Commentary

Mental workload measurement has been an important issue in human factors/ergonomics efforts over the last half century. Recent advances in technological capabilities, analytical techniques and the increasing availability of equipment for non-invasive, real-time assessment of human brain function have led to revolutionary advances in mental workload measurement. Research from several laboratories brought together in this special issue document the feasibility and potential application of these advances for enhancing human performance and safety in a variety of work and leisure environments. Measures of brain function have several advantages over alternative measurement techniques, so long as they are used appropriately and their limitations are understood. These advantages include increased sensitivity to both transient and continuous fluctuations in mental demand without the need to introduce an additional task as well as the ability to discern the relative contributions of various brain mechanisms as a result of task dynamics. Neurophysiological measures offer several advantages and, used in conjunction with behavioural indices, are providing converging and, in some cases, diverging evidence that enable the refinement of theoretical models of longstanding historical significance to the field of ergonomics.