title: Saccadic peak velocity sensitivity to variations in mental workload.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  For research and applications in the field of (neuro)ergonomics, it is of increasing importance to have reliable methods for measuring mental workload. In the present study we examined the hypothesis that saccadic eye movements can be used for an online assessment of mental workload.
  
  
  METHODS
  Saccadic main sequence (amplitude, duration and peak velocity) was used as a diagnostic measure of mental workload in a virtual driving task with three complexity levels. We tested 18 drivers in the SIRCA driving simulator while their eye movements were recorded. The Wickens' multiple resources model was used as theoretical framework. Changes in mental workload between the complexity levels were evaluated multidimensionally, using subjective rating, performance in a secondary task, and other behavioral indices.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Saccadic peak velocity decreased (7.2 visual degrees/s) as the mental workload increased, as measured by scores of mental workload test (15.2 scores) and the increase of the reaction time on the secondary task (46 ms).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Saccadic peak velocity is affected by variations in mental workload during ecologically valid tasks. We conclude that saccadic peak velocity could be a useful diagnostic index for the assessment of operators' mental workload and attentional state in hazardous environments.
authors.affiliation: Applied Cognitive Research Unit/Psychology III, Technische Universitaet Dresden, Dresden, Germany. distasi@ugr.es
authors.forename: Leandro L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Di Stasi
authors.forename: Rebekka
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Renner
authors.forename: Peggy
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Staehr
authors.forename: Jens R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Helmert
authors.forename: Boris M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Velichkovsky
authors.forename: José J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Cañas
authors.forename: Andrés
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Catena
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pannasch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001288:Attention; D001334:Automobile Driving; D003071:Cognition; D006804:Ergonomics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011930:Reaction Time; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012438:Saccades / Q000502:physiology*; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D016526:Workload; D055815:Young Adult