A Framework for Selecting and Assessing Wearable Sensors Deployed in Safety Critical Scenarios.

Wearable sensors for psychophysiological monitoring are becoming increasingly mainstream in safety critical contexts. They offer a novel solution to capturing sub-optimal states and can help identify when workers in safety critical environments are suffering from states such as fatigue and stress. However, sensors can differ widely in their application, design, usability, and measurement and there is a lack of guidance on what should be prioritized or considered when selecting a sensor. The paper aims to highlight which concepts are important when creating or selecting a device regarding the optimization of both measurement and usability. Additionally, the paper discusses how design choices can enhance both the usability and measurement capabilities of wearable sensors. The hopes are that this paper will provide researchers and practitioners in human factors and related fields with a framework to help guide them in building and selecting wearable sensors that are well suited for deployment in safety critical contexts.

Detecting and Predicting Pilot Mental Workload Using Heart Rate Variability: A Systematic Review.

Measuring pilot mental workload (MWL) is crucial for enhancing aviation safety. However, MWL is a multi-dimensional construct that could be affected by multiple factors. Particularly, in the context of a more automated cockpit setting, the traditional methods of assessing pilot MWL may face challenges. Heart rate variability (HRV) has emerged as a potential tool for detecting pilot MWL during real-flight operations. This review aims to investigate the relationship between HRV and pilot MWL and to assess the performance of machine-learning-based MWL detection systems using HRV parameters. A total of 29 relevant papers were extracted from three databases for review based on rigorous eligibility criteria. We observed significant variability across the reviewed studies, including study designs and measurement methods, as well as machine-learning techniques. Inconsistent results were observed regarding the differences in HRV measures between pilots under varying levels of MWL. Furthermore, for studies that developed HRV-based MWL detection systems, we examined the diverse model settings and discovered that several advanced techniques could be used to address specific challenges. This review serves as a practical guide for researchers and practitioners who are interested in employing HRV indicators for evaluating MWL and wish to incorporate cutting-edge techniques into their MWL measurement approaches.

Defining human-centricity in Industry 5.0 and assessing the readiness of ergonomics/human factors communities in UK.

There is a lack of a clear and consistent definition of human-centricity in Industry 5.0. This study identified the definition of human-centricity in Industry 5.0 through a systematic literature review and used it to assess the readiness of Ergonomics/Human Factors communities in the UK. The assessment of the communities readiness was conducted by reviewing UK accredited courses and events of three professional bodies; and interviewing practitioners (n = 8). Eleven themes were identified as elements of human-centricity from the thematic analysis of 30 publications. Gaps that had to be addressed to better equip UK practitioners to support the realisation of human-centricity in Industry 5.0 were also identified.

The meaning of human-centricity in Industry 5.0 and its bearing on Ergonomics/Human Factors communities are not fully understood. Eleven themes that define human-centricity in Industry 5.0 are extracted. Gaps that have to be addressed by Ergonomics/Human Factors communities in UK are also identified.

Approaching future rewards or waiting for them to arrive: Spatial representations of time and intertemporal choice.

Our mental representation of the passage of time is structured by concepts of spatial motion, including an ego-moving perspective in which the self is perceived as approaching future events and a time-moving perspective in which future events are perceived as approaching the self. While previous research has found that processing spatial information in one's environment can preferentially activate either an ego-moving or time-moving temporal perspective, potential downstream impacts on everyday decision-making have received less empirical attention. Based on the idea people may feel closer to positive events they see themselves as actively approaching rather than passively waiting for, in this pre-registered study we tested the hypothesis that spatial primes corresponding to an ego-moving (vs. time-moving) perspective would attenuate temporal discounting by making future rewards feel more proximal. 599 participants were randomly assigned to one of three spatial prime conditions (ego-moving, time-moving, control) resembling map-based tasks people may engage with on digital devices, before completing measures of temporal perspective, perceived wait time, perceived control over time, and temporal discounting. Partly consistent with previous research, the results indicated that the time-moving prime successfully activated the intended temporal perspective-though the ego-moving prime did not. Contrary to our primary hypotheses, the spatial primes had no effect on either perceived wait time or temporal discounting. Processing spatial information in a map-based task therefore appears to influence how people conceptualise the passage of time, but there was no evidence for downstream effects on intertemporal preferences. Additionally, exploratory analysis indicated that greater perceived control over time was associated with lower temporal discounting, mediated by a reduction in perceived wait time, suggesting a possible area for future research into individual differences and interventions in intertemporal decision-making.