The official NASA PVT+ (Psychomotor Vigilance Test) is a validated iOS based touchscreen PVT that includes multiple industry standard research forms for collecting a wide range of research data for sleep, alertness and performance studies.
The app has three principle data collection schemes designed to accomidate a wide range of research studies.
The Simple PVT
The Simple PVT is a single presentation of the Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT; described below). Participants can be instructed to take a PVT at any time. There is no limit to the number of PVTs that a participant can take.
Basic Study
The Basic Study provides a single or multiday pre-set framework for collecting research data. Participants are prompted to complete a sleep diary after their main sleep episode. The participant is then prompted to complete three PVT and Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS) responses during the day. The participants also complete a sleep diary before bed.
Aviation Study
The Aviation Study provides a multiday pre-set framework for collecting aviation related research data. Split into Off-Duty Days and Duty Days. Participants are prompted to complete a sleep diary after their main sleep episode. The participant is then prompted to complete three PVT and KSS responses during off-duty days. On duty days, the participant is prompted to complete a PVT and KSS pre- and post-duty. They are also prompted to complete a PVT, KSS, hassle factors, use of fatigue countermeasures, and inflight rest at the top of descent for each flight. The participants also complete a sleep diary before bed. The number of flights within a duty day can be adjusted. The aviation study also includes a pre-study baseline questionnaires that can be completed at study enrollment.
The specific components of the application include:
Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT): A simple reaction-timed test that is sensitive to sleep loss and circadian misalignment. The PVT displays a box on the screen and participants are instructed to tap the screen with their dominant thumb when a millisecond counter appears in the box and begins to count up. After the participant taps the screen, the counter briefly displays the reaction time in milliseconds, then the counter disappears, and the participant is instructed to refrain from touching the screen until the next millisecond counter appears in the box. The counter appears randomly every 2 to 10 seconds. The PVT can be configured by the investigator to the desired duration (currently validated for a 5-minute test).
Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS): The KSS is a self-reported sleepiness rating where the participant is asked to rate their level of sleepiness within the last five minutes on a scale from 1 to 9.
Sleep Diary: The Basic Study and Aviation Study each include a sleep diary that the study participant is prompted to complete at the beginning and at the end of the main sleep episode. The pre-sleep sleep diary asks the participant to record any naps that were taken prior to the main sleep episode, along with indicating the time of bedtime. The post-sleep sleep diary asks the participant to record the time that it took to fall asleep, number and duration of night awakenings, final wake time, and a sleep quality rating.
Study Enrollment Information: The Aviation Study includes a demographic questionnaire and the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire along with a practice sleep diary and practice PVT to orient the participant to study procedures.
Data collected from study participants using the NASA PVT+ iOS application does not include Personally Identifiable Information (PII). Research data is never collected directly by NASA unless a volunteer is participating in a NASA study. Data collected for research studies conducted outside of NASA, through use of the NASA PVT+ application, is never sent to NASA without a specific agreement between the outside organization and NASA.