Handgrip Force Sensor to Measure Mental Workload

Mental workload is closely related to changes in performance during a task. For example, performance declines when the mental workload is too high or too low. Also, numerous factors can influence mental workload making it difficult to measure precisely. There have been several operational definitions of mental workload using psychophysiological measures. However, they are cumbersome limiting their application in natural situations. Here, we present a handgrip force sensor designed to be used as a tool for measuring the mental workload of a task. The system is based on force-sensitive resistors placed on the hand fingers. Preliminary experimental results showed that our system can identify accurately the changes in mental workload by association with handgrip force patterns.

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