Designing an Experiment to Measure the Alert Fatigue of Different Alarm Sounds Using the Physiological Signals

This study proposes an experiment to find the most effective alarm sound for controlling alert fatigue. Alert fatigue is the phenomenon that an individual is constantly exposed to frequent alarms and becomes desensitized or loses his attention or focus on the alarm. One of the major causes of struck-by accidents caused by construction equipment is the blind spot. Even though many research studies have developed the alarm system to manage the issue, frequent alarm from construction equipment is inevitable because construction equipment and workers on foot usually work in close range. Hence, the alarm sound that manages alert fatigue effectively can reduce the accident caused by the blind spot. This study proposes an experiment design using three different alarm sounds (complex tone, auditory icons, and self-own name) and three different physiological signals (electroencephalography, electrodermal activity, and event-related potential) to measure alert fatigue quantitatively to compare alert fatigue of each alarm sound. This paper suggests two research hypotheses: 1) different alarm sounds induce different levels of alert fatigue and 2) suggested physiological signals are suitable for measuring alert fatigue. A future study testing these hypotheses can contribute to reducing the accidents related to blind spots, which will eventually contribute to better safety performance in the construction industry.