Every research journey has moments that redefine its focus and reaffirm its direction. For DIALOG , our 1st Advisory Board Meeting at DSNA’s premises in Toulouse, France, at the end of last year, was one such moment—a key milestone in our mission to enhance human-AI teaming in air traffic management (ATM). This hybrid event brought together in-person and remote participants for a full day of technical discussions, scenario validation, and hands-on preparations for our upcoming data collection phase.

Validating Use Cases

The workshop’s central goal was to validate the use cases that will guide DIALOG’s efforts. Advisory Board members—experts from across ATM, AI, and human factors—participated remotely, providing critical feedback to ensure that our scenarios align with operational realities and future needs.

These use cases represent the backbone of our project, and in the coming months, we’ll delve deeper into them with dedicated articles exploring their design, applications, and outcomes.

Setting the Stage: Morning Discussions

The foundation for the use case validation and refinement was laid during the morning discussions, which focused on critical themes essential to DIALOG’s success:

  • Inferring ATCOs’ Intentions and Goals by DSNA,
  • Unobtrusive Real-Time Workload Assessment presented by SINTEF, and
  • Building Effective and Trustworthy Human-AI Teaming led by ONERA.

These sessions not only provided the theoretical underpinnings but also connected the project’s objectives with the practicalities of operational environments.

Afternoon Activities: Hands-On Preparations

In the afternoon, the workshop shifted to a hands-on format, focusing on practical demonstrations and trials. This phase, conducted exclusively in person for select participants, included:

  • Showcasing DSNA’s SCRIBE Tool: the team had the opportunity to experience a live demonstration of SCRIBE, DSNA’s advanced speech recognition tool. This innovative tool, essential to WP1, was demonstrated in real-world conditions, revealing its potential to improve communication and collaboration between human operators and AI systems in air traffic management. It became evident that SCRIBE will be a cornerstone of the DIALOG project as we continue refining human-AI teamwork for enhanced operational efficiency.
  • Preparing for Data Collection: With the first data gathering session just around the corner (later this month), the team conducted trials of innovative measurement tools: that will be pivotal for the project. Eye tracking was used to assess focus and attention, while Mindtooth (EEG) and ECG devices were tested to monitor workload and physiological responses. These technologies will play a key role in achieving our goal of unobtrusive workload measurement.

Why It’s Important for DIALOG

This meeting was not merely a review of milestones but a crucial step in ensuring DIALOG’s alignment with stakeholder priorities and real-world needs. The collaboration and thoughtful feedback from our Advisory Board members, who participated remotely, were key to reaffirming our project’s direction. Their insights will help refine our methodologies and approaches, ensuring we stay on track. We can affirm that the session was a great success, with strong engagement and a positive outlook from the Advisory Board, underscoring their confidence in the project’s progress.

Acknowledgments

We extend our gratitude to our Advisory Board members, from the innovative projects TRUSTY , AWARE ATM Project, and DARWIN project, for their valuable academic contributions, and to SMATSA for their support as an end user. We also thank all partners who made this event a success, including Amela Karahasanovic, Aida Omerovic, and Erik G. Nilsson from SINTEF, Yannick Migliorini from #DSNA, Bertille Somon, Samy Chikhi, and bruno berberian from ONERA – The French Aerospace Lab, Efecan Yilmaz from Radboud University, Konrad Hagemann from DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung GmbH, and Nicola Cavagnetto and Marianna Groia from Deep Blue, for their participation in the meeting in Toulouse.

Join the Conversation

In the coming months, we’ll delve deeper into each use case with dedicated articles exploring their design, applications, and outcomes. Stay connected with DIALOG as we continue to innovate in human-AI teaming.

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Onward to the skies! 🌍✈️