Thermal imaging detects mental strain on pilots’ faces

(Credit: Nottingham University)

Published in Human Factors, the research details how thermal cameras can measure subtle fluctuations in temperature, particularly in areas around the sinuses and nose. When participants carried out increasingly difficult tasks, this area of the face was observed to drop in temperature, as the autonomic nervous system took over and breathing patterns changed. It’s hoped the discovery could lead to a non-invasive method for assessing the concentration and strain levels of pilots and other professionals in high-stress environments.

“We expected that mental demands on an operator would result in physiological changes, but the direct correlation between the workload and the skin temperature was very impressive, and counter-intuitive – we were not expecting to see the face getting colder,” said Dr Alastair Campbell Ritchie from Nottingham’s Bioengineering Research Group.

“With this accurate way to estimate workload, we can develop methods that will assist the operator at times of maximum stress.”