This month’s issue of the SESAR newsletter features the NINA project. NINA explored the possibility to use brain waves to measure Air Traffic Controllers’ mental workload. Indeed, using neurophysiological measures to assess the mental state of ATCOs’ opened new paths to improve safety in Air Traffic Management. In fact, the real time evaluation of the level of cognitive workload allows for the adoption of adaptive automation interfaces solutions, triggered by the ATCOs’ current workload.
Recently, we have presented the project to the SESAR JU at the EUROCONTROL Experimental Centre (EEC) in Brétigny-sur-Orge, France. SESAR received very well the presentation of NINA’s results, with widely positive feedback.
Now, SESAR has released an article about using brain waves to assess controllers’ mental state. It describes how NINA investigated the possibility of using physiological measurements to monitor ATCOs’ cognitive state and mental workload. Then, it details the development of the Mental State Classifier Algorithm needed to perform the evaluation.