Multimodal Approach to Measuring Cognitive Load Using Sternberg Memory and Input Diagrammatic Reasoning Tests

Results of a study of cognitive load using multimodal biometric techniques including electrocardiography, electroencephalography and galvanic skin response are presented in the paper. Thirty student volunteers took part in an experiment conducted on the iMotions integrated biometric platform in a laboratory setting. Two types of tests were employed as research stimuli, namely the Sternberg memory test and input diagrammatic reasoning test. Data were collected using participant activity measures, Single Ease Question (SEQ) and NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) self-report questionnaires, and biometric measurements. In total, 21 metrics were calculated, including two performance, eight subjective, four electrocardiographic, three encephalographic, and four galvanic skin response metrics based on the collected experimental data. The nonparametric Wilcoxon tests were applied to find statistically significant differences between individual metrics for the Sternberg memory tasks and input diagrammatic reasoning tasks for easy and hard difficulty levels. The conducted research allowed to make many interesting observations and showed the usefulness of various measures in the analysis of the cognitive load associated with memory and reasoning tasks.