Physiological Methods and Measurements in Driving Simulation

Driving simulators provide a closely controlled environment for examining links between human physiology and behavior. Physiologic measurements in different driving tasks can assess body temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, galvanic skin response, electroencephalographic activity, electromyography activity, gastric activity, eyelid closure (as an index of alertness and arousal), and eye movements (as an index of cognitive processing). Synchronous measures of driver physiology and performance in driving simulator scenarios can illuminate relationships between cognitive deficits and performance errors in drivers who lack awareness of self-impairment and environmental hazards. Demonstrations include falling asleep at the controls in drivers affected by cognitive overload, fatigue, prescription medicine or drug effects, or mental decline from brain disease.