Evaluation of marine simulator training based on heart rate variability

Mental workload is useful for evaluating performance of a ship´s navigator: a captain, a duty officer, and a pilot. The heart rate variability (R-R interval), the nasal temperature and the salivary amylase predict well based on pre-experiments; however, most of the research tests a professional´s skill. The evaluation does not test a cadet´s skill yet. In this paper, we evaluate a cadet´s R-R interval as he guides a ship from a narrow channel to open sea, and consider simulator training effects. The experiment is carried out using a ship bridge simulator, not a real ship. We show the R-R interval is a good index for the evaluation of marine simulator training.