Orientation Comes First: Becoming Aware of Spatial Disorientation Interferes with Cognitive Performance

Background: Previous research has shown that experiencing motion stimuli negatively impacts cognitive performance. Objective: In the current study, we investigate whether this impact relates to Type-II spatial disorientation (SD), to motion stimulus magnitude, or to an interaction of these factors. Method: Stimuli for participants (n = 23)...

A front- and rear-view assistant for older cyclists: Evaluations on technical performance, user experience and behaviour

The older cyclist is more prone to get cycling accidents than younger cyclists. To support the older cyclist, a rear- and front-view assistant were developed that warns the cyclist of approaching traffic. User tests to evaluate system performance, user-experience and effects on behaviour were performed with 20 older cyclists (>64 years) on a...

Change detection support for supervisory controllers of highly automated systems: Effects on performance, mental workload, and recovery of situation awareness following interruptions

Dynamic Positioning (DP) is a computer-controlled process to automatically keep a floating vessel at a specific position or to follow a pre-defined path (tracking) by using its own propellers and thrusters. The human supervisory controller has no direct need to constantly know what the status is of all parts of the automation and the system it...

The effects of cyclists present at rural intersections on speed behavior and workload of car drivers: A driving simulator study

Methods: An experiment was conducted in a moving-base driving simulator. Thirty participants completed 3 runs each in 3 conditions: a baseline, a plateau, and a chicane condition. Participants drove an 80 km/h rural distributor road with 8 intersections. Eight cyclist scenarios were developed varying in the number of cyclists and the direction...

A Smarter Common Operational Picture: The Application of Cognitive Work Analysis to Naval Command and Control.

During the last ten years significant steps have been made in connecting military command and control systems from different defense forces in joint and combined operations. However, a common operational picture (COP) that provides all actors within the defense organization with sufficient, accurate, and timely information is still an elusive...

Country Report - The Netherlands

This paper provides an overview of the most significant developments in the area of road (geometric) design practices and standards and related research in the Netherlands in recent years. The paper describes the importance of the Sustainable Road Safety policy in this context. Furthermore, it provides a summary of a number of new initiatives...

Eye movement as indicators of mental workload to trigger adaptive automation

This research describes an approach to objective assessment of mental workload, by analyzing differences in pupil diameter and several aspects of eye movement (fixation time, saccade distance, and saccade speed) under different levels of mental workload. In an experiment, these aspects were measured by an eye-tracking device to examine whether...

Driving with a congestion assistant: Mental workload and acceptance

New driver support systems are developed and introduced to the market at increasing speed. In conditions of traffic congestion drivers may be supported by a" Congestion Assistant", a system that combines the features of a Congestion Warning System (acoustic warning and gas pedal counterforce) and a Stop & Go system (automatic gas and brake pedal...

The relationship between driver distraction and mental workload

Driver distraction is caused by a competing activity and leads to unsafe driving. Mental workload changes with task demands and influences performance. Though distraction and mental workload are strongly related, they are not the same. Performance motivation and task engagement influence performance and consequently distraction but not workload;...

Facial temperature as a measure of operator state

We conducted an experiment to explore the relation between facial temperature and mental effort. Participants had to perform mentally demanding tasks while their face was captured with an infrared camera. The temperature of the nose decreased during these tasks and increased during the successive rest blocks. Other parts of the face did not...

Facial temperature as a measure of mental workload

We conducted an experiment to explore the relation between facial temperature and mental effort. Participants had to perform mentally demanding tasks while their face was captured with an infrared camera. The temperature of the nose decreased during these tasks and increased during the successive rest periods. Other parts of the face did not...

The adaptive operator

This paper presents a framework for mental workload that describes the adaptive nature of human beings in interacting with the environment. The framework is a result of many years of mental workload research in different complex task situations. This framework can be used to understand the role of mental workload in complex task situations as...

Cameratoezicht: de menselijke factor

Physiological workload reactions to increasing levels of task difficulty

The sensitivity of physiological measures to mental workload has been investigated in a flight simulator. Twelve pilots had to fly through a tunnel with different levels of difficulty. Additionally, they had to perform a memory task with four levels of difficulty. The easiest memory task was combined with the easiest tunnel task and the most...

Physiological indices of workload in a simulated flight task

The sensitivity of physiological measures to evaluate workload was investigated in a simulated flight task. Heart rate, blood pressure (from beat to beat), respiration and eye blinks were recorded in 14 subjects while they performed a complex task in a flight simulator. Workload was manipulated by introducing an additional task and by varying...

A participatory ergonomics approach to reduce mental and physical workload

A step-by-step approach to better work, aimed at reducing mental and physical workload in office work, is evaluated. This approach is based on a strong commitment of the management in the enterprise, and on as much direct worker participation as possible. After every step the workers proposed how to continue and a steering group led by the...

Eén wachter voor twee bruggen?

Onderzocht is of bediening van twee bruggen door 1 brugwachter de verkeersstroom vertraagt en of dit de mentale belasting van de brugwachter verhoogt. Geconcludeerd wordt dat bij routinedrukte van het scheepvaartverkeer tweebrugsbediening mogelijk is, maar dat bij piekdrukte tweebrugsbediening niet acceptabel is zonder nader onderzoek naar of...