Integrated Cognitive-neuroscience Architectures for Understanding Sensemaking (ICArUS): Phase 1 Challenge Problem Design and Test Specification

Phase 1 of the IARPA program ICArUS (Integrated Cognitive-neuroscience Architectures for Understanding Sensemaking) requires a challenge problem that poses cognitive challenges of geospatial sensemaking (BAA, 2010). The problem serves as a modeling challenge for performers and enables assessment in T&E (Test and Evaluation) per BAA guidelines. This document describes the Phase 1 challenge problem and outlines the T&E approach for evaluating models in Neural Fidelity Assessment, Cognitive Fidelity Assessment, and Comparative Performance Assessment. Note: This document was originally prepared and delivered to IARPA in December, 2011, to support ICArUS Phase 1 T&E efforts that concluded in December, 2012.