Mental Fatigue and Industrial Work Performance

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Industrial Work; Robotics; Healthy; Mental Fatigue
• Interventions: Other: Control (documentary); Other: Mental fatigue (Stroop task)

• Registration Number: NCT04721392
• Lead Sponsor: Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Brief Summary

To investigate the effect of mental fatigue on industrial work performance, biomechanical determinants, (electro-)(psycho-) physiological measures and physical ergonomics. Additionally, the current project wants to evaluate whether or not the Laevo exoskeleton influences the aforementioned parameters when mental fatigue is acutely induced.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2020-09-22
• Study First Submitted QC: 2021-01-19
• Study First Posted: 2021-01-22
• Study Start: 2021-03-08
• Primary Completion: 2021-08-14
• Study Completion: 2021-08-14
• Status Verified: 2021-10
• Last Update Submitted: 2021-10-19
• Last Update Posted: 2021-10-22

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 12

Inclusion Criteria

• Healthy
• Males and Females
• 18-64 years

Exclusion Criteria

• Musculoskeletal disorders
• Neurological disorders
• Cardiovascular disorders
• Pregnancy

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: CROSSOVER

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
No Mental fatigue - No Robot	Control (documentary)	During a 15 minute trial, the participant will relocate a box of 5 kilograms between ground level and shoulder height. During this task, the participants are asked to perform the serial seven task, continuously subtracting seven from a given number between 900 and 950. Afterwards, the participant will watch a 60- minute neutral documentary and is asked to repeat this abovementioned physical dual-task.
Mental fatigue - No Robot	Mental fatigue (Stroop task)	During a 15 minute trial, the participant will relocate a box of 5 kilograms between ground level and shoulder height. During this task, the participants are asked to perform the serial seven task, continuously subtracting seven from a given number between 900 and 950. Afterwards, the participant will perform a 60- minute Stroop task and is asked to repeat this abovementioned physical dual-task.
Mental fatigue - Exoskeleton	Mental fatigue (Stroop task)	During a 15 minute trial, the participant will wear the Laevo exoskeleton and will relocate a box of 5 kilograms between ground level and shoulder height. During this task, the participants are asked to perform the serial seven task, continuously subtracting seven from a given number between 900 and 950. Afterwards, the participant will perform a 60- minute Stroop task and is asked to repeat this abovementioned physical dual-task.
No Mental fatigue - Exoskeleton	Control (documentary)	During a 15 minute trial, the participant will wear the Laevo exoskeleton and will relocate a box of 5 kilograms between ground level and shoulder height. During this task, the participants are asked to perform the serial seven task, continuously subtracting seven from a given number between 900 and 950. Afterwards, the participant will watch a 60- minute neutral documentary and is asked to repeat this abovementioned physical dual-task.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Work performance: Percent accuracy Serial Seven Task	30 minutes	An audio record of this task will be made to verify made errors posthoc. During the serial seven task participants are given a number between 900 and 950. The given starting number will change each trial. Participants are asked to subsequently subtract seven as fast as possible.The researcher will take note of every answer. If the participant makes an error, he/she may continue to calculate with the wrong number. The ratio of correct answers to the total number of responses will indicate the percent accuracy for each participant.
Ergonomics: EMG-data	30 minutes	Muscle activity during the performance of the industrial task of the erector spinae muscle, m. rectus abdominus, both m. obliqui abdominus, all three parts of m. trapezius, all three of m. deltoideus, m. pectoralis major, m. latissimus dorsi, m. biceps brachii, m. triceps brachii,m. flexor- and extensor carpi radials, m. flexor- and extensor carpi ulnaris, m. flexor- and extensor digitorum, m. gluteus maximus and medius, m. rectus femoris, m. biceps femoris. ; measured with Cometa mini wave.
VICON: Placement accuracy Box	30 minutes	Accuracy of placement box during the dual-task will be measured with VICON. VICON-markers will be placed on the box to track its movement during the trial. First, the optimal position of the box for each level (ground or shoulder) will be determined, these will form the reference frames. Next, the accuracy of each relocation will be determined by the offset compared to these reference frames. This will be calculated into a percentage.
Ergonomics: Joint angles	30 minutes	Joint angles will be measured during the performance of the industrial task to evaluate movement variability. 30 VICON markers will be placed bilateral on the body of the participant on anatomical landmarks.
Mental fatigue: EEG-data	60 minutes	Alpha, Beta and Theta activity in the electroencephalogram measured with open bci (OpenBci, inc)
Mental fatigue: VAS-score	60 minutes	Participants are asked to indicate their subjective feeling on a straight line ranging from "not at all mentally fatigued" to "extreme mentally fatigued"

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Vrije Universiteit Brussel; 🇧🇪 Etterbeek, Brussel, Belgium