Abstract
An experiment was conducted to compare times required to complete a sample of motor tasks typical of routine maintenance actions under the following five environmental conditions: Ambient Shirtsleeve (72°F), Hot Day (110°F), Hot Night (80°F), Cold Day (-25°F) and Cold Night (-25°F).
The results of the experiment using eight subjects indicated that
1) No increase in time was needed to complete the 15 motor tests in the hot day environment over the time to complete the same tests in the shirtsleeve weather.
2) A median increase of six percent was required to complete the tests in the hot night conditions. Time increases of 20 to 30 percent were observed for those tasks which required more finite hand-eye coordination and higher light intensity.
3) An increase of 17 percent in time was noted to complete the tasks in the cold day environment. Those tests requiring high motor skill level were more effected than those which required less psychomotor coordination.
4) Test performed in the cold night required a median time increase of 48 percent over the shirtsleeve environment; 14 of the 15 tests completed showed a significant increase in time for completion.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.