Signals of Strain: Using Biosignals to Assess Fatigue in Video Conferencing

Lucy V. Pagel, Tanja Kojic, Vera Schmitt, Wafaa Wardah, Philipp L. Harnisch, Sebastian Möller, Robert P. Spang

Abstract: The advent of remote work and video conferencing has introduced unique challenges, with “Video Conferencing Fatigue” (VCF) emerging as a prevalent issue. Rooted in increased mental workload, VCF stems from factors like constrained movement, limited non-verbal cues, prolonged gaze fixation, and degraded audiovisual quality. While self-reported measures shed light on user experiences, they often lack real-time applicability. This study investigates the potential of biosignals as objective markers for quantifying mental workload and fatigue during video conferences. An existing dataset of 127 participants was analyzed to examine physiological dimensions-including heart rate variability (HRV), electrodermal activity (EDA), eye movements, and facial expressions—captured during systematically manipulated audiovisual quality levels across different conversational tasks.

External IDs:doi:10.1007/978-3-031-93718-7_8