Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Global Maritime Congress 2024, İstanbul, Türkiye, 20 - 21 Mayıs 2024
Aim: This
study investigates the cognitive levels of tugboat captains, key players during
port manoeuvres, which are a crucial part of sea navigation. The objective is
to reveal the main neurophysiological findings related to the measurements of
the tugboat captains' brain activity during real port manoeuvres and to
investigate the relationship between this brain activity and situational
awareness.
Methodology: The research employed an experimental approach, recording the brain
waves of tugboat captains using an EEG device and relevant software during
actual port maneuvers. Within this framework, the situational awareness levels
of four tugboat captains were assessed, with a focus on the Fast Fourier
Transform (FFT)/Band power graph values during 38 maneuvers. The peak moments
of situational awareness in sea navigation were identified, shedding light on
the correlation between brain waves. Additionally, disparities in brain waves
among tugboat captains and variations in brain waves based on whether the port
maneuvering occurred during the day or night were scrutinized.
Findings: Within the scope of the research, to analyze the FFT values of the
participants, significant number of differences were detected through the
non-parametric Spearman correlation test. Subsequent to the Post-Hoc analysis
of the Kruskal Wallis test results, significant differences were observed in
Fc5 Beta H, Fc 5 Gamma, and O2 Gamma waves among individuals. Lastly, the Mann
Whitney test indicated a significant difference in the Fc6 Theta variable
between day and night conditions.
Conclusion: As a result of the research, it was determined that there is a
functional relationship between the neurophysiological findings of tugboat
captains and that brain waves exhibit variations among individuals and
according to the moment of maneuver. Consequently, this study contributes to
the literature by demonstrating that situational awareness detection in real
sea navigation can be achieved through the use of an EEG device with a
neuroscience approach.
Keywords: Situational awareness, EEG, Tugboat
captains, Fast Fourier Transform, FFT, Sea navigation