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Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) missions continue to benefit from the incorporation of human–robot teams (HRTs). USAR environments can be ambiguous, hazardous, and unstable. The integration of robot teammates into USAR missions has enabled human teammates to access areas of uncertainty, including hazardous locations. For HRTs to be effective, it is pertinent to understand the factors that influence team effectiveness, such as having shared goals, mutual understanding, and efficient communication. The purpose of our research is to determine how to (1) better establish human trust, (2) identify useful levels of robot transparency and robot explanations, (3) ensure situation awareness, and (4) encourage a bipartisan role amongst teammates. By implementing robot transparency and robot explanations, we found that the driving factors for effective HRTs rely on robot explanations that are context-driven and are readily available to the human teammate. 

Ụbụrụ is an executive function computerized rehabilitation application specifically designed for mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) individuals. Ụbụrụ utilizes serious games to train cognitive flexibility, planning, and organization. This paper explores the rationale and components behind the alpha stage of the application’s development, and its first design iteration. Currently, individuals with a history of mTBI have limited rehabilitation options as a result of lack of knowledge in terms of available services, access, time, or financial and insurance constraints. Due to the invisible nature of mTBIs, perception of injury severity is diminished, individuals are not properly equipped with how to proceed forward with rehabilitation, and awareness of injury can be inadvertently compromised. The intention behind the Ụbụrụ application is to be a computerized cognitive rehabilitation alternative and additive when limitations such as time, finances, or insurance exist.