Evaluating the impact of Mind-wandering on driller's Situation awareness using wearable eye-tracking technology

<p><span>The occurrence of blowouts and other accidents during drilling operations can lead to major social repercussions, and a key factor contributing to these incidents is the low situational awareness of drilling workers. The prolonged and tedious monitoring of drilling parameters results in drilling workers experiencing mind-wandering, yet few have explored the consequences of mind-wandering on situational awareness and its corresponding visual attention attributes. To tackle this problem, this study employed wearable eye tracking technology to assess the mind-wandering status of drilling workers during work finishing (WF) and investigate the influence of mind-wandering on the situational awareness of these workers. Eighteen drilling workers carried out drilling monitoring tasks in the laboratory to monitor changes in drilling parameters. Data on Subjective Likert attention scales, eye movement indicators, and situational awareness questionnaires were recorded and analyzed during the drillers' work beginning (WB) and WF. The experiment involved creating a situational awareness questionnaire using the Situational Awareness Global Assessment Technique (SAGAT). The eye movement results revealed that drilling workers experienced mind-wandering during the WF, as evidenced by a significant increase in fixation duration and count, along with a decrease in pupil diameter. This led to a decrease in situational awareness scores and a notable increase in reaction times, indicating that mind-wandering had an impact on the situational awareness of drilling workers. The eye movement areas of interest (AOIs) were analyzed further, revealing that drilling workers directed more attentional resources towards to the drilling parameters values (AOI-I). The percent eye fixation duration and count increased as they shifted their focus to</span><span> </span><span>the drilling parameter curves (AOI-II) during mind-wandering. This research showcases the potential of using wearable eye-tracking technology to identify mind wandering in drilling workers who are responsible for monitoring drilling parameters. By gaining a deeper insight into the eye movement patterns associated with mind wandering in drilling workers, we can establish a strong basis for creating interventions that enhance their situational awareness.</span></p>