The development of cognitive workload management framework based on neuronal dynamics principle to maintain train driver’s health and railway safety

Abstract

Fatigue increases the tendency of poor train driving strategy decision. Decision making in cognitive overload and cognitive underload situation mostly outputs bad decisions. Accordingly, train driver’s cognitive function is required to be sTable during travel so that they can give correct response at a given situation. This study constructs a conceptual framework for cognitive workload management (CWM) of train driver by taking the energy expenses from cognition into the account. This study combines objective and subjective cognitive workload analysis to evaluate train driver duty readiness. The objective load analysis was performed through energy level approximation based on neuronal dynamics simulation from 76 brain regions. The cognitive energy expenditure (CEE) calculated from neuron action potential (NAP) and the ion-membrane current (IMC) from the simulation results. The cognitive load (CL) approximated by converts the continuous time-based CEE to discrete frequency-based CL using Fourier series. The subjective cognitive workload obtained from train simulation results followed by 27 participants. The participants fill the questionnaire based on their simulated journey experience. The results of the evaluation used to build readiness evaluation classifier based on control chart. The control chart evaluation helps the management to determine weekly rest period and daily short rest period treatment base on each train driver workload. The CWM framework allows different recovery treatment to be applied to each train driver. The impact of the CWM application is the performance of train drivers are kept stable. Thus, the CWM framework based on CEE is useful to prevent physical and mental fatigue