During the last decade, new technological tools have emerged to provide first responders with augmented senses in emergency and disaster situations. Some of these tools focus on providing extra information about their surroundings. However, despite augmenting first responders’ capabilities, the quantity and the way that this information is presented can affect their cognitive load. This manuscript presents an integrated framework that allows real-time biosignals monitoring to analyze physical constants and correlate them with subjective cognitive load tests. Biosignals monitoring allows alarms to be raised related to the physical status while cognitive load values will allow modulation of the amount of information that can be assimilated by the first responder in operation. In-lab and practice experimental tests have been conducted to create a fully functional framework. During the technical validation, a strong dispersion of subjective cognitive load by means of NASA-TLX questionnaires has been found between participants. Nonetheless, the developed framework allows extraction of relationships between biosignals and cognitive load, with special attention to the respiration rate and eye movements.

Background: First responders, when arriving at a disaster, need a rapid analysis of the environment in which they are going to operate, as they have to assess the conditions surrounding potential victims and neutralize any risks that may exist.The EU-funded INTREPID develops a new technology platform to assist first responders when arriving on the scene of a disaster. The project INTREPID aims to support safer operations in the form of more efficient, fast, and safe disaster site assessments. The objective of the study is to implement new technologies into rescue operations to facilitate and improve situational awareness and operation management capabilities to save lives. The focus of the study is relevant to the field of mass casualty incident management and disaster, as proper communication is extremely relevant in the management of catastrophes. Method: The first phase of the project started with a qualitative methodology SCRUM, for catching the end user’s feedback and requirements to design the interface platform. It was developed a platform to support first responders in disasters areas improving the 3D scanning and analysis of disaster areas. This platform is based on the concepts of intelligence amplification and eXtended Reality, with hololens, drones and robots. The project continued with a β phase in which the platform with all tools integrated were tested in simulated mass casualty disasters. Results: These technologies are tested in different disaster scenarios: A flooded subway stop in Stockholm, an accident in the chemical industry in Marseille, and a man-made explosion in a hospital in Madrid. Through this platform, first responders can immediately initiate operations without exposing personnel to potential harmful risks without specialized equipment, with all important information shared and coordinated, among all responders, whether they are security, firefighters, or emergency health professionals. Conclusions: The performance pilots and the questionnaire results validated the effectiveness and usability of the final version of the INTREPID platform and tools.

Multitasking game does not only impact different cognitive functions but also influences performance and vital signs. This affirmation is key for supporting and monitoring first responders during real-life rescue scenarios, with the aim of improving mission performance and reducing risks for both victims and rescuers. In this manuscript we have developed a game that combines a primary sustained attention task with secondary tasks that target different cognitive functions (focused attention, working memory and short-term memory). 30 first responders participated in the study, completing 18 trials with varying primary and secondary tasks complexities. The results show that concurrent multitasking significantly impacts both primary and secondary task performance, with a clear shift of attention towards the secondary task. Moreover, the performance impact varies depending on the cognitive functions involved. Physiological data show minimal changes during multitasking, but significant changes are observed when task performance is not properly managed. Therefore, the study provides valuable insights into the complexities of multitasking, highlighting the importance of considering both cognitive functions and objective physiological measures for a comprehensive understanding of cognitive demands in real-world operations.