Evaluation of ship navigator´s mental workload for ship handling based on physiological indices

Mental workload is useful to evaluate performance of ship bridge teammates: a captain, a duty officer, a helmsman, and a pilot. The physiological indices, heart rate variability and nasal temperature, are good indices of the mental workload found in ship handling; however, it is best if we get response and evaluation results quickly on the spot. A recent study shows salivary amylase activity is reflected by the sympathetic nervous system. This paper proposes that salivary amylase activity shows a ship navigator´s mental workload during ship handling.