Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Developing a tDCS-Enhanced Dual-Task Flight Simulator for Evaluating Learning

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Advances in Neuroergonomics and Cognitive Engineering (AHFE 2020)

Part of the book series: Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing ((AISC,volume 1201))

Included in the following conference series:

  • 1218 Accesses

Abstract

The field of enhancing skill acquisition, particularly in professions necessitating the mastery of a complex combination of physical and mental abilities, is rapidly progressing and amenable to novel training protocols involving both neuroimaging and neurostimulation. Aircraft piloting in particular is an ideal medium for testing new training protocols, because objective performance measures are well-understood and modern flight simulator programs are realistic and high-fidelity. Here, we describe the development of a flight simulator protocol that allows for the analysis of neurostimulation-enhanced skill acquisition both within and between subjects. A three-block design was created to collect data pre-training, during feedback training, and post-training while being recorded in an fMRI. The dual task consists of 30–45 s trials landing a plane on one of two runways, indicated by an arrow displayed on the simulator screen, while simultaneously responding to auditory stimuli played constantly during each trial with button presses. The landing task is presented at two difficulty levels in pseudorandom balanced order, modulated by wind speed and direction. Two auditory conditions, response and control (no response), are used for a two by two design. For the feedback training, subjects are provided with relevant measures of how well they are able to land on the specified runway as well as their accuracy in the auditory task. Subjects will be randomly assigned to tDCS stimulation or sham groups, with stim receiving 30 min of 1.5 mA high definition-tDCS to the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex during the training block. Altogether, this novel combination of stimulation, neuroimaging, and dual-task training will allow for an in-depth, multi-factor analysis of cognitive workload, behavioral performance, neurostimulation effects, and learning of a complex mental and physical task.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 219.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 279.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Parasuraman, R., Wilson, G.F.: Putting the brain to work: neuroergonomics past, present, and future. Hum. Factors 50(3), 468–474 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Hancock, P., Chignell, M.H.: Toward a theory of mental work load: stress and adaptability in human-machine systems. Proc. IEEE SMC 1986, 378–383 (1986)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Hart, S.G.: NASA-task load index (NASA-TLX); 20 years later. In: Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Durantin, G., Dehais, F., Gonthier, N., Terzibas, C., Callan, D.E.: Neural signature of inattentional deafness. Hum. Brain Mapp. 38(11), 5440–5455 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Wickens, C.D.: Situation awareness and workload in aviation. Curr. Dir. Psychol. Sci. 11(4), 128–133 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. McKendrick, R., Ayaz, H., Olmstead, R., Parasuraman, R.: Enhancing dual-task performance with verbal and spatial working memory training: continuous monitoring of cerebral hemodynamics with NIRS. NeuroImage 85, 1014–1026 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Mehler, B., Reimer, B., Coughlin, J.F.: Sensitivity of physiological measures for detecting systematic variations in cognitive demand from a working memory task: an on-road study across three age groups. Hum. Factors 54(3), 396–412 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Hosseini, S.M.H., Bruno, J.L., Baker, J.M., Gundran, A., Harbott, L.K., Gerdes, J.C., Reiss, A.L.: Neural, physiological, and behavioral correlates of visuomotor cognitive load. Sci Rep. 7(1), 8866 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Durantin, G., Gagnon, J.F., Tremblay, S., Dehais, F.: Using near infrared spectroscopy and heart rate variability to detect mental overload. Behav. Brain Res. 259, 16–23 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Zhang, H., Zhu, Y., Maniyeri, J., Guan, C.: Detection of variations in cognitive workload using multi-modality physiological sensors and a large margin unbiased regression machine. In: Conference of the Proceedings IEEE Engineering in Medical and Biology Society, pp. 2985–2988 (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  11. Mandrick, K., Peysakhovich, V., Remy, F., Lepron, E., Causse, M.: Neural and psychophysiological correlates of human performance under stress and high workload. Biol Psychol. 121, 62–73 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Parasuraman, R.: Neuroergonomics: research and practice. Theor. Issues Ergon. Sci. 4(1–2), 5–20 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Ayaz, H.D.F.: Neuroergonomics: The Brain at Work and in Everyday Life. Academic Press, Cambridge (2018)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Aghajani, H., Garbey, M., Omurtag, A.: Measuring mental workload with EEG + fNIRS. Front Hum Neurosci. 11, 359 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Liu, Y., Ayaz, H., Shewokis, P.A.: Multisubject “learning” for mental workload classification using concurrent EEG, fNIRS, and physiological measures. Front Hum Neurosci. 11, 389 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Ayaz, H., Onaral, B., Izzetoglu, K., Shewokis, P.A., McKendrick, R., Parasuraman, R.: Continuous monitoring of brain dynamics with functional near infrared spectroscopy as a tool for neuroergonomic research: empirical examples and a technological development. Front. Hum. Neurosci. 7, 871 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Bunce, S.C., Izzetoglu, K., Ayaz, H., Shewokis, P., Izzetoglu, M., Pourrezaei, K., Onaral, B.: Implementation of fNIRS for monitoring levels of expertise and mental workload. In: Schmorrow, D.D., Fidopiastis, C.M. (eds.) Proceedings of Foundations of Augmented Cognition. Directing the Future of Adaptive Systems: 6th International Conference, FAC 2011, Held as Part of HCI International 2011, Orlando, FL, USA, 9–14 July 2011, pp. 13–22. Springer, Heidelberg (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Karuza, E.A., Emberson, L.L., Aslin, R.N.: Combining fMRI and behavioral measures to examine the process of human learning. Neurobiol. Learn. Mem. 109, 193–206 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Yoo, J.J., Hinds, O., Ofen, N., Thompson, T.W., Whitfield-Gabrieli, S., Triantafyllou, C., Gabrieli, J.D.E.: When the brain is prepared to learn: enhancing human learning using real-time fMRI. NeuroImage 59(1), 846–852 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Callan, D.E., Gamez, M., Cassel, D.B., Terzibas, C., Callan, A., Kawato, M., Sato, M.A.: Dynamic visuomotor transformation involved with remote flying of a plane utilizes the ‘Mirror Neuron’ system. PLoS ONE 7(4), e33873 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Callan, D.E., Terzibas, C., Cassel, D.B., Callan, A., Kawato, M., Sato, M.-A.: Differential activation of brain regions involved with error-feedback and imitation based motor simulation when observing self and an expert’s actions in pilots and non-pilots on a complex glider landing task. NeuroImage 72, 55–68 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. McKinley, R.A., McIntire, L., Nelson, J., Nelson, J., Goodyear, C.: The effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on training during a complex procedural task. Springer, Cham (2017)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  23. Ke, Y., Wang, N., Du, J., Kong, L., Liu, S., Xu, M., An, X., Ming, D.: The effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on working memory training in healthy young adults. Front. Hum. Neurosci. 13, 19 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Coffman, B.A., Clark, V.P., Parasuraman, R.: Battery powered thought: enhancement of attention, learning, and memory in healthy adults using transcranial direct current stimulation. Neuroimage 85(Pt 3), 895–908 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Villamar, M.F., Volz, M.S., Bikson, M., Datta, A., Dasilva, A.F., Fregni, F.: Technique and considerations in the use of 4 × 1 ring high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS). J. Vis. Exp. (77), e50309 (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  26. Esmaeilpour, Z., Shereen, A.D., Ghobadi-Azbari, P., Datta, A., Woods, A.J., Ironside, M., O’Shea, J., Kirk, U., Bikson, M., Ekhtiari, H.: Methodology for tDCS integration with fMRI. Hum Brain Mapp. 41(7), 1950–1967 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Jesse Mark & Hasan Ayaz

  2. Center for Information and Neural Networks (CiNet), National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), Osaka University, Osaka, Japan

    Jesse Mark & Daniel Callan

  3. Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Hasan Ayaz

  4. Department of Family and Community Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Hasan Ayaz

  5. Center for Injury Research and Prevention, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Hasan Ayaz

Authors
  1. Jesse Mark
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Hasan Ayaz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Daniel Callan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jesse Mark .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Hasan Ayaz

  2. National University of Sciences and Tech (NUST), School of Mech and Manufacturing Eng (SMME), Islamabad, Pakistan

    Umer Asgher

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Mark, J., Ayaz, H., Callan, D. (2021). Developing a tDCS-Enhanced Dual-Task Flight Simulator for Evaluating Learning. In: Ayaz, H., Asgher, U. (eds) Advances in Neuroergonomics and Cognitive Engineering. AHFE 2020. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 1201. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-51041-1_21

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation