Journal of System Simulation ›› 2025, Vol. 37 ›› Issue (8): 1921-1932.doi: 10.16182/j.issn1004731x.joss.25-0311

• Special Column:Developments and Perspectives of Digital Testing and Evaluation Technologies • Previous Articles    

Research on Digital Simulation Method for Cognitive Load Evaluation of pilots

Fan Zeng1,2, He Mingjun2, Xing Xiangyu2   

  1. 1.School of Reliability and Systems Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
    2.AVIC Chengdu Aircraft Design & Research Institute, Chengdu 610091, China
  • Received:2025-04-15 Revised:2025-06-19 Online:2025-08-20 Published:2025-08-26
  • Contact: He Mingjun

Abstract:

The operator's cognitive load constitutes a critical determinant of task performance. Pilots, as the primary operators of aircraft, must face an overwhelming volume of information during complex missions, which significantly heightens the risk of cognitive overload and operational errors. Evaluating cognitive load during tasks helps reduce human errors and improve system safety by optimizing design schemes. A simulation model was established to dynamically predict the pilots' cognitive load during tasks for multi-task scenarios. Based on the multiple resource theory, a method for quantifying cognitive load in multi-task conditions was established. By considering cognitive capacity, task time constraints, task priority, and temporal randomness, a dynamic model of task process was constructed based on the random-time extended weighted Petri net. Based on the experimental data, cognitive load values were predicted, and the effectiveness of the cognitive load evaluation model was verified. The results indicate that the sensitive physiological parameter is significantly correlated with predicted values of cognitive load.

Key words: cognitive load, multiple resource theory, multi-task scenario, Petri net, dynamic model of task process

CLC Number: