Abstract
In this study, we simulated a manual assembly operation, where participants were exposed to two distinct ways of information presentation, reflecting two task conditions (monotonous and more demanding task condition). We investigated how changes in mental workload (MWL) modulate the P300 component of event-related potentials (ERPs), recorded from wireless electroencephalography (EEG), reaction times (RTs) and quantity of task unrelated movements (retrieved from Kinect). We found a decrease in P300 amplitude and an increase in the quantity of the task unrelated movements, both indicating a decrease in attention level during a monotonous task (lower MWL). During the more demanding task, where a slightly higher MWL was imposed, these trends were not obvious. RTs did not show any dependency on the level of workload applied. These results suggest that a wireless EEG, but also Kinect, can be used to measure the influence of MWL variation on the cognitive state of the workers.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Tang, A., Owen, C., Biocca, F., Mou, W.: Comparative effectiveness of augmented reality in object assembly. In: Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, pp. 73–80. ACM (2003)
Larue, G.S., Rakotonirainy, A., Pettitt, A.N.: Driving performance impairments due to hypovigilance on monotonous roads. Acc. Anal. Prev. 43(6), 2037–2046 (2011)
Young, M.S., Stanton, N.A.: Attention and automation: new perspectives on mental underload and performance. Theoret. Issues Ergon. Sci. 3(2), 178–194 (2002)
Desmond, P.A., Hoyes, T.W.: Workload variation, intrinsic risk and utility in a simulated air traffic control task: evidence for compensatory effects. Saf. Sci. 22(1), 87–101 (1996)
Karwowski, W.: The discipline of human factors and ergonomics. In: Salvendy, G. (ed.) Handbook of Human Factors and Ergonomics, pp. 3–37. Wiley, Hoboken (2012)
Parasuraman, R.: Neuroergonomics: research and practice. Theoret. Issues Ergon. Sci. 4(1–2), 5–20 (2003)
Parasuraman, R., Rizzo, M.: Introduction to neuroergonomics. In: Parasuraman, R., Rizzo, M. (eds.) Neuroergonomics: The Brain at Work, pp. 3–14. Oxford University Press, Oxford (2008)
Mehta, R.K., Parasuraman, R.: Neuroergonomics: a review of applications to physical and cognitive work. Front. Hum. Neurosci. 7(889), 1–10 (2013)
Mijović, P., Ković, V., De Vos, M., Mačužić, I., Jeremić, B., Gligorijević, I.: Benefits of instructed responding in manual assembly tasks: an ERP approach. Front. Hum. Neurosci. 10(171), 1–13 (2016)
Picton, T.W., Bentin, S., Berg, P., Donchin, E., Hillyard, S.A., Johnson, R., Miller, G.A., Ritter, W., Ruchkin, D.S., Rugg, M.D., Taylor, M.J.: Guidelines for using human event-related potentials to study cognition: recording standards and publication criteria. Psychophysiology 37(2), 127–152 (2000)
Polich, J., Kok, A.: Cognitive and biological determinants of P300: an integrative review. Biol. Psychol. 41(2), 103–146 (1995)
Polich, J.: Updating P300: an integrative theory of P3a and P3b. Clin. Neurophys. 118(10), 2128–2148 (2007)
Causse, M., Peysakhovich, V., Fabre, E.F.: High working memory load impairs language processing during a simulated piloting task: an ERP and pupillometry study. Front. Hum. Neurosci. 10, 1–14 (2016)
Salthouse, T.A., Hedden, T.: Interpreting reaction time measures in between-group comparisons. J. Clin. Exp. Neuropsych. 24(7), 858–872 (2002)
Luck, S.J., Woodman, G.F., Vogel, E.K.: Event-related potential studies of attention. Trends Cogn. Sci. 4(11), 432–440 (2000)
Diego-Mas, J.A., Alcaide-Marzal, J.: Using Kinect™ sensor in observational methods for assessing postures at work. Appl. Ergon. 45(4), 976–985 (2013)
Rogé, J., Pebayle, T., Muzet, A.: Variations of the level of vigilance and of behavioural activities during simulated automobile driving. Acc. Anal. Prev. 33(2), 181–186 (2001)
Mijović, P., Milovanović, M., Ković, V., Mijović, B., Gligorijević, I., Minović, M., Mačužić, I.: Communicating the user state: introducing cognition-aware computing in industrial settings. Saf. Sci. (2017, in revision)
Gramann, K., Ferris, D.P., Gwin, J., Makeig, S.: Imaging natural cognition in action. Int. J. Psychophys. 91(1), 22–29 (2014)
Delorme, A., Makeig, S.: EEGLAB: an open source toolbox for analysis of single-trial EEG dynamics including independent component analysis. J. Neurosci. Methods 134(1), 9–21 (2004)
De Vos, M., De Lathauwer, L., Van Huffel, S.: Spatially constrained ICA algorithm with an application in EEG processing. Sig. Proc. 91(8), 1963–1972 (2011)
Mijović, P., Ković, V., De Vos, M., Mačužić, I., Todorović, P., Jeremić, B., Gligorijević, I.: Towards continuous and real-time attention monitoring at work: reaction time versus brain response. Ergonomics 60, 1–14 (2016)
Awh, E., Jonides, J.: Overlapping mechanisms of attention and spatial working memory. Trends Cogn. Sci. 5(3), 119–126 (2001)
Michalos, G., Makris, S., Rentzos, L., Chryssolouris, G.: Dynamic job rotation for workload balancing in human based assembly systems. CIRP J. Manuf. Sci. Technol. 2(3), 153–160 (2010)
Acknowledgments
This research is financed under EU—FP7 Marie Curie Actions Initial Training Net-works—FP7-PEOPLE-2011-ITN, project name “Innovation Through Human Factors in Risk Analysis and Management (InnHF)”, project number: 289837.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 Springer International Publishing AG
About this paper
Cite this paper
Mijović, P., Milovanović, M., Ković, V., Gligorijević, I., Mijović, B., Mačužić, I. (2017). Neuroergonomics Method for Measuring the Influence of Mental Workload Modulation on Cognitive State of Manual Assembly Worker. In: Longo, L., Leva, M. (eds) Human Mental Workload: Models and Applications. H-WORKLOAD 2017. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 726. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61061-0_14
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61061-0_14
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-61060-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-61061-0
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)