2.2 Electrophysiological Monitoring of
the Psychological Factors
To be able to analyze the general situational aware-
ness of the pilot, multiple biometrics sensors can be
reviewed. The inputs to the system should include a
variety of physiological and behavioral data sources:
• EEG (Electroencephalography): For monitor-
ing brain activities, which help assess levels of
attention and cognitive load. The mental state
is evaluated thanks to EEG micro-states. Brain
wave monitoring also allows for specific drowsi-
ness and emotion change detection.
• ECG (Electrocardiography): Used to track
heart rate variability, which can indicate stress
levels.
• PPG (Photoplethysmography): For measuring
pulse rate variability, providing insights into the
pilots’ cardiovascular health and stress responses.
• Eye Tracking / Camera Tracking: These tech-
nologies are critical for evaluating cognitive load
and attention by analyzing eye movements, blink
rates, and pupil dilation. This helps in understand-
ing how pilots focus and react under different fly-
ing conditions.
• EOG (Electro-oculography) Recording: This
captures eye movement artifacts in addition to
EEG data, further enhancing the detection of fa-
tigue and cognitive load.
• Physiological Indicators: Measurements of skin
conductance and body temperature help in assess-
ing stress levels through changes in the autonomic
nervous system.
Most of these wearable sensors are miniaturized.
For the EEG recording, we chose to use a dry EEG
with 4 electrodes.
2.3 Adaptation of the Design Method to
Speedflying
The soft wing paradigm also allows to model quite a
variety of flights, as it covers a few types of wings.
A very small wing (8-10sqm) will allow for high
speed and proximity flying risk modeling, a bigger
one (16-19sqm) will allow for longer flights and give
more time to the system to propose another outcome
than reserve launching. Bigger wings like competitive
paragliders can go up to thousands of meters of alti-
tude and allow for very long flights (up to ten hours),
which gives space and time to test more complicated
scenarios and fatigue or drowsiness onset and subse-
quent recordings.
3 RESULTS
The initial interview protocol facilitated the identifi-
cation of various risk factors pertinent to speed-flying,
encompassing cognitive load, mental stress, emo-
tional state, drowsiness, and fatigue. Cognitive load
denotes the equilibrium between task demands and
available time for completion, initially inferred from
experimental findings related to problem-solving and
learning outcomes, gauged through performance met-
rics and subjective inquiries. Pilots expressed its im-
pact as ”having too much on one’s mind,” attribut-
ing it to personal and professional concerns that di-
minish attention span and focus capacity. Evaluation
of cognitive load may involve EEG or eye-tracking
methodologies. Mental stress, partly intertwined with
cognitive load, denotes a psychological state arising
when individuals perceive demands surpassing cop-
ing abilities, instigating psychological and physiolog-
ical fight-or-flight responses. Participants reported
mental stress beyond cognitive load issues, notably
in proximity flying, acrobatic maneuvers, or extended
flights, often exacerbating during instances of high
cognitive load and negative emotions, adversely af-
fecting flight quality and occasionally leading to ac-
cidents. Mental stress can precipitate vigilance lapses
or misdirected focus. Drowsiness commonly surfaces
during extended flights, associated with early waking
or insufficient sleep, particularly prevalent in compet-
itive settings. Fatigue emerges post-repeated flights
or intense thermal flights, often correlated with larger
wing usage, albeit beyond the scope of this prelimi-
nary study.
Proposing electrophysiological tools within a BCI
system is imperative for assessing and quantifying
these factors specific to speed-flying. The BCI sys-
tem should continuously and unobtrusively monitor
pilots’ neuropsychological and physiological states
during flight, correlating physiological risks with cog-
nitive alterations. Extreme environmental condi-
tions and physiological anomalies during flight sig-
nificantly impact pilot psychological states. Criti-
cal physiological episodes affecting pilots encompass
oxygen deprivation, acceleration effects, spatial dis-
orientation, exposure to toxins, and various physio-
logical stresses induced by diverse flying conditions,
exacerbated by hypoxia at high altitudes. Additional
risks include hypocapnia and hypercapnia affecting
cerebral blood flow, extreme gravitational forces lead-
ing to G-LOC, and environmental factors like vi-
brations, temperature fluctuations, and hydration lev-
els. Even minimal instances of these conditions,
not reaching pathological levels, could impair pilot
decision-making, necessitating consideration.
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