Extended operations and sleep loss can lead to fatigue, decrements in decision making, and other challenges to performance, productivity, and safety. As a result, a considerable body of research has examined the effectiveness of various fatigue countermeasures. This proposal describes an effort to conduct a meta-analytic integration of the evidence on the effectiveness of fatigue countermeasures. This integration will provide a precise andconclusive summary of the evidence regarding the effectiveness of various fatigue countermeasures. In addition, it will also allow the examination of important theoretical and operational issues regarding the effectiveness of various approaches.
Potential Commercial Applications:The integration of existing research and the identification of new and effective fatigue countermeasures should have a considerable impact on Federal as well as commercial users in aviation, transportation, medicine, equipment operation, manufacturing and other operational environments that involve 24-hour demands. This project will result in specific, empirically-based guidelines for implementing fatigue countermeasures in civilian and military operational environments.
