Adapting wearable technology to monitor pilot fatigue

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This applied research project builds on a recent collaboration between Camosun and Conair Group Inc. on aCARIC (Consortium for Aerospace Research and Innovation in Canada) funded project, OPR 706 entitled"Measuring Pilot Fatigue to Manage Pilot Performance". A proposal made to CARIC for the second phase byConair, Camosun College, the University of British Columbia, Okanagan (UBC) and a local aircraft telemetrycompany Latitude Technologies has already been approved (PLE-P-1652). The NSERC proposal is to supportAdapting Wearable Technology to monitor Pilot Fatigue by Camosun, its faculty and students in this upcominghigh-profile venture.Conair Group Inc., a Canadian company based in Abbotsford BC, is the world's largest privately ownedbusiness dedicated to the wildfire aviation sector. Conair employs a team of 270 people and has been inbusiness for over 45 years. Conair has a "Target Zero" safety approach and has taken a proactive approach inresearching ways to monitor pilot fatigue and is planning on utilizing the outcome of this project to update theirFatigue Risk Management System (FRMS).In the earlier work carried out by Camosun, a link between Heart Rate Variability (HRV) - the variation in thetime interval between heartbeats - and physiological stress of the pilots, during various flight activities, wasdiscovered. The goals of this proposed research work are to i) identify the most appropriate wearable device tomonitor pilots in-flight, ii) develop a testing protocol, iii) train the pilots on the use of wearable device andother supporting hardware/software, iv) monitor the pilots during firefighting season, v) analyze the datagathered in post-firefighting season and vi) develop and validate an app-based pilot fatigue indicator.The outcome of this proposed project is anticipated to add significantly to the limited body of knowledgearound non-typical aircraft operations, while at the same time, providing an excellent and unique appliedlearning opportunity for Camosun students, faculty and staff.