Concentration Ratio Measurement Device for Mental Workload Evaluation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for measuring concentration ratios in mental workloads are inadequate for evaluating intellectual productivity, as they either rely on physical tasks or focus on perception capabilities rather than objective mental workload evaluation.

Innovation Solution

A concentration ratio measurement apparatus comprising a presentation device, an input device, and an evaluation device that presents cognitive objects, allows users to select answers, and calculates concentration ratios based on answering times and correctness, using statistical values and log normal distributions to quantify concentration times and non-concentration times.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If trace work is used to measure concentration ratio, then concentration ratio can be calculated, but the measurement is not suitable for evaluating intellectual productivity as it depends on hand athletic ability rather than mental workload

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconcentration ratio measurementVSAvoidsuitability for mental workload evaluation
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the measurement parameters from physical trace work to mental processing tasks. It measures concentration ratio by presenting cognitive objects (images, text, sounds) and evaluating processing time and accuracy, thereby adapting the measurement to mental workload while maintaining measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If capability score is used to measure recognition capability, then mental workload is given to test subject, but only the capability to perceive meaning is measured, not the concentration ratio during mental work

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemental workload applicationVSAvoidconcentration ratio evaluation
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces feedback mechanisms by measuring both processing time and accuracy of cognitive tasks. It uses these feedback metrics to calculate concentration ratio, thereby enabling precise evaluation of concentration during mental work while maintaining adaptability to various mental workload scenarios.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Ease of operation

If traditional concentration measurement methods are used, then measurement can be performed, but objective measurement of concentration ratio during mental work cannot be achieved

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeasurement operationVSAvoidobjective concentration ratio measurement
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical/physical measurement systems with cognitive processing systems. It substitutes hand-based trace work with mental processing of cognitive objects, enabling objective measurement of concentration ratio during actual mental work while maintaining ease of operation through standardized test protocols.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP2891454B1Concentration ratio measurement device and program
Publication Date: 2023.11.22 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO LTD
  • EP2891454B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2891454B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP2891454B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

A presentation device is configured to present a plurality of recognition objects to a test subject. An input device is configured to allow the test subject input an answer of a work problem as a mental work to each recognition object. The work problem includes: a work of extracting two or more kinds of prescribed cognitive elements included in each recognition object; and a work of choosing, from a plurality of options, an option suiting to the two or more prescribed cognitive elements extracted from the recognition object. The number of the plurality of options is the number of combinations of selections set to each of the two or more kinds of prescribed cognitive elements. The evaluation device includes a work memory part configured to store, as work information, an answering time from a time when the recognition object is presented on the presentation device to a time when the answer is inputted into the input device. Also, the evaluation device includes an evaluating arithmetic part configured to calculate an evaluation value of a concentration ratio of the test subject using a statistics value of the work information stored in the work memory part while the plurality of recognition objects are presented on the presentation device.