Heart Rate Variability as an Index for Pilot Workload

摘要

Workload issues associated with operating modern military and civil aircraftinitiated two opposite trends: the first trend is related to cockpit automation in civil aircraft and the problems of underload and complacency, while the second trend is related to enhanced mission capabilities of military aircraft and the problem of overloading pilots with information. A key element defining the opportunity for progress is the standardization of methods for workload assessment and analysis, complemented with more sophisticated and validated workload prediction algorithms. One candidate for standardization is the technique of spectral analysis of heart rate variability (HRV). This paper discusses its application in a simulator study that compared theoretical assessments of flight task difficulty with the actual workload levels as indexed with HRV. Moment to moment variations in workloads are of particular interest. The use of an analysis technique like 'complex demodulation' could contribute as it allows the continuous tracking of particular spectral HRV components over time.