DLR - Institute of Aerospace Medicine - Sleep and Human Factors Research

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Sleep and Human Factors Research
Head of Department: Dr. Daniel Aeschbach

The department’s research focuses on human performance, sleep and wellbeing as subject to specific challenges and risks posed by the mobile 24-hour society. We study the effects of environmental influences as well as individual factors, and derive countermeasures and mitigation strategies that can be shared with stakeholders in the fields of aeronautics, space and transportation. The research integrates both basic human science aspects as well as applied/translational aspects in the operational environment, in particular in aeronautics.

Performance and Sleep Research

We study the homeostatic and circadian processes that regulate the quality, duration, and timing of sleep, as well as cognitive performance. Data are collected both in the laboratory and in the operational environment, e.g. the cockpit. We use polysomnography, quantitative EEG analysis, eye tracking, cognitive testing, and brain fMRI and PET imaging. We study factors like acute and chronic sleep loss, workload, stimulants, circadian misalignment, and inter-individual differences in the vulnerability to sleep loss.

Noise Effects Research

We investigate how air, rail and road traffic noise affect sleep, cognitive performance and annoyance. We conduct both laboratory studies as well as field studies in residents affected by transportation noise and derive exposure-response relationships for awakening probabilities and annoyance that are used to develop protection concepts for the affected population. Noise effects are being studied in healthy adults as well as in vulnerable individuals, e.g. children.

	Baromedicine We investigate how barometric/atmospheric conditions, including hypoxia and hypercapnia, affect performance, sleep and well-being using DLR’s hypobaric chamber. The department has worked also with the aeronautics industry as well as with authorities to examine personal protective equipment and emergency protocols.

	Digital Health With Digital Health, medical expertise can be provided locally to the patient over a local distance. The patient's condition can be recorded in real time by digital and communicating medical products both at home and in the mobile environment and medical intervention can take place.
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Contact
Sleep and Human Factors Research

Dr. Daniel Aeschbach
Head of the Department of Sleep and Human Factors Research
German Aerospace Center
Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Sleep and Human Factors Research
Köln/Cologne
Tel.: +49 2203 601-3058
Fax: +49 2203 601-3098

Elke Meckes
Secretary Sleep and Human Factors Research
German Aerospace Center
Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Sleep and Human Factors Research
Köln/Cologne
Tel.: +49 2203 601 2889
Fax: +49 2203 601-3098

Alina Sender
Secretary Sleep and Human Factors Research
German Aerospace Center
Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Sleep and Human Factors Research
Köln/Cologne
Tel.: +49 2203 601-3667
Fax: +49 2203 601-3098

Performance and Sleep Research

Noise Effects Research

Baromedicine

Digital Health