Handoch

Handoch is a coined term used in speculative discussions to denote a protocol for seamless transfer of operational control and contextual state between human operators and autonomous agents in hybrid systems. The concept extends the familiar idea of a handoff by emphasizing continuity of intent, situational awareness, and safety across control boundaries.

Origin and usage: Handoch is not part of established standards and is rarely encountered in formal literature. It appears in thought experiments, fictional works, and some early design proposals as a hypothetical mechanism to address coordination challenges in shared autonomy.

Concept and components: A handoch process would typically include (1) context capture—collecting current goals, sensor state, and user preferences; (2) state synchronization—ensuring both sides hold a consistent view of the system; (3) consent and intent signaling—clear declaration of who controls what; and (4) safety and audit provisions—logging, override paths, and rollback options.

Applications: Proposed uses include collaborative robotics, autonomous vehicles, drone and industrial automation, and augmented reality-assisted procedures.

Challenges: Standardization, latency bounds, verifiability, and accountability are major concerns. Realizing handoch requires robust interfaces, trustworthy AI behavior, and rigorous testing across edge cases.

See also: handoff; shared autonomy; human–robot interaction.