The Impact of Shift Work on the Performance of Remote Train Operators in a Control Center Scenario

The Impact of Shift Work on the Performance of Remote Train Operators in a Control Center Scenario - CaRe4Rail

Status

Active, not recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

DRKS

Registry ID

DRKS00040363

Enrollment

Registered

2026-07-20

Start date

2026-09-01

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2026-08-03

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

The Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Performance

Interventions

Group 1: Early shift (shortened sleep) During the shift, participants complete four scenarios with varying workloads, which are presented in a balanced order. Group 2: Day shift (normal sleep) During

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Age

18 Years to 40 Years

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: - Submission of the signed data protection consent form, the participant agreement, the privacy policy for the study, and the participant consent form - Sufficient knowledge of the German language

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: - Participation in the NGT-BIT Study 2021 - Insufficient knowledge of German - Any medication that may affect the test parameters - Drug addiction, smoking - Vision or hearing problems that interfere with eye movement measurement or auditory performance tests - Acute or chronic medical conditions that may affect performance during the test - BMI > 35 - Atypical sleep habits: a) On weekdays: Going to bed before 9:00 PM or after midnight, waking up before 5:00 AM or after 8:30 AM b) Regular sleep duration 9 hours (nighttime sleep) on weekdays - Suspected sleep apnea syndrome

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
The speed at which test subjects take control of the remote cockpit simulation in the event of a malfunction	—

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
In addition to speed, the study will also analyze the correct resolution of incidents as well as the cumulative delay of trains when operators are fatigued and when they are well-rested. Furthermore, subjective workload as well as physiological parameters for measuring eye movement and heart rate variability will be used to quantify the stress experienced by remote train operators working shifts in scenarios with varying workloads.	—

Measure

Time frame

In addition to speed, the study will also analyze the correct resolution of incidents as well as the cumulative delay of trains when operators are fatigued and when they are well-rested. Furthermore, subjective workload as well as physiological parameters for measuring eye movement and heart rate variability will be used to quantify the stress experienced by remote train operators working shifts in scenarios with varying workloads.

—

Countries

Germany

Contacts

Public ContactSibylle Benderoth

DLR-Institut für Luft- und Raumfahrtmedizin

sibylle.benderoth@dlr.de+49 2203 601 3167

Outcome results

None listed

Source: DRKS (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Aug 10, 2026