Designing a Device for Measuring Human Reaction Time

Abstract

Human reaction time is the time needed for someone to take action shortly after the person receives information. Not many measuring devices that can measure the time or speed of human reactions in detail, which are regarding the cognitive (thinking) and the motoric (action) aspects. Therefore, this research aims to design a reaction time measuring device for a simple activity. The device should calculate the speed of human reactions from the cognitive and motoric aspects. A series of product development phases was conducted, i.e user requirements identification, concept development, embodiment design, construction, and testing. As a result, the selected concept used stimulus from light to measure reaction time, considering the difference of light color, flash rate, and intensity. A series of trials proved that those characteristics could be used to measure and distinguish reaction time (p-value < 0.05), considering cognitive and motoric time. The device was also proven can differ reaction time normal and fatigue condition.