An Overview of Operator Fatigue

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book focuses on the challenges of fatigue and performance research. It provides a conceptual analysis of individual differences in fatigue and stress that may afford more effective countermeasures tailored to the individual operator. The book explores multidimensional assessment strategies for performance environments. It sets out a taxonomy for organizing different aspects of trait and state fatigue to guide multidimensional assessments. The book introduces fatigue-monitoring techniques based on measurement of cerebral hemodynamics, including Transcranial Doppler Sonography and Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy. It suggests that the high metabolic rate of the prefrontal cortex confers on it the greatest need for recovery and metabolic slowing during sleep. The book highlights the effects of sleep loss on metabolic activity within the prefrontal and parietal cortices, and their consequences for cognitive performance.