Human-System Interaction Analysis for Military Pilot Activity and Mental Workload Determination

We investigate the operationalization of mental workload (MWL) for adaptive pilot support. Common approaches have proven their benefits either for functional allocation in automation and crew station design, or in statistically grounded human-machine system evaluations. In this article, we argue why many established methods are not viable for a continuous, nonintrusive, context-rich, absolute rating of MWL. Instead, we suggest a novel threefold concept. Firstly, MWL depends on the given work objectives and the human operator´s tasks. Secondly, we understand MWL as induced by the current human activity and related mental resource demands. Thirdly, MWL influences task and activity related, observable human behavior patterns. We argue that each of these determinants increasingly refines the quantification of MWL. In this article, we present the current state of our concept and prototype implementation. The concept has consequences for the design of cognitive pilot associate systems in manned-unmanned systems in military aviation.