Subtle interactions for distress regulation: efficiency of a haptic wearable according to personality

The incorporation of empathic systems in everyday life draws a lot of attention from society. Specifically, the use of wearables to perform stress regulation is a growing field of research. Among techniques explored, the haptic emulation of lowered physiological signals has been suggested to be promising. However, some discrepancies remain in empirical research focusing on such biofeedback (BF) regarding their efficacy, and the mechanisms underlying the effects of these wearables remains unclear. Moreover, the influence of individual traits on the efficiency of BF has been marginally studied, while it has been shown that personality could impact both stress and its regulation. The aim of this study is to investigate the outcome of interactions with these technologies from a psycho-physiological standpoint, but also to explore whether personality may influence its efficiency when other interaction devices are present. Participants had to play a challenging game while a lowered haptic BF of their heart rate was induced on their wrist. Results showed variable efficiency of the wearable among the participants: a subjective relaxation was evident for the participants exhibiting the highest neurotic and extraverted traits score. Our results highlight the plurality of the modes of action of these techniques, depending on the individual and on the level of stress to regulate. This study also suggests that tailoring these regulation methods to individual characteristics, such as personality traits, is important to consider, and proposes perspectives regarding the investigation of stress and regulation systems embedded in wearables

Determination of cognitive workload variation in driving from ECG derived respiratory signal and heart rate

2nd International Neuroergonomics Conference, PHILADELPHIE, ETATS-UNIS, 27-/06/2018 - 29/06/2018Research works on operator monitoring underline the benefit of taking into consideration several signal modalities to improve accuracy for an objective mental state diagnosis. Heart rate (HR) is one of the most utilized systemic measures to assess cognitive workload (CW), whereas respiration parameters are hardly utilized. This study aims at verifying the contribution of analyzing respiratory signals to extract features to evaluate driver's activity and CW variations in driving with regard to cardiac activity. Eighteen subjects participated in the study. The participants carried out two different cognitive tasks requiring different CW demands, a single task as well as a competing cognitive task realized while driving in a simulator. Our results confirm that both HR and breathing rate (BR) increase in driving and are sensitive to CW. However, HR and BR are differently modulated by the CW variations in driving. Specifically, BR is suitable to evidence a variation of CW when driving is not required. On the other hand, spectral features characterizing respiratory signal could be also used similarly to HR variability indices to detect high CW episodes. These results hint the use of respiration to monitor the driver mental state in autonomic vehicles in order to predict the available cognitive resources if the user has to take over the vehicle

Early mobilisation in critically ill COVID-19 patients: a subanalysis of the ESICM-initiated UNITE-COVID observational study

Background Early mobilisation (EM) is an intervention that may improve the outcome of critically ill patients. There is limited data on EM in COVID-19 patients and its use during the first pandemic wave. Methods This is a pre-planned subanalysis of the ESICM UNITE-COVID, an international multicenter observational study involving critically ill COVID-19 patients in the ICU between February 15th and May 15th, 2020. We analysed variables associated with the initiation of EM (within 72 h of ICU admission) and explored the impact of EM on mortality, ICU and hospital length of stay, as well as discharge location. Statistical analyses were done using (generalised) linear mixed-effect models and ANOVAs. Results Mobilisation data from 4190 patients from 280 ICUs in 45 countries were analysed. 1114 (26.6%) of these patients received mobilisation within 72 h after ICU admission; 3076 (73.4%) did not. In our analysis of factors associated with EM, mechanical ventilation at admission (OR 0.29; 95% CI 0.25, 0.35; p = 0.001), higher age (OR 0.99; 95% CI 0.98, 1.00; p ≤ 0.001), pre-existing asthma (OR 0.84; 95% CI 0.73, 0.98; p = 0.028), and pre-existing kidney disease (OR 0.84; 95% CI 0.71, 0.99; p = 0.036) were negatively associated with the initiation of EM. EM was associated with a higher chance of being discharged home (OR 1.31; 95% CI 1.08, 1.58; p = 0.007) but was not associated with length of stay in ICU (adj. difference 0.91 days; 95% CI − 0.47, 1.37, p = 0.34) and hospital (adj. difference 1.4 days; 95% CI − 0.62, 2.35, p = 0.24) or mortality (OR 0.88; 95% CI 0.7, 1.09, p = 0.24) when adjusted for covariates. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate that a quarter of COVID-19 patients received EM. There was no association found between EM in COVID-19 patients' ICU and hospital length of stay or mortality. However, EM in COVID-19 patients was associated with increased odds of being discharged home rather than to a care facility. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04836065 (retrospectively registered April 8th 2021)

Towards Mindless Stress Regulation in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems: A Systematic Review

Background: Stress can frequently occur in the driving context. Its cognitive effects can be deleterious and lead to uncomfortable or risky situations. While stress detection in this context is well developed, regulation using dedicated advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) is still emergent.Objectives: This systematic review focuses on stress regulation strategies that can be qualified as ?subtle? or ?mindless?: the technology employed to perform regulation does not interfere with an ongoing task. The review goal is 2-fold: establishing the state of the art on such technological implementation in the driving context and identifying complementary technologies relying on subtle regulation that could be applied in driving.Methods: A systematic review was conducted using search operators previously identified through a concept analysis. The patents and scientific studies selected provide an overview of actual and potential mindless technology implementations. These are then analyzed from a scientific perspective. A classification of results was performed according to the different stages of emotion regulation proposed by the Gross model.Results: A total of 47 publications were retrieved, including 21 patents and 26 studies. Six of the studies investigated mindless stress regulation in the driving context. Patents implemented strategies mostly linked to attentional deployment, while studies tended to investigate response modulation strategies.Conclusions: This review allowed us to identify several ADAS relying on mindless computing technologies to reduce stress and better understand the underlying mechanisms allowing stress reduction. Further studies are necessary to better grasp the effect of mindless technologies on driving safety. However, we have established the feasibility of their implementation as ADAS and proposed directions for future research in this field

The impacts of anxiety over driving on self-reported driving avoidance, work performance and quality of life

Aims and background: Anxiety over driving is under-researched in Australia. Studies conducted in New Zealand and France have shown this type of anxiety has negative impacts on mobility, work performance and perceived quality of work as well as perceived quality of life. The aim of this study was to examine these relationships using a sample of drivers in Australia. Methods: A total of 535 people (average age 25 ± 10 years) completed an online questionnaire assessing level of anxiety over driving, worrisome thoughts about driving and avoidance behaviours. Questions regarding quality of life and work were also included. Respondents were classified into three anxiety groups: extremely (13.5%), moderately (55%) or mildly (31.5%) anxious over driving. Results: The three groups significantly differed across all measures. For example, driver anxiety negatively impacted work performance and perceived quality of work life. These negative impacts were significantly higher for the extremely anxious group compared to the moderately or mildly anxious group. The largest reported impact of anxiety overdriving was on perceived quality of life, with all groups reporting the most impact in this area; and with extremely anxious again having the highest scores. Extremely anxious drivers also reported more frequent negative thoughts about driving and avoidance of driving when possible, when compared to those with mild and moderate anxiety. Conclusions: These findings highlight the broader detrimental effects of anxiety over driving that may often be overlooked in driving research

L'intérêt de l'animation comme support au code de la route pour les candidats sourds

Entretiens Jacques Cartier, LYON, FRANCE, 13-/11/2018 - 14/11/2018This article focuses on the interest of using dynamic Highway Code learning materials, particularly for deaf people who present low temporal skills. Twenty-one deaf and 24 hearing candidates of Highway Code were involved in a decision-making task. Four types of driving situations (overtaking, insertion on roundabout, insertion on highway and crossing an intersection) from which participants have to decide to go or not to go were presented in two different formats (static vs animated) and in two level of difficulty (simple vs complex). Results showed better performance in animated than in static condition, especially in deaf candidates. Moreover, benefit of animation is more important in complex situations. With animation, decisions made on dynamic road situations are facilitated because they reflect the spatio-temporal dimensions and can thus help the deaf candidates who have difficulties in this regard. Finally, the animation could help the learning of Highway Code

The quiet passenger: cognitions, avoidance, and onset among people with driving anxiety

Anxiety over driving can have consequences for road safety and individual well-being. This area is under-researched in Australia, despite international research suggesting that most drivers experience some level of anxiety over driving. This study aimed to contribute to the understanding of driving anxiety by 1) confirming the factor structure of two questionnaires designed to understand the concerns (Driving Cognitions Questionnaire: DCQ) and avoidance behaviours (Driving and Riding Avoidance Scale: DRAS); 2) providing evidence of anxiety manifestations in Australian drivers, and 3) understanding whether these differ according to the initial onset of this anxiety. A total of 1,600 people (77% females; age ranging from 18 to 89 [M = 27.92; ± 13.49], 75% licenced, 20% learning, 5% unlicenced) in Australia who identified as having ?some? level of anxiety over driving, completed an online questionnaire regarding their anxiety. Confirmatory Factor Analyses showed the two-factor structure of the DRAS (general and traffic avoidance; and weather and riding avoidance) and the two-factor structure of the DCQ (crash-related concerns and social and panic related concerns) best fit the data. The most common anxiety onsets were crash involvement (14%), knowing someone who had been in a crash (9%) and due to criticism from others (9%). While no differences emerged between these groups on avoidance behaviour nor on crash concerns, social and panic concerns were higher for the criticism onset group. The results demonstrate difference sources of anxiety and provide evidence of the importance of interactions with passengers in determining how a driver feels about the driving task. Practical implicationsAvenues for the reduction or avoidance of anxiety are proposed. These include better awareness and education for drivers regarding the importance of positive interactions and/or well as better journey management to avoid triggers of anxiety

Influence of Anxiety and Mental Workload on Flight performance in a Flight Simulator

International audienceThe variation of cognitive workload (CW) can considerably impact the probability of human er- ror due to distraction, mind-wandering or cognitive resources overload 1. Besides, a high level of anxiety can provoke dangerous situations when pilots are not able to take control ensuring total precision and safety. The objective of this work is to assess whether state-anxiety, generated by a social stressor, affects flight performance when the CW varies. Methodology Nineteen participants (22.7 ± 3.8 years) were included in our analysis. All of them were in posses- sion of the Private Pilot License, having at least a flying experience of 50 flight hours (141.3 ± 139.5 hours). The experiment took place in an AL-50 simulator and consisted in a dual-task scenario which required the simultaneous accomplishment of a pre-established flight plan and a secondary task. A previous training consisting in a similar dual task scenario was carried out. The established flight scenario lasted approximately 35 minutes, including a 24-minutes cruise phase. A strict timing for the flight instructions was specified. Speed (measured in knots), head- ing (degrees) and altitude (m) parameters were collected during the simulations (sampling rate of 1Hz). To evaluate the performance, any deviation greater than ± 5 units from the requested flight parameter was counted as an error. The secondary task consisted of pressing a 7 inches touch-screen as quickly as possible after hear- ing some numbers integrated among Air Traffic Control instructions unrelated to the flight plan, only to get a more realistic setting. The task was presented during the cruise and subdivided in two inter-subject counterbalanced phases of 12 minutes: Low Cognitive Workload (LCW), where participant was instructed to press the screen if the heard numbers meet a simple attribute (mag- nitude or parity); High Cognitive Workload (HCW) where the attribute depended on the color of the numbers displayed on the screen. The participant was filmed and involved in a competition with the other participants similarly to [2] in order to enhance the state-anxiety. Cognitive and somatic anxiety levels and self-confidence were measured by means of the CSAI-2R questionnaire [3]. An ANOVA was performed: 2 levels of CW: LCW and HCW and one between-subject factor: anxiety (2 groups according to a cluster analysis from CSAI-2R scores)

Avoidance and personal and occupational quality of life in French people with driving anxiety

Driving anxiety can have a significant impact on one's quality of life, particularly for those who experience intense levels. However, to date there are limited data about the perceived impact of driving anxiety on occupational life, and driving anxiety remains under-researched in France. To address this gap, an online survey assessing self-reported driving anxiety, how it manifests and its links with some aspects of personal and occupational life was designed. The survey was administered in France to respondents who identified as experiencing driving anxiety. Responses were obtained from 304 people aged 18 years or older. In the sample, 32.2%, 44.7% and 23% respectively reported mild, moderate and extreme levels of driving anxiety. In the extremely anxious group, males were under-represented, whereas people aged 35-44 and unlicensed drivers were over-represented. People who were unemployed (excluding students and retired people), reported that their anxiety had been a barrier to getting a job and a high percentage of these respondents had also previously considered leaving a position because of their anxiety. Respondents also reported their anxiety had a negative impact on their perceived quality of life in general. People who categorised as extremely anxious reported a negative impact four times higher than those in the mildly anxious group.The results highlight for the first time the perceived impact of driving anxiety on daily and occupational life in a French population. Further, the results demonstrate the importance of distinguishing between moderately and extremely anxious drivers as the intensity level has differential impacts on personal and work life quality

Hemodynamic responses to visual cues during attentive listening in autonomous versus manual simulated driving: A pilot study

Emerging automation technologies could have a strong impact on the allocation of drivers' attentional resources. The first objective of this pilot study is to investigate the hemodynamic responses evoked to relevant visual stimuli in manual and autonomous driving. The second aim is to examine how the inclusion of a secondary task (attentive listening to a broadcast) modulates these hemodynamic responses in both driving situations. Frontal, temporo-parietal and occipital activations were recorded using a functional Near-InfraRed Spectroscopy (fNIRS) system. Event-related analysis was used to determine whether visual cue processing (specifically, the lighting of a lead vehicle's brake-lights) could induce different brain responses depending on the driving mode and on the presence or absence of a competing task. Mind-wandering as reported by the participants was more pronounced during autonomous compared to manual driving. Our results showed an increase in the OxyHb concentration in the right temporo-parietal and occipital areas during manual compared to autonomous driving, suggesting greater allocation of attentional resources for processing visual cues in the first condition. Finally, an event-related decrease in right frontal activity during autonomous driving when listening was observed, suggesting that attentional resources were more focused on the secondary task than on monitoring the driving scene