Preliminary Finding from a New Device for Monitoring Performance and Environmental Factors in the Field
Abstract
The ability to assess mental and physical performance, in an au- tomated and minimally intrusive manner, Is critical for the conduct of military field studies and applied research in nutrition, neuroscience, and environmental and occupational medicine. Technologies that are currently available for automated field assessment of performance are limited, and commercially available methods for ambulatory monitoring such as the activity monitor (actigraph), do not directly assess any aspect of performance. This paper will introduce a new device, the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine vigilance monitor, which was developed for assessment of human performance in an automated, continuous manner in the field. The monitor has evolved from the actigraph and from microcomputer-based tests of cognitive function. The device continuously monitors and records certain aspects of human performance and, like the actigraph, patterns of activity of the wearer. The device assesses vigilance and reaction time by presenting auditory stimuli and by assessing the wearer's responses. In addition, the USARIEM vigilance monitor continuously assesses a variety of environmental conditions that are of relevance to the mental and physical performance and health of the wearer such as: ambient illumination, sound, and temperature. The device is small enough to be worn on the wrist or belt and, like the actigraph; is completely' self contained, requiring no external input to perform all of its functions for several days. Preliminary data from several military field studies employing the device will be presented, and some of the implications of this new assessment technology will be discussed.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA381418
Entities
People
- Bryan P. Coffey
- Harris R Lieberman
Organizations
- United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine