Auditory Countermeasures to Drowsiness in Applied Settings

Abstract

In this study we compared the effectiveness of three different configurations of auditory stimuli (versus no sound) in restoring alertness among participants performing a computer-based vigilance task. The vigilance task used in this study has been shown to reliably produce performance decrements in as little as ten to twelve minutes. Performance on the task was used as a proxy measure for driving, as both activities produce decrements in human performance over time. One of the sound configurations (alerting sounds) was predicted to have restorative effects on measures of alertness and performance, whereas the two comparison sound configurations were hypothesized to exert detrimental effects on the same measures. As predicted, performance was enhanced following presentation of the alerting sounds. Conversely, vigilance performance continued to decline following presentation of the comparison sounds or no sound (control). Results also showed that the decrement in mood observed across all of the groups was smallest for participants exposed to the alerting sounds, suggesting a potential mood buffering effect of these sounds. The implications of these results in the reduction of driver fatigue and accidents are discussed.