Measuring mental workload in assistive wearable devices: a review

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Engineering
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Wearable assistive devices like prostheses and exoskeletons face adoption challenges due to high mental workload.
• A lack of standardized measurement methods complicates the analysis of mental workload in this field.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and analyze methods used for measuring mental workload in users of wearable assistive devices.
• To identify the possibilities and limitations of current mental workload measurement techniques.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted across major scientific databases.
• 60 relevant articles measuring mental workload induced by wearable assistive devices were included.
• Identified three main categories of measurement: dual-task, subjective assessment, and physiological measures.

Main Results:

• High variability in measurement methods makes direct comparison difficult.
• No single method is currently proven superior for assessing mental workload in this context.
• Subjectivity, imprecision, and complexity are common limitations across existing methods.

Conclusions:

• Brain activity measurement presents a promising avenue due to its direct relation to mental workload.
• Careful consideration of practical factors like ecological validity and participant expertise is essential.
• Further research is needed to establish robust and comparable mental workload assessment protocols for wearable assistive devices.