Fatigue Countermeasure Program in Operational Flight Controllers

Summary

The purpose of this study is to validate the acceptability, operational feasibility and efficacy of a combined fatigue countermeasure comprised of shorter-wavelength light and exercise during operational Orbit 1 night shifts to improve alertness and performance of flight mission controllers.

Specifically, the investigators will:

1. Feasibility. Test the feasibility of developing a break room containing fatigue countermeasures (shorter-wavelength light and exercise equipment) to be used by flight mission controllers during Orbit 1 night shifts, and the feasibility to schedule regular breaks during the Orbit 1 shift so that flight mission controllers have the opportunity to use the fatigue countermeasures break room.
2. Acceptability. Test the acceptability of the use of the fatigue countermeasures break room evaluating when and how the room is used by flight mission controllers, as measured on End-of-Shift Productivity Questionnaire.
3. Test the hypothesis that alertness and performance will be impaired in flight mission controllers during Orbit 1 operational night shifts as compared to flight mission controllers working a non-console day shift.
4. Test the hypothesis that alertness and performance of flight mission controllers who exercise and are exposed to shorter wavelength light during the Orbit 1 night shift will be significantly more alert and have better mood, performance (e.g., less Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT) lapses, increased productivity) than those same mission controllers working Orbit 1 night shifts without exposure to the shorter wavelength light and exercise.
5. Test the acceptability, operational feasibility and efficacy of implementing an anonymous sleep disorders screening for flight controllers, evaluated by number of visitors to the screening web site and the number of completed assessments.

Conditions

• Fatigue

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

blue-wavelength enriched ceiling light

Subjects will be in the experimental break room for four 20-minute periods for each Orbit 1 work shift.

BEHAVIORAL

mild exercise

Subjects will be asked to achieve 65% of maximum heart rate on either a treadmill or exercise cycle for 10-minutes, three times during each Orbit 1 work shift.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

  collaborator FED

• Brigham and Women's Hospital

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Charles A Czeisler, PhD, MD · Brigham and Women's Hospital / Harvard Medical School

• Laura K Barger, PhD · Brigham and Women's Hospital / Harvard Medical School

Study Design

Allocation

NA

Purpose

OTHER

Masking

NONE

Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2012-09-30

Primary Completion

2012-11-30

Completion

2012-11-30

Countries

• United States

Study Locations