The Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation & Education Conference (I/ITSEC)

Dr. Ron Stevens presented: A Neurophysiologic Approach for Studying Team Cognition presentation at this year's Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference, November 29 - December 2, 2010, in Orlando, FL, at the Orange County Convention Center. I/ITSEC is the world’s largest simulation and modeling event. The manuscript was co-authored by Trysha Galloway, Chris Berka and Adrienne Behneman. A copy of the publication may be found here.

Human Factors and Ergonomics Society

Author Dr. Ron Stevens presented: Temporal Sequences of Neurophysiologic Synchronies can Identify Changes in Team Cognition at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society held at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco from September 27 through October 1 and was attended by more than 1,590 members and nonmembers from the United States and around the world. The manuscript was co-authored by Chris Berka, Trysha Galloway, and Adrienne Behneman. A copy of the publication is here.

Developing Systems for The Rapid Modeling Of Team Neurodynamics.

During the month of April, the IMMEX team collected data and developed working modules for NS real-time analysis. The development of these generic artificial neural network (ANN) and Hidden Markov Modeling (HMM) models has enabled the construction of web-based software (by Peter Wang) for researchers studying team dynamics where they can submit the individual EEG-E or EEG-WL raw files for three or six members of a team and receive detailed reports showing the dynamics of NS Pattern and NS state expression on a second by second basis. Screen shots of the input and report pages are shown below. While the software is not yet ready for real-time analysis, we should likely have such a version in several months.

Accelerated Learning 2010

In continuation IMMEX’ research as part of DARPA/Defense Science Office’s Accelerated Learning Program, our experts in Team Neurosynchrony collected neurophysiologic indices at The Submarine Learning Center while Junior Officers of the Submarine Officers Advanced Course (SOAC) practiced Submarine Piloting and Navigation (SPAN) simulations. The Submarine Learning Center is accountable for all undersea curriculums, training delivery methodologies, and for developing and maintaining professional development continuums for all undersea warfare.

Changes in Team Neurophysiologic Synchronies During Concept Mapping in Chemistry

As part of a study to determine the broad applicability of using EEG-derived Neuroophysiologic Synchronies(NS) as a measure of team cognition, Trysha Galloway, John Stallings and Peter Wang of the IMMEX team collected neurophysiological baseline and experimental data (using the Advanced Brain Monitoring B-Alert© system) from high school students taught by Master Teacher Marcia Sprang, Ph.D. at Esperanza High School. Two teams of 3 students engaged in a Concept Mapping task on the topic of periodic trends. Their task was to "Develop a concept map for periodic trends of elements and ions that includes the trends and underlying reasons in detail for the trends". We anticipated that there would be periods of brainstorming followed by periods of construction of the concept map, and visual analysis seems to confirm this. The data from these studies is undergoing further analysis and is being incorporated into generic network models.

2010 Behavior Representation in Modeling and Simulation

Dr. Ron Stevens presented: The Identification and Application of Neurophysiologic Synchronies for Studying the Dynamics of Teamwork at the 2010 Behavior Representation in Modeling and Simulation (Brims) annual conference held at Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina in Charleston, South Carolina on March 22-March 25, 2010. Co-Authors on the manuscript are: Trysha Galloway, Chris Berka, and Adrienne Behneman. A copy of the publication may be found under our publications link.

IMMEX Site Is Moving

After over 100,000 student participants and nearly a million problem solving performances the IMMEX system is going to be moved from this URL at the end of July. Check back from time to time to IMMEX.COM for future directions of the IMMEX project including the real-time detection and analysis of the neurodynamics of teams.

- Ron Stevens and Team IMMEX

Recruiting Research Subjects for the Identification and Application of Neurophysiological Synchronies for Studying the Dynamics of Teamwork

We are currently conducting a research study to measure brain activity, while engaged in problem solving exercises. Specifically electroencephalograph (EEG) indices of attention, workload and visual-spatial memory load will be measured. The objective is to combine simultaneous neurophysiologic signals from team members, to develop pattern categories called neurophysiologic synchronies that can be related to the second-by-second activities of teams. These studies were initiated with funding from the National Science Foundation and DARPA, the results of the research are intended to enhance the training and performance of teams on complex Real-World tasks.

For additional information please contact: Trysha Galloway Email: Trysha@Immex.com

Thank you in advance for considering this request.

BRIMS Paper Accepted

The manuscript titled Identification and Application of Neurophysiologic Synchronies for Studying the Dynamics of Teamwork has been accepted for the 19th Behavior Representation in Modeling & Simulation (BRIMS) Conference which will be held March 22-25, 2010 at the Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina, Charleston, SC.
In this paper we describe a process for collecting and combining neurophysiologic signals derived from individual members of a team to develop pattern categories showing the normalized expression of these signals at each second for the team as a whole. The expression of different neurophysiologic synchrony patterns is sensitive to changes in the behavior of teams over time and perhaps to the level of expertise. The utility and limitations of using this approach are demonstrated for three tasks including a team emotion recall research study, an educational study where teams of high school students solved substance abuse simulations and a complex training study where Submarine Officer Advanced Candidate trainees performed submarine piloting and navigation exercises.
Ron Stevens and Trysha Galloway from the IMMEX Project as well as Chris Berka and Adrienne Behneman from Advanced Brain Monitoring are co-authors of the paper. Once the proceedings are published we will link a copy of the paper at our Publications site.