COMPTRACK: A Compensatory Tracking Task for Monitoring Alertness.

Abstract : A compensatory visual tracking task (COMPTRACK) has been programmed to operate on an IBM-compatible computer for use in vigilance research. The task meets four goals established in the course of previous research to develop an objective alertness monitoring system based on EEG and other psychophysiological data (Makeig & Inlow, 1993; Makeig, Elliott & Potstal, 1993). (1) To distinguish it from an auditory detection task used in previous research, the task should not involve auditory stimuli. (2) To allow study of vigilance decrements, the task should be monotonous enough to produce deficits associated with underarousal and loss of vigilance. (3) To allow study of rapid (20 sec) fluctuations in vigilance, the task should require continuous user input at near-one second intervals. (4) The task program should allow msec-scale synchronization with external psychophysiological or other data collection processes. This report describes the COMPTRACK task in detail, and presents control, training, and pilot data supporting the conclusion that the task is suitable for further use in vigilance research.