Physiological and Eye Tracking Determinants as Markers of Skill Acquisition in Manual Inspection

Skill acquisition in the manufacturing industry is a crucial aspect of optimising performance, efficiency, and safety in complex work environments. Human factors play a
significant role in skill acquisition, encompassing factors such as cognitive processes, perception, decision-making, and physical interactions within the work environment.
The aim of the current research is to understand the duration required to acquire skills through procedural learning and the transition to routine development occurs when
leaned behaviour becomes habitual while faced with Mental and physical fatigue. Participants completed an inspection task that involved an industrial component (monitor)
for their serial number, visual and tactile quality under a control condition: control (no manipulation) measuring physical demand and stress levels during each monitor
inspection. Physiological measures were captured using a EmpaticaE4 wristband (capturing electrodermal activity (EDA), heart rate, skin temperature) and eye tracking
was performed with Tobii Glasses 3, as well as subjective measures of performance via NASA TLX. The results from the physiological data show that the initial 10 minutes
of the task showed a positive significant correlation between EDA and NASA Performance score, the second set of 10 minutes positively correlated EDA and NASA TLX
temporal demands, while final 10 minutes showed a positive correlation between EDA and NASA TLX physical demand. Such results indicate that skill acquisition over time
goes through several stages – individual’s anxiety of their performance, then concerns for timely performance, and finally experiencing physical impact – as well as that EDA
is good indicator of changing workload demands.