Biomechanical Characteristics of Non-stationary Respiration Regimens as Possible Indicators of Tiredness in Monotonic Hypokinetic Load
Abstract
The target of the study was revealing of a potential relationship between the tiredness accompanying a hypokinetic monotonic load and breathing. The secondary target was to describe it with the respiration parameters.
After that, there was a question whether some of the parameters used can be applicable not only to the tiredness indication but also to its prediction. Five volunteers participated in the experiment, who underwent measurements with simultaneous monitoring of the brain electric activity, respiration and changes in volumes of the thorax.
For the whole time period of the experiment, their activities were recorded by a video camera. In the first part of the experiment, the probants carried out a monotonic task (Tracking Task), in which they were supposed to pursue as precisely as possible a small target on the monitor moving with random velocities in random directions.
In the second part of the experiment, the probants only relaxed watching a movie. The two parts of the experiment were measured in two variants - active and tired (after 24-h sleep deprivation) probants.
The data acquired were subsequently compared. The results achieved demonstrated that the presence, and to a considerable extent also intensity, of the tiredness, can be reliably indicated and evaluated through the mediation of monitoring the occurrence of respiration volume and frequency non-stationarities manifested in otherwise steady-state breathing regimens in the persons monitored.
Based on the results achieved, it is also possible to state that the respiration cycle monitoring can also be used for the prediction of the tiredness.