysis and interprets the data. The human is shown all results.?
• Decide - The computer performs ranking tasks and displays a reduced set of ranked options while displaying "why" decisions were made to the human.?
• Act - Computer executes automatically, informs the human, and allows for override ability after execution. Human is shadow for contingencies.?

NASA Level 5

• Observe - The computer is responsible for gathering the information for the human, but it only displays non- prioritized, filtered information.?
• Orient?- The computer overlays predictions with analysis and interprets the data. The human shadows the interpretation for contingencies.?
• Decide - The computer performs ranking tasks. All results, including "why" decisions were made, are displayed to the human.?
• Act - Computer allows the human a context-dependant restricted time to veto before execution. Human shadows for contingencies.?

NASA Level 4

• Observe - The computer is responsible for gathering the information for the human and for displaying all information, but it highlights the non-prioritized, relevant information for the user.?
• Orient?- The computer analyzes the data and makes predictions, though the human is responsible for interpretation of the data.?
• Decide - Both human and computer perform ranking tasks, the results from the computer are considered prime.?
• Act - Computer allows the human a pre-programmed restricted time to veto before execution. Human shadows for contingencies.?

NASA Level 3

• Observe - The computer is responsible for gathering and displaying unfiltered, unprioritized information for the human. The human still is the prime monitor for all information.?
• Orient?- Computer is the prime source of analysis and predictions, with human shadow for contingencies. The human is responsible for interpretation of the data.?
• Decide - Both human and computer perform ranking tasks, the results from the human are considered prime.?
• Act - Computer executes decision after human approval. Human shadows for contingencies.?

NASA Level 2

• Observe - Human is the prime source for gathering and monitoring all data, with computer shadow for emergencies.?
• Orient?- Human is the prime source of analysis and predictions, with computer shadow for contingencies. The human is responsible for interpretation of the data.?
• Decide - The human performs all ranking tasks, but the computer can be used as a tool for assistance.?
• Act - Human is the prime source of execution, with computer shadow for contingencies.?

NASA Level 1

• Observe - Human is the only source for gathering and monitoring (defined as filtering, prioritizing and understanding) all data.?
• Orient?- Human is responsible for analyzing all data, making predictions, and interpreting of the data.?
• Decide - The computer does not assist in or perform ranking tasks. Human must do it all.?
• Act - Human alone can execute decisions.?

The "Path to Commerce" depends on DATA

. . . PETABYTES of DATA! It also depends on the OODA Loop, not just for development & testing, but for Operations.

• Regulatory, technical, and community support is build using Data.
• Data requires 10's of thousands of missions and petabytes of validation
• 10s of thousands of missions require a Digital Twin supporting a physics-based simulation and modeling environment and a platform that can be scaled.
• Physical testing in the real world requires small systems that can be scaled to 100s of thousands of deployments. i.e. small rovers, drones, and isolated industrial systems.
• Rovers & Drones require technical and community risk mitigation strategies.
• Technical Risk mitigation requires validated or certified ConOps.
• Professional ConOps requires leveraging sensors, physical deployment, sensor fusion, edge computing, and other systems to address the challenge of "non-cooperative" traffic. DoD System of Systems best practices to a CMMi Level 5 should be employed
• Certified ConOps requires regulatory engagement - policy and legislative. The most important support is from the community and building on embraced use cases.
• Regulatory and Community leadership will accelerate the "Path to Data".
• Petabytes of Data will accelerate the “Path to Commerce” in the United States.
• The Autonomy Institute has aligned the partners to spearhead the near-term list of R&D challenges that must be addressed to take big steps forward.
• The Autonomy Institute leadership is going to be prescriptive with the knowledge that has already been developed over the years.

AI and Ethically Aligned Design, “From Principles to Practice”

IEEE Ethically Aligned Design, “From Principles to Practice”, provides a mapping of the conceptual framework of Ethically Aligned Design. The IEEE Global Initiative for Ethical Considerations in Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Systems - Prioritizing Human Well-being in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

IEEE is a world leader in defining Industry Standards.?One of the oldest and most transformative standards was the 19" Rack developed by Bell Labs in 1922. Bell Labs transitioned many standards to Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA), then they moved under the Global Standards Collaboration (GSC) which IEEE is the United States partner.

The Industry has the Leadership to Build!

Many innovative companies are leveraging the OODA Loop methodology:?Don Berchoff?at?TruWeather Solutions,?Andrew Carter?at?ResilienX,?David Bruemmer?at?W8less LLC,?Stan Schneider,?Richard Primeaux,?Mark Bigham, William R. Van Dalsem,?Phil Kenul, Rear Admiral (retired),?Austin Burch,?Scott McCormick,?Marke "Hoot" Gibson, and dozens more.

Autonomy Institute??

The Autonomy Institute(501c3)?is a government, industry, academia and public alliance focused on accelerating the "Path to Commerce" for intelligent and autonomous systems. Over 200 organizations are engaged and supporting the policies, markets, jobs, and community benefits of autonomy to foster social and economic transformation.

Intelligent and Autonomous Infrastructure is the equivalent of the Eisenhower Interstate Highways. The Autonomy Institute collaborates with large infrastructure investors on the creation of $100+ million Public-Private Partnership programs. The intelligent infrastructure enables?the rapid and expansive deployment of rural broadband, NextG, edge computing, intelligent transportation systems, APNT, and smart grid devices. This infrastructure has substantial benefits to cities by?eliminating the digital divide and preparing communities?for Industry 4.0 solutions. The national deployment of this infrastructure will create millions of new jobs and generate billions in economic growth.

The Autonomy Institute is developing an "Autonomy Commerce Act" and an "All-Up" Autonomy program within the United States.

“Robots Can Restore Our Humanity” – John Hagel “…an opportunity to redefine work at a very fundamental level. If we do it right, we might actually be able to evolve a form of work that taps into our uniquely human capabilities and restores our humanity. The ultimate paradox is that this technology may become the powerful catalyst that we need to reclaim our humanity.”