ABSTRACT
This chapter describes how variations in stress level and level of mental activity could be analysed and interpreted on the basis of measurement of brain wave activity electroencephalogram (EEG). The method of the study is a combination of measurement of electrical activity in the brain EEG and observation of crew behaviour and communication and events in a set of simulated voyages in a maritime full mission simulator. The psycho-physiological reactions can be measured with methods based on the measurement of physiological parameters such as galvanic skin response (GSR), heart rate, electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG) or electric activity in the brain. The measurements of stress levels and levels of mental activity of the officer on watch can therefore be used in an analysis and interpretation of the crew response to variations in demand for situation awareness. The situation with a low demand for situation awareness on Level 3 is the arrival of the vessel in Rostock which is the harbour phase of the voyage.
