EEG involves placing sensors on the scalp of the subject and measuring brain wave activity.

The cognitive workload is the level of measurable mental effort that is expended by an individual to perform a task.

The research with regards to this aspect of EEG was done by a team led by Professor Rajagopalan Srinivasan, Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Madras.

The results of this research about EEG have been published recently in the reputed peer-reviewed Journal of Computers and Computer Engineering in a paper co-authored by Professor Rajagopalan Srinivasan, Mr. Mohd Umair Iqbal and Professor Babji Srinivasan.

Speaking the need of this reasearch on EEG Prof. Rajagopalan Srinivasan said human errors are the cause of nearly 70 per cent of industrial accidents, the world over.

Apply Now For – Fortune Institute of International Business – New Delhi Delhi NCR

Human errors, whether at the planning or execution stage, depend not only on the skill of the worker but also on his/her mental state and sharpness at that time.

Anybody’s performance will become error-prone if there is a mismatch between the demands of the task which the person is responsible and their ability at that moment to handle it.

Such a mismatch leads to high cognitive workload in human operators, often a precursor to poor performance, said Rajagopalan.

EEG used to track great human performance during crisis

;All our thoughts and activities are driven by electrical signals between the cells in our brain called brain waves, which occur at different frequencies and are called alpha, beta, gamma, theta and delta.’

The relative magnitudes of these waves along with their variation are a signature of our thought process and current mental state, he said.

The research on EEG, the team affixed sensors to the heads of six participants and had them perform eight tasks each.

The nature of the tasks was to monitor a typical industrial section for any disturbances which if not controlled, by the participant, in a given time frame can lead to accidents.

The disturbance increased their cognitive workload, and only if the correct decision was made did the cognitive workload reduce.

EEG used to track great human performance during crisis

The results on the reasearch about EEG showed that theta waves could identify any mismatch between the worker’s mental model of the process and the actual plant behaviour during abnormal situations.

This makes sense because the ‘theta band’ of brainwaves has been thought to be responsible for the control process of working memory functions.

Also read ‘IIT students start online service ‘Eduride’ to help NEET and JEE aspirants to seek transport service to reach their exam centre on the exam day‘

‘We intend to study the potential of these EEG methods to improve human performance in various high-risk industries, thus opening a new paradigm to industrial safety and its relation to the real-time mental state of the worker,’ said Professor Rajagopalan.

The EEG based approach can provide information about the cognitive workload of operators during training, which in turn can be used to fine-tune the training process itself.

It can also provide targeted cues during learning, to improve the overall effectiveness of training.

About IIT Madras

Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) was established in 1959 by the Government of India as an ‘Institute of National Importance.’

The activities of the Institute in various fields of Science and Technology are carried out in 16 academic departments and several advanced interdisciplinary research academic centres.

The Institute offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes leading to B.Tech., M.Sc., M.B.A., M.Tech., M.S., and Ph.D., degrees in a variety of specialisations.

IIT M is a residential institute with more than 580 faculty and 9,500 students. Students from 18 countries are enrolled here.

IITM fosters an active entrepreneurial culture with strong curricular support and through the IITM Incubation Cell.

IITM has been ranked No.1 in the ‘Overall’ Category for the second consecutive year in India Ranking 2020 released by National Institutional Ranking Framework, Ministry of Education, Govt. of India.

The Institute has also been ranked No.1 in the ‘Engineering Institutions’ category in the same Rankings for five consecutive years – 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

It was also adjudged as the ‘Top innovative Institution’ in the country in Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) in 2019 and 2020. ARIIA Ranking was launched by Innovation Cell of Ministry of Education.

It is to note that BodhBridge is a company run by IIT Madras alumni. This service is being provided free of cost for the benefit of school students with whom teachers spend a significant time, enabling them to understand their strengths, weaknesses, and interests.

Teachers can help cultivate aspirations early, helping students visualize career goals and motivating them to work towards them, say sources from IITMPTF.

Target

In the short term, the initiative is targeting to cover 10,000 School Teachers across 5,000 Schools across India in the next 3 months. The first batch of training commences on 14th December.

The last date to register is 12 December 2024, say sources from IITMPTF. Interested Schools and Teachers can register through the following link – https://bodhbridge.iitmpravartak.org.in

Teachers and principals

This program is open for School Teachers, School Principals, Educators, and Counsellors. Participation in this certification program is free.

The knowledge gained from this workshop will not only benefit your students but also enhance your skills as educators and mentors, say sources from IITMPTF.

Our goal with this collaboration is to make a meaningful impact by enabling teachers to serve as effective career counsellors within their schools, said Balamurali of IITMPTF.

Teachers play an essential role in helping students build the foundation for a fulfilling career, he said.

The Chief Knowledge Officer (CKO) of IITMPTF further said career counselling certification is a perfect opportunity for every teacher to develop the knowledge, skills, and expertise needed to become a career counsellor.

This certification program aims to equip all teachers with the knowledge, tools and strategies to play an even more significant role in guiding and supporting students in making informed decisions about their career paths, said Balamurali of IITMPTF.

Teachers are often the first counsellors they encounter on their journey toward their future careers. In the modern educational landscape, the responsibilities of teachers have expanded beyond traditional teaching roles, he said.

‘They are increasingly expected to guide and support students in making crucial career-related decisions.’

By providing this training free of cost, we are committed to creating accessible pathways for teachers to develop skills that can shape the futures of countless students, he said.

Careers

Teachers can introduce students to a range of careers, including emerging fields in technology, arts, sciences, and trades, which may not have been as common in the past.

A well-curated list of top careers, updated yearly based on market trends, can provide students with relevant, modern options to explore, say sources from IITMPTF.

Understanding

Through this certification training, teachers will gain a comprehensive understanding of the current educational landscape and the various career pathways available for students.

They will also receive hands-on guidance on essential counselling techniques to better support and inspire students to make informed career choices. Certification will be provided to the participants based on their performance in the post-training assessment.

Partnership

BodhBridge has been in the career guidance space for the last 10 years. During the last five years, the company has been working with IIT Madras on different projects involving career guidance for rural children.

This partnership with IITMPTF aims at taking career guidance and counselling fundamentals to a large number of teachers free of cost.

Course curriculum

The training program is structured to be highly practical and includes modules on career guidance essentials, assessment techniques, and career counselling skills tailored for school environments.

School teachers from various educational institutions are encouraged to take advantage of this transformative learning opportunity, say sources from IITMPTF.

⮚ What is career guidance?

⮚ Introduction to MCMF Career Guidance Framework

⮚ How can a self-assessment tool be used to identify personal strengths

⮚ Discussion on Top 100 Career Options in Demand

⮚ How do we guide students to choose the right course?

⮚ How do we guide students to choose the right college?

⮚ Understanding the different competitive exams & scholarship opportunities

⮚ Basics of Career Counseling

⮚ Certification will be provided based on the performance in the post-training assessment

About IITMPTF

IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation aka IITMPTF is a section 08 Company housing the Technology Innovation Hub on Sensors, Networking, Actuators, and Control Systems (SNACS).

It is committed to transforming the frontiers of knowledge. Its start-up ecosystem is the nurturing space of brilliant professionals, Innovative entrepreneurs, curious young talents, and inquisitive students.

With world-class infrastructure, equipment, and experienced mentors, we have everything to offer for the technology-hungry brains.

IITM Pravartak is funded by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, under its National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems, and hosted as a Technology Innovation Hub (TIH) by IIT Madras.

The NM-ICPS is a comprehensive Mission aimed at complete convergence with all stakeholders by establishing strong linkages between academia, industry, Government, and International Organizations.

Also Read – IIT Madras and Thales unveil great top 6 teams