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Updated: Jan 18, 2026

Collecting Sleep, Circadian, Fatigue, and Performance Data in Complex Operational Environments
Published on: August 8, 2019
Vibration-induced drowsiness contours: New safety recommendations for the transport industry
Neng Zhang1, Mohammad Fard2, John L Davy3
1School of Engineering, RMIT University, Australia; GAC Group, China.
Introduction:
Drowsiness is a significant cause of crashes in the various transport industries, including automotive, aviation, and rail. Our previous study investigated the differential induction of drowsiness in drivers caused by specific whole-body vibration (WBV) frequency ranges, with an amplitude of 0.2 m/s2 r.m.s. The present companion study investigates the effects of different vibration amplitudes on the induction of driver drowsiness.
Method:
This study includes two experiments. In the first, 15 participants engaged in six 1-hour sessions of simulated driving, experiencing WBV at frequencies of 0 Hz (no vibration), 1-4 Hz, 4-8 Hz, 8-16 Hz, 16-32 Hz, or 32-64 Hz, with an amplitude of 0.1 m/s2 r.m.s. In the second experiment, another group of 15 participants underwent three 1-hour sessions of simulated driving, exposed to WBV at frequencies of 0 Hz, 1-4 Hz, and 4-8 Hz, with an amplitude of 0.05 m/s2 r.m.s.
Results:
As indicated by driving performance, reaction time evaluations, and subjective reports, the extent of drowsiness decreased with decreasing vibration amplitude.
Practical Applications:
Based on the results of this and our previous paper, discrete contours for WBV-induced drowsiness were developed. These contours will assist the transport industry in reducing the incidence of vehicle crashes caused by drowsiness.
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