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Microstates in complex and dynamical environments: Unraveling situational awareness in critical helicopter landing maneuvers.

ABSTRACT: Understanding decision-making in complex and dynamic environments is relevant for designing strategies targeting safety improvements and error rate reductions. However, studies evaluating brain dynamics in realistic situations are scarce in the literature. Given the evidence that specific microstates may be associated with perception and attention, in this work we explored for the first time the application of the microstate model in an ecological, dynamic and complex scenario. More specifically, we evaluated elite helicopter pilots during engine-failure missions in the vicinity of the so called "dead man's curve," which establishes the operational limits for a safe landing after the execution of a recovery maneuver (autorotation). Pilots from the Brazilian Air Force flew a AS-350 helicopter in a certified aerodrome and physiological sensor data were synchronized with the aircraft's flight test instrumentation. We assessed these neural correlates during maneuver execution, by comparing their modulations and source reconstructed activity with baseline epochs before and after flights. We show that the topographies of our microstate templates with 4, 5, and 6 classes resemble the literature, and that a distinct modulation characterizes decision-making intervals. Moreover, the source reconstruction result points to a differential activity in the medial prefrontal cortex, which is associated to emotional regulation circuits in the brain. Our results suggest that microstates are promising neural correlates to evaluate realistic situations, even in a challenging and intrinsically noisy environment. Furthermore, it strengthens their usage and expands their application for studying cognition under more realistic conditions.

SUBMITTER: Deolindo CS

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8193508 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:ObjectivePedestrian-related death rates are increasing in the United States, partly due to increased use of distracting smartphones by pedestrians. Previous research documents high frequency of smartphone use while crossing streets near college campuses and in downtown business districts, but little is known about distracted pedestrian behavior in other urban environments. The current study used observational methods to examine and compare distracted pedestrian behavior in four urban areas - near an urban college campus, in a downtown commercial business district, near middle and high schools, and in entertainment districts - as well as examining whether the occurrence of distraction was associated with unsafe crossing behaviors.MethodsWe observed 112 intersections in 46 downtown, 30 school, 25 entertainment district, and 11 college campus-area intersections. Coders recorded distraction, crossing safety, pedestrian demographics, and traffic volume. Chi-square tests compared pedestrian characteristics by intersection type. Log binomial regressions estimated risk ratios (RRs) and associated 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations between pedestrians walking alone and traffic volume with distracted crossing behavior, adjusting for age and gender. Similar models examined risk of unsafe crossing behavior by distraction behavior. All models were stratified by intersection type.ResultsDistraction incidence was highest in campus locations (52.9%) and lowest in entertainment districts (16.2%). Walking alone was associated with a 45% higher risk of distraction (RR 1.45, 95% CI 1.30-1.62), although the increased association was limited to entertainment locations (RR 1.61, 95% CI 1.25-2.08) and was significantly decreased in all other locations. Higher traffic volume was associated with lower risk of distraction in downtown locations (RR 0.69, 95% CI 0.56-0.85) but higher distraction risk in entertainment locations (RR 1.71, 95% CI 1.27-2.31). Associations between distraction and unsafe crossing behaviors were minimal.ConclusionDistracted pedestrian behavior occurs at different rates and in different circumstances, depending on the setting. These results offer valuable data to inform intervention programs that target appropriate populations in appropriate locations.

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Microstates in complex and dynamical environments: Unraveling situational awareness in critical helicopter landing maneuvers.

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