Heads-Up-Displays (huds) and Their Impact on Cognitive Load During Task Performance: A Protocol for Systematic Review

Background: Heads-up-displays (HUDs) and similar projection technologies are increasingly used in complex environments.Their impact on cognitive load is an important consideration before introduction of such technology into complex healthcare environments.Methods: We will search the available literature for studies reporting cognitive load during the use of HUDs for task performance.All study designs will be included as long as a comparison group (no-HUD) was included in the design.Population: Adult humans, who were not novices, performing a complex task.Complex task was defined as any task involving simultaneous performance and processing of information.Intervention: Heads-up display; Head-mounted display; Projection glasses; Other projection displays including augmented reality and virtual reality displays Comparator: No display technology; Heads-down display (as is the status quo for automobile controls and avionics) Outcome: Broadly defined cognitive impacts including fatigue, cognitive tunneling, task errors, and response times.Data will be synthesized and where possible a meta-analysis will be performed using a random-effects model.Discussion: This systematic review will be informative for future implementation of HUDs and similar display technologies for use in complex environments.The implications are of importance to groups implementing HUDs for decision support and as an adjunct to complex tasks.