Eye Metrics: An Alternative Vigilance Detector

Abstract

Abstract : Many occupational environments require sustained attention or vigilance for long periods of time. Air traffic controllers, cyber operators, TSA inspectors, unmanned aerial systems operators, and satellite imagery analysts encounter lapses in attention due to the sometimes boring and monotonous nature of these tasks. Mistakes in these environments can have devastating consequences. Currently, there is no tool to measure operator performance in these environments and the lapse usually is noticed only after a mistake is made. The purpose of this study was to determine the possible use of an eye-tracker to detect changes in vigilance performance. The results indicate that these oculometrics could be used to detect changes in vigilance. Future research is needed to assess the real-time effects of these oculometrics on vigilance performance, especially in a real-world setting.