Biosignals Monitoring of First Responders for Cognitive Load Estimation in Real-Time Operation

Abstract

During the last decade, new technological tools have emerged to provide first responders with augmented senses in emergency and disaster situations. Some of these tools focus on providing extra information about their surroundings. However, despite augmenting first responders’ capabilities, the quantity and the way that this information is presented can affect their cognitive load. This manuscript presents an integrated framework that allows real-time biosignals monitoring to analyze physical constants and correlate them with subjective cognitive load tests. Biosignals monitoring allows alarms to be raised related to the physical status while cognitive load values will allow modulation of the amount of information that can be assimilated by the first responder in operation. In-lab and practice experimental tests have been conducted to create a fully functional framework. During the technical validation, a strong dispersion of subjective cognitive load by means of NASA-TLX questionnaires has been found between participants. Nonetheless, the developed framework allows extraction of relationships between biosignals and cognitive load, with special attention to the respiration rate and eye movements.

Next Generation Computing and Communication Hub for First Responders in Smart Cities

“…In our study, we adopted and extended the SmartHub platform [7] combined with updated specifications of WiLIFE [8] and advances in responder technology components [1,9,10,12,21,24,57].…”

“…CW monitoring is a process that involves at least two multifaceted processes: stress [21,23,24,86] and mental fatigue [22,87,88]. Stress is a complex psycho-physiological pattern, a response of the body to any demand for change.…”

“…We reported the results on the formalization of trust, risk, and bias assessment in such teams in our previous paper [112]. Future first responders will face the challenges of multi-task operation and simultaneous usage of various supporting resources [11,113], building trust in AI-enabled tools by allowing the tracking of risks and biases associated with this trust [112,114,115], as well as Cognitive Workload (CW) monitoring and prediction of the human-robot teams [18][19][20][21], including stress control and prediction [24,25]. − Human digital twins seem to be the key driver and framework of application AIenabled tools.…”

“…To carry out these and other emergency and rescue tasks, an on-body computation and communication network must be created. A central part of the on-body network includes AI-based tools for the responders' Cognitive Workload (CW) monitoring and prediction [18][19][20][21], health and emotional state [9,22,23], and stress control and prediction [24,25].…”

“…On-body network of sensors, computing, and communication tools for first responders, e.g., [21,23,24].…”