Complexity of the instantaneous frequency variation in auditory steady-state response: A high sensitivity, high anti-interference index of mental fatigue

• Published in: Advanced engineering informatics Vol. 62; p. 102564
• Main Authors: Li, Yan, Zhou, Shengyi, Tang, Chi, Huang, Anxue, Li, Yuanzhe, Wu, Shengjun, Luo, Erping, Xie, Kangning
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2024
• Subjects: Anti-interference; Auditory steady-state response (ASSR); Flight fatigue; Instantaneous frequency variation (IFV); Mental fatigue; Multiscale entropy (MSE); Anti-interference; Mental fatigue; Auditory steady-state response (ASSR); Instantaneous frequency variation (IFV); Flight fatigue; Multiscale entropy (MSE)
• ISSN: 1474-0346
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aei.2024.102564

The quantification of mental fatigue (MF) in aviation remains a long-lasting problem which has a bearing on flight safety. In this study, we have developed a complexity-based MF index based on multiscale entropy (MSE) analysis of instantaneous frequency variation (IFV) in auditory steady-state response (ASSR). Subjects were asked to undertake a flight simulation task, before and after which, electroencephalograms (EEGs) were recorded with no auditory stimulus, and with Don chirp sound to elicit ASSR. In the anti-interference tests, our proposed MF index showed higher performance in terms of anti-interference from electrooculogram (EOG) and environment. In the flight simulation task, fatigue evaluations based on ASSR have achieved a better fatigue detection effect comparing with the conventional methods: 95% in the fatigue detection rate and −13.885% in the MF index. In conclusion, the proposed MF index has high sensitivity and high anti-interference capacities, therefore has potential applications in a variety of fields that require robust monitoring of MF outside a shielded chamber. •Complexity of IFV in ASSR has high anti-interference performance from electrooculogram.•Complexity of IFV in ASSR has high anti-interference performance from environment.•Comparing with band-power indices, complexity of IFV in ASSR is more sensitive to mental fatigue.