However, when performing a complex task, the new information elements are being processed simultaneously and not iterated, so their interactions cause a much higher WM load.
According to Cognitive Load Theory (CLT, Miller, 1956), WM resources, unlike LTM resources, are limited in their capacity for processing or holding new information. In the following paragraphs, we will review the literature regarding cognitive load, EEG biomarkers of cognitive load, medical simulators, and previous measurements of cognitive load during simulator tasks.Īny acquirement of a new skill or knowledge must be passed through working memory (WM) before being transferred into long-term memory (LTM). The experiments measured behavioral performance, EEG bands that are known to correlate to cognitive load, and a novel machine-learning-based cognitive load biomarker. To address these points, we designed three experiments in which medical students and interns perform laparoscopic tasks under a surgery simulator, while recording their brain activity with a wearable single-channel EEG headset. Therefore, it does not allow extraction of similar measurements during laparoscopic procedures inside the operating room. Second, the behavioral performance is measured while completing a task under the surgery simulator. Assessing cognitive load and stress levels directly during the surgery simulation is essential to evaluate the intern’s ability to engage in real-life operations. First, althoughthe behavioral performance serves as a good indication of laparoscopic dexterity, it does not give an indication regarding the student’s cognitive state and, specifically, his or her cognitive load level during the task performance.
Nevertheless, the simulator output measurements have two main drawbacks. The surgery simulators offer practice of various tasks and present an evaluation of the performance via behavioral measurements (i.e., performance accuracy and performance length, etc.). These simulators help train interns and provide their performance outputs for each task, thus supporting the learning process. Medical training of surgical interns in recent years utilizes digital simulators as an effective tool for acquiring practical skills in a controlled and hazard-free environment.
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