The Effect of Simulated High Sea States on Surgical Performance
As a Human Factors Engineer supporting the Human Systems Integration (HSI) team at NSWC PCD, I contributed to a research initiative evaluating the feasibility of performing emergency surgeries aboard naval vessels under high sea states.
To simulate real-world conditions, our team collected motion data from a catamaran outfitted with specialized sensors and used it to replicate sea-state movement in a custom-built mobile operating room. Over a two-month period, trained Navy surgeons performed simulated trauma procedures on partial-task surgical dummies while exposed to varying levels of ship motion.
Project Overview
Title: Surgery at Sea: Evaluating Surgical Performance in Simulated Naval Conditions
Role: Human Factors Engineer
Team: Naval medical experts, engineers, researchers
Focus: Applied usability research, physiological data analysis, motion simulation
Research Objective: To assess how ship motion affects surgical team performance and physiological stress, and to inform the design and deployment of mobile surgical units for combat support scenarios.
My Contributions
Supported the design and execution of the human performance study.
Assisted with the building of the motion simulator (Stewart motion table).
Conducted behavioral observations and coordinated physiological data collection.
Helped analyze survey and biometric data to identify patterns in workload and stress response.
Methodology
Simulated 144 surgical procedures across sea states 0, 3, and 4 using a Stewart motion platform.
Used partial-task surgical simulators to replicate common wartime injuries.
Collected EEG and heart rate variability (HRV) data to monitor physiological stress.
Administered pre- and post-surgery surveys to assess workload and motion sickness.
A civilian trauma surgeon evaluated surgical outcomes to benchmark performance.
Impact
Informed the feasibility of deploying mobile surgical units aboard maneuverable naval vessels.
Contributed to improved access to timely surgical care in combat zones.
Provided foundational data for future research in extreme environment usability.
Key Findings
Motion did not significantly impact overall surgical performance; procedure type and team dynamics were stronger predictors.
Surgeons reported higher perceived workload under motion, despite physiological data suggesting adaptation.
HRV suppression indicated stress coping mechanisms in motion conditions.
Training and team cohesion were critical to maintaining performance.
Reflections
This project strengthened my skills in high-stakes usability testing, physiological data analysis, and designing for extreme environments. It also deepened my appreciation for cross-disciplinary collaboration and continues to influence my user-centered approach to complex system design.