WO2020142858A1

WO2020142858A1 - System for predicting a risk index in conditions of chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia

Info

Publication number: WO2020142858A1
Application number: PCT/CL2020/050004
Authority: WO
Inventors: Karina GÓMEZ GARCÍA; Carlos MADRID GÓMEZ
Original assignee: Sleepmed Spa
Priority date: 2019-01-08
Filing date: 2020-01-08
Publication date: 2020-07-16
Also published as: CL2019000057A1

Abstract

Described as a system and method for predicting a risk index of an individual, which considers the interpersonal differences of operators who are exposed to chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia in their working day. The method uses a predictive model that allows real-time early warning of the operator's physical and mental state, by monitoring physiological parameters and anthropometric variables.

Description

SYSTEM FOR PREDICTING RISK INDEX IN CONDITIONS OF CHRONIC INTERMITTENT HYPOBARIC HYPOXIA

DESCRIPTIVE MEMORY

Scope

There are certain economic activities that have characteristics that make it particularly different from other economic sectors, such as rotating shifts, long working hours, driving on dangerous routes, complexity in acclimatization due to exposure to chronic intermittent hypoxia, lack of spaces for adequate rest among others, which make them highly risky activities. In addition to this, in most cases it is operated with highly precise, highly specialized equipment, and therefore each operator cannot lose concentration on the task they are performing, having to make the appropriate decisions since life depends on their function. of others. These activities include at least mining trucks, air traffic operators, crane or heavy machinery operators, public transport drivers, etc. Statistics show that one of the main causes of fatal or injury-causing traffic accidents is the decrease in the level of wakefulness mainly associated with events of fatigue and drowsiness. This complex interaction of physiological factors, the circadian rhythm, the homeostatic pressure for sleeping, disaclimation due to exposure to the condition of hypoxia Chronic intermittent are factors that must be considered since they affect the level of wakefulness, increasing the accident rate of the operators.

The present invention describes a method and system that makes it possible to measure and record in real time how certain operability conditions affect the internal state of the operator, directly affecting workability. This system and method is also capable of measuring the effect of chronic intermittent hypobaria, at geographic height or by exposure to underground tunnels, among others, on a subject's body directly on the physiological parameters and operational health of workers, with the objective to predict the real risk index to which workers are exposed when undergoing these conditions during the working day.

Technical problem

In a work environment scenario where operating systems depend on human performance, developing technologies to increase the safety, well-being and improvement of workers' working conditions is a major challenge. Accidents, many of them with unfortunate fatalities, often result in temporary suspension of operations and loss of production. The real cost of accidents goes beyond compensation and insurance payments, medical expenses, and investigative costs, and therefore there is a global expectation to reduce injuries, eliminate deaths, and prevent catastrophic incidents, which ultimately will decrease losses and / or increase productivity.

One way to reduce the probability of an accident occurring is to be able to determine the effect of these particular working conditions to which workers are exposed. The risk index that workers face depends on external factors and human factors, the latter being responsible for the greatest number of accidents. For this reason, the determination of the risk index of the present invention refers to the physiological and mental state of an operator, where under these specific working conditions objectively decreases his work ability, exposing him to an event that can trigger an accident.

There are economic sectors where the psychophysiological state of the workers is conditioned by the demanding working conditions, in the case of mining, where the geographical height increases the risk factor significantly for the workers, added to the effects that the working hours per rotating shift and long working hours. The consequences of chronic intermittent hypobaria in people who work by rotating shifts have been little considered in most systems that today use physiological variables to describe a state of fatigue and drowsiness.

Currently, most systems related to worker safety monitor fatigue, causing the highest incidence in car accidents and injuries, but focusing only on the state of drowsiness, without considering other triggers of fatigue, or how they affect certain geographical conditions such as chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia in the health of the operators or in their physiological parameters.

Aiming at this problem, a system and method was developed that through differential data processing allows determining a risk index in operators considering different factors that affect their work aptitude. The parallel processing of the method allows detecting the risk index to which operators are exposed in real time at least considering physiological parameters, which are processed in real time. The method is capable of monitoring the risk index to which operators are exposed, also considering the effect of chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia, considering the effect of this condition on health and acclimatization, on work ability.

The system and method of the present invention is capable of predicting the risk index in conditions of chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia, by recording physiological parameters in real time and anthropometric variables that account for the health status of workers under conditions of height and / or geographic depth, monitoring predictively, preventively and considering inter-personal differences in events of fatigue and drowsiness. The system and method of the present invention is capable of reducing the risk index by real-time detection of events of fatigue and drowsiness, through records of physiological parameters and subsequent management of fatigue management and drowsiness of the worker, through exit actions. In the event that the operators are exposed to chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia, the acclimatization factor at the geographical height and the health factor of each individual is considered, improving the workability of the workers, thus reducing the accident rate.

SUMMARY.

A system and method to predict an individual's risk index is described, which considers the inter-personal differences of the workers including the effect of intermittent chronic hypobaric hypoxia in case the operator is exposed to this geographic condition. The method uses a predictive model that allows alerting the driver's physical and mental state in advance, in real time, by monitoring physiological parameters, indicating states of fatigue and drowsiness considering these particular operability conditions.

By means of a detection device or devices, through a biosensors system, brain electrical activity, oxygen saturation and skin conductivity are measured and recorded in real time to determine the psychophysiological state of the operator during the working day, and therefore their work aptitude. These physiological variables are closely related to the state of the person, accounting for events of fatigue, drowsiness and stress, which affect and impact workers, negatively influencing their work ability as decision-making, erratic behaviors are altered , reaction speed, attention, exposing the worker to risky events and therefore a higher accident rate.

On the other hand, anthropometric variables such as: weight, height and cervical girth, added to age and sex, are taken into account, which gives us an account of the worker's state of health, with respect to occupational diseases that have a higher incidence in conditions of Chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia, which affects both the acclimatization of the operator and his work ability. In this way it is possible to monitor in a personalized way the risk index to which workers are exposed during their working hours in conditions of chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia.

By processing the data obtained from the biosensors, the system enables the risk index to be determined to determine when at least one physiological parameter being recorded exceeds or falls below the pre-established physiological ranges underlying a fitness Optimal work, generating exit actions that allow the physiological parameters to be re-established, up to adequate values, to thus recover the operator's alertness and wakefulness, improving their workability and thus reducing the risk index to which the workers. In the event that the operator is exposed to chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia, the predictive model will incorporate the processing of anthropometric data to obtain the health factor and the geographic height level to consider the acclimatization factor, which allows the generation of the index of risk and the appropriate exit actions for each individual.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1. Block diagram of the system of the present invention.

FIG. 2. Schematic diagram of the modules that make up the system of the present invention.

FIG. 3. Block diagram of the data acquisition and signal adjustment module.

FIG. 4. Flow diagram of the method of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In a work environment scenario where operating systems depend on human performance, developing technologies to increase the safety, well-being and improvement of workers' working conditions is a major challenge. Accidents, many with unfortunate fatal causes, often result in the temporary suspension of operations and loss of production. The actual cost of accidents goes beyond indemnity and insurance payments, medical expenses, and investigation costs, and therefore there is a global expectation to reduce injuries, eliminate deaths, and prevent catastrophic incidents, which will ultimately decrease losses and / or increase productivity. Risk index.

The risk index refers to the physiological and mental state of an operator, where his occupational fitness decreases objectively, exposing him to an event that can trigger an accident. The risk index that workers face depends on human factors and external factors. In the case of accidents involving driving, 70% - 90% depends on the person or psychophysiological state of the driver and 10% - 30% on external factors such as vehicle conditions, physical characteristics of the route, environmental conditions, working days. shift workers among others.

There are economic sectors where the psychophysiological state of the workers is conditioned by the demanding working conditions, this is the case of mining where: the geographical height, specifically the chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia, increases the risk factor significantly for the workers, either because it affects the internal and health status of workers, added to the effects that working hours with a rotating shift system have on the body. Aiming at this problem, the present invention is capable of being a system and method that predicts the risk index in conditions of chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia, by measuring and recording in real time physiological parameters that account for the internal state and anthropometric variables that give an account of the state of health of the operators. The geographical height and its relationship with fatigue and drowsiness.

A large number of work activities associated with the mining sector are carried out over 2,500 meters in height. The increase in commercial and service activities carried out at altitude has determined the displacement of many people, which poses a major challenge in terms of job security.

Various studies involving intermittent changes due to the movement of people from sea level to heights where there are significant changes in pressure, describe the development of clinical symptoms. Acute mountain sickness (MAM) is about the body's lack of adaptation to heights and all the secondary symptoms associated with this.

Those who live at sea level generally begin to feel it at 2,500 meters. As the geographical altitude increases, the atmospheric pressure decreases since there are fewer air molecules exerting pressure, in global terms the mean value of the pressure at sea level is 760 mmHg or 1 atm., It can be said that the pressure decreases approximately at a rate of 100 mmHg for every thousand meters of height ascended. The lower atmospheric pressure implies a lower partial pressure of oxygen (P02), which limits the transport of oxygen to the body tissues, producing the state known as hypoxia, this being the main factor responsible for the negative effects of altitude on human health. The main symptoms correspond to: dizziness, headache, nausea and vomiting, lack of appetite, fatigue, nervousness, sleep disorders, which can be drowsiness or insomnia. There may also be episodes of sudden nocturnal dyspnea (waking up suddenly with a choking sensation) due to the so-called Cheyne-Stokes breathing during sleep, which causes elevation of the heart rate, cognitive dysfunction, fatigue, etc. The effect of geographic height on health will depend on the periods of time to which the worker is exposed, which could be: i) Acute exposure for hours up to 2-3 days; ii) Chronic exposure of permanent residents and high altitude natives; and iii) Intermittent exposure.

When a native sea level worker performs productive work activities at more than 2,500 meters above sea level, the oxygen contribution to the tissues decreases due to a drop in the partial pressure of this gas due to exposure to a lower barometric pressure in altitude and then there is an increase in the partial pressure of this gas after descending to sea level again at rest, which is defined as chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia (HIC). ICH can condition diseases in professionals who work at high altitudes, being a risk factor for incidents / accidents due to the increased fatigue and drowsiness that these diseases generate, due to poor quality of sleep and increased fatigue due to reduced capacity. aerobic, that is, ICH has known effects on human health, which also directly affects job performance, increasing the probability of risk for workers, since it is known that fatigue is one of the main causes of accidents in the labor driving. i) Responses to acute exposure and acclimatization to altitude

The geographical height is a transcendental determining factor in the work aptitude of the workers. Hypobaric hypoxia reaches greater clinical significance at a limit height of 2,500 meters. Acute exposure to altitude implies for humans a very marked physiological stress that requires a series of acute and other chronic responses that allow acclimatization to this very adverse environment. These responses include: • The lower barometric pressure found at altitude leads to a decrease in the partial pressure of oxygen at all levels of the oxygen cascade.

• The drop in the partial pressure of oxygen at the arterial level stimulates the respiratory center, through the carotid chemoreceptors and the aortic arch, producing hyperventilation.

• Hyperventilation tends to correct hypoxemia and also produces a decrease in the arterial C0 ₂ partial pressure, that is, a respiratory alkalosis. This respiratory alkalosis decreases the responsiveness of the respiratory center to hypoxemia and shifts the dissociation curve of hemoglobin to the left, making it difficult to supply oxygen to the tissues. To counteract it, a greater renal excretion of bicarbonate takes place, generating a metabolic compensation and thus, the acid-base balance is restored. But this can create a problem, since the loss of total alkaline reserve decreases the blood's ability to buffer acids (such as lactic acid, for example).

• During sleep, physiological hypoventilation, periodic breaths, drop in Oxygen Saturation (Sat 0 ₂ ), increase in the apnea / central hiponea index or accentuation of obstructive apneas are observed, causing drowsiness, fatigue and deterioration in concentration.

The conditions of low pressure and lack of oxygen affect each individual differently. Although there is an acclimatization process, which aims to mitigate the effect of the drop in oxygen supply at the cellular level and improve the body's ability to tolerate high altitude, in the case of workers exposed to shifts who Periodically alternate between height and sea level, acclimatization is only achieved approximately between 12 to 19 months. ii) Geographical height in workers with rotating shifts The shift shift workday is a working condition of many workers worldwide, as companies maintain continuity in their operations for various periods of the day for various reasons. This condition forces the worker to alternate work schedules, stay awake at night and sleep during the day, which affects the operational performance of the workers. On the other hand, physiological alterations caused by pressure differences as a consequence of geographic height, such as variations in blood oxygenation, is another factor that directly affects the operational health of workers during working hours and therefore performance. and job security. In this sense, transport and mining activities stand out especially, where the system of working hours and the lack of adequate rest spaces produce fatigue, tiredness, drowsiness and lack of attention, which are considered the main causes of accidents.

In relation to the aforementioned, statistics show that one of the main causes of fatal traffic accidents or causing injuries is the decrease in the level of wakefulness. Acute or chronic hypoxia has negative effects on brain function and affects the state of cognitive functions such as attention span, memory, and executive functions. Studies suggest that the acute effects of hypoxia can negatively alter information processing and, in turn, induce difficulties in the decision-making process, which directly affects the work ability of workers.

This complex interaction in conditions of intermittent chronic hypobaric hypoxia of physiological factors, the circadian rhythm, homeostatic pressure to sleep, certain genetic predispositions, as well as incident diseases are determining factors in the psychophysiological state of the operator, and therefore, increase the chances of accidents of workers under these working conditions.

The monitoring system of the present invention considers the effect of chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia, on the physiological parameters and the health of workers, changes on circadian rhythms (physiological and behavioral, among others) as a result of rotating shifts as part of the prediction of the real risk to which workers are exposed during their workday.

Humans present different cyclical variations in different physiological processes. For example, the sleep and wake behavior has a circadian rhythm, that is, it has a time period of 24 hours. This cycle is regulated by different external factors, the most important being sunlight. The light, which enters the retina through the eye, which communicates directly with a region of the brain located in the hypothalamus called the Supra-chiasmatic nucleus. This region of the brain regulates the internal body clock by establishing behavioral rhythms such as the sleep-wake cycle, or the secretion of neuro-hormonal factors such as melatonin secretion, which basically results in being active during the day and sleeping at night. When working at night or on rotating work shifts, the circadian system is unable to quickly adapt to the new schedule and a desynchronization between the rhythm of internal physiological systems and external work demands arises, causing a series of alterations that affect directly to the health and safety of workers. It is evident then that the direct and main effects and of the shift work, is related to the quality of sleep, fatigue and the general feeling of discomfort, resulting in even the appearance of sleep disorders. Sleep disorders are mainly generated by the breakdown of the sleep-wake cycle. Among the common disorders, cases of daytime sleepiness and insomnia. Another problem derived from sleep disorder is the drop in alertness and attention levels, influencing the states of fatigue that is the majority of causes of work accidents and errors in the execution of tasks, increasing the risk and both the probability of having an accident.

The mining industry has characteristics that make it particularly different from other economic sectors, such as rotating shifts, long working hours, driving on dangerous routes, among others, which make it a highly risky activity. In addition, it operates at a great geographical height with highly precise and highly specialized equipment, and therefore each operator cannot lose concentration on the task they are performing, having to make the appropriate decisions since the life of others depends on their function. However, the length of the working day reduces the concentration capacity of workers, its effects are mainly detected during the final period of the working day and during night shifts; Most operators manifest during these phases suffering from mental saturation, which favors erratic behaviors during the operation, making accidents more feasible. On the other hand, the physiological alterations caused by the pressure differences, consequence of the geographical height, is another factor that directly affects the operational health of the workers and therefore the performance and job security. iii) Consequences of geographic altitude on the health of workers that affect work ability.

The human body reacts with resistance to the phenomenon of height, which has different effects. Those related to fatigue, deterioration of attention, drowsiness, and stress and anxiety, acquire greater relevance at work, since the psychophysiological state of the driver is the cause of the 70% -90% of automobile accidents at work. So low atmospheric pressure and tissue hypoxia exert detrimental effects on human physiology. At great geographical heights sleep disorders and other incident diseases are observed, such as metabolic syndrome, obstructive apnea, central apnea among others that increase the events of fatigue and drowsiness, which further conditions the work aptitude of workers, which is why All these conditions must be taken into account when determining the real risk index to which workers are subjected in conditions of chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia.

Sleep disorders

The first nights of exposure to the geographical altitude appear with greater intensity. Poor sleep quality, particularly before acclimatization is complete, is a factor affecting professional performance. Due to the repeated occasions when the subject wakes up, the quality of sleep is poor, so that, although the total sleep time has been normal, the person gets up with the feeling of having spent a restless night or not. to have slept. Sleep quality is closely related to the O2 Saturation level (SatC> 2) during sleep, which is always lower than when awake. At each altitude the brain must build the sleep architecture, but with less oxygen. To this lower SatC> 2 are added the Periodic Breaths, RP, which is a biological characteristic of sleeping in hypobaric hypoxia. In general it is described that the natives of height have a dream architecture comparable to that of sea level, but with RP.

Periodic breaths at height

When blood O2 falls, the respiratory center is stimulated for hyperventilation, this mechanism increases O2, but in turn produces a marked loss of CO2 (acid) causing a hypocapnic alkalosis and pH increase. Against this the brain responds with a central apnea to retain C0 ₂ and lower the pH. During this apnea the pH normalizes, but with a drop of 0 ₂ . This new hypoxia again stimulates compensatory hyperventilation, and in turn this a subsequent compensatory apnea, generating Cheyne-Stock type respiration cycles. When reactive hyperventilation is very energetic, the subject wakes up, fragmenting the dream.

Effects of hypobaric hypoxia on sleep quality.

The main effects of hypobaric hypoxia on sleep quality due to inadequate acclimatization correspond to:

- Index of apneas / central hypopneas increased, by RP according to altitude

- Decrease in total hours, insomnia, or awakenings

- Sleep fragmentation due to awakenings

- Aggravation of Obstructive Apneas

- Desaturation 0 ₂ accentuated during sleep

It is clear to note that sleep has significant effects on physiological and psychological function. Poor sleep quality characterized by sleep fragmentation and insufficient sleep are associated with an increase in neuro-cognitive disorders, daytime sleepiness, insomnia, fatigue, impaired attention, and other chronic diseases, leading to an increased risk of accidents and low work performance.

Obstructive apnea syndrome

The digestive processes in geographic height become slower, therefore, they cause greater absorption of fats, favoring the appearance of the metabolic syndrome with diagnoses of fatty liver, alteration of the lipid profile and insulin resistance, which are the main generators of obesity and, on the other hand, sleep disorders, also increase the risk of obesity, since they affect the endocrine regulation of hunger. Obesity originated in these conditions, causes and favors alterations such as sleep apneas, both central, obstructive and mixed, which is risky due to the symptoms that these pathologies entail; drowsiness, physical fatigue and mental fatigue directly affect the work aptitude of workers. At geographic height there is a high incidence of these apneic symptoms associated with obesity.

Patients with sleep apnea syndrome are often overweight and often have a higher incidence of high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, and cerebrovascular disease. This is why in intermittent hypoxic conditions this disease occurs with greater incidence. Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSA) is a common disease in the adult population. It is characterized by recurrent episodes of partial or total collapse of the upper airway during sleep, as a consequence of which there is an increase in chest-abdominal effort and a fall in arterial oxygen saturation, which leads to a micro-awakening reaction that resumes the breathing. This awakening reaction causes fragmentation and alteration of the sleep architecture, with deterioration in the quality of sleep, bringing with it excessive daytime sleepiness and increased fatigue events. Excessive daytime sleepiness is the cardinal symptom of OSAHS and is understood by difficulty staying awake during the day. It is a "passive" drowsiness, since it occurs in monotonous situations. As the only symptom, it presents low sensitivity and specificity, close to 60%, but its proper care is essential. Snoring, with similar sensitivity and specificity, is also helpful, especially if it is frequent, intense and irregular, added to the symptom with higher diagnostic value such as witnessed apneas, is an indicator that improves diagnosis, through the STOP-BANG survey. From the physical examination, the finding that best predicts the presence of OSAS is the cervical circumference (CC) more than 43 cm in men or shirt size 17 and 40 in women, so far one of the most predictive anthropometric data of this disease. This pathology is clearly under-diagnosed, both in the working population and in the non-working population, and constitutes an important risk factor in professional drivers and in any worker when traveling to their workplace or when traveling on a mission to work. . Therefore, there is a need for early recognition, as there is a significant 50% incidence between car accidents and obstructive apnea syndrome without treatment. Studies show that patients with obstructive sleep apnea and hypopnea syndrome have a 2 to 7 times greater risk of traffic accidents than control subjects due to a deterioration of alertness, mainly to events associated with fatigue and drowsiness. In addition to this, lack of oxygenation causes depression of neuropsychological functions, with decreased memory, attention, and visual motor coordination. This last factor contributes to a higher frequency of automobile and occupational accidents, which is why it is also considered as a very important risk factor to be considered under conditions of chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia for workers of geographic height.

Central sleep apnea

Central sleep apnea can occur as a result of other disorders such as heart failure, stroke, and also due to exposure at geographic height. It is evident to point out that more than one factor could appear in the workers. Central sleep apnea occurs as a consequence of the absence of adequate neural activity that controls the muscles involved in breathing. This disorder is usually due to an instability in the body's feedback mechanisms that control breathing. It is characterized by a lack of impulse to breathe during sleep (10-30 seconds intermittently or per respiratory cycle) and is generally associated with a reduction in blood oxygen saturation. This disorder is different from obstructive sleep apnea, in which it is not possible to breathe normally due to an obstruction in the upper airway. Recurring awakenings associated with sleep apnea make normal, restful sleep difficult. Often, people with central sleep apnea experience extreme fatigue, drowsiness during the day, which directly affects the risk index and work fitness of the worker, since these people can fall asleep more easily while driving and are This is why the information obtained from blood saturation is so relevant to determine events of fatigue and drowsiness in conditions of chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia.

The physiological responses that are generated in conditions of geographic altitude, vary according to a series of objective characteristics such as: the altitude reached, the environmental humidity, the temperature and the rate of ascent, among others. But they also influence individual characteristics. Height tolerance is highly dependent on each person and it is often difficult to predict how height affects each individual if the system does not consider inter-personal differences that influence geographic height. For this reason, measuring and analyzing physiological parameters in accordance with anthropometric data, which give us an account of the individual's state of health, is essential for determining and monitoring the real risk index.

The system of the present invention is capable of collecting information from the subject under observation and through a method associated with a personalized algorithm, which considers the interpersonal differences of workers at height, considering the state of health and the response Physiological in conditions of chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia, allowing to determine the real risk index that each worker suffers under certain conditions. SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING THE RISK INDEX IN REAL TIME.

Figure 1 shows a general diagram of the different elements or parts that make up the system for determining the risk index in real time.

SYSTEM MODULES

Figure 2 describes the structure of the different modules that make up the system to predict in real time the physiological and mental state of a subject under conditions of chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia of the present invention, which consists of: i) Module of acquisition of data

ii) Control module

iii) Data Transmission Module

iv) Data display module

vi) Module for the generation of shares

v) Platform module and smart reporting i) Data acquisition module

Anthropometric data.

To generate an adequate database that allows the risk index monitoring system to be able to recognize inter-individual differences, personal data such as age and sex are considered, which will be recorded in conjunction with anthropometric data that more accurately predict physiological changes that have a greater incidence in conditions of geographical height, such as: weight, height and cervical girth, which account for the presence of metabolic syndrome and sleep apneas.

The current predictive model can determine the risk index in a personalized way in the following way. The software remotely updates data on the age, sex of the worker and anthropometric data, including weight, height and cervical girth, these data must be updated from time to time in conjunction with specific medical examinations to diagnose incident diseases in geographical height with the support of the STOP-BANG survey. The algorithm developed yields the health factor, which is part of the risk index of workers in conditions of chronic intermittent hypobaria, since it conditions both acclimatization and the psychophysiological state of workers exposed to geographic altitude. Taken together, these data allow the detection or prediction of diseases that hinder the acclimatization process at a geographic height, which directly affects the physiological and mental state of an operator and, therefore, his work ability, exposing him to an event that may trigger an accident.

The system allows predicting the risk factor to which workers are exposed through a method that includes a predictive model of risk that through the recording of physiological and anthropometric variables directly represents the state of neuro-cognitive, respiratory, metabolic and behavioral and as the deterioration of these are increasing the probability of exposing themselves to a situation of risk to the worker. Physiological parameters: Our body generates different types of signals according to specific functions or states in which the body is found. A detection device based on a biosensors system allows registering physiological variables of the central nervous system, the somatic and autonomic peripheral nervous system. These physiological variables account in real time for the internal state of the operator, parameters that are altered when there is a decrease in the level of wakefulness.

The biosensors system obtains information on brain electrical activity, oxygen saturation in the blood and galvanic conductance of the operator's skin. These physiological variables are closely related to the state of the person in conditions of geographical height and / or rotating shifts, accounting to the system about the state of stress, drowsiness, fatigue or emotional reactions as well as incident diseases that influence decision-making , erratic behaviors, reaction speed, attention and therefore allow to have an important database for the determination of the risk index in real time of him or the operators.

The variables considered by the predictive model of risk factor correspond to: A) neurophysiological variable: electroencephalogram; B) respiratory variable, oxygen saturation; C) Metabolic variable, anthropometric data such as weight, height and cervical circumference; D) behavioral variable, galvanic conductivity of the skin. Neurophysiological variable: Electro-Encephalogram (EEG).

Fatigue is shown as an indicator of an implicit problem: the loss of an individual's basic resources such as reacting in a timely and appropriate manner to the unforeseen, significantly increasing the worker's accident rate. On the other hand, hypoxia produces cerebral vasodilation, while the reduced partial pressure of C0 ₂ in the arteries causes vasoconstriction. The two factors are in conflict as a consequence of geographic altitude and alter neuropsychological functions necessary for complex cognitive tasks such as occurs in mining, that is, the continuous physical and mental wear and tear of these operations plus rotating working hours (circadian cycle alteration ), deteriorate the psychophysiological state of the driver, observing the symptoms: fatigue, drowsiness, impaired attention, stress, anxiety, among others.

Of these symptoms the one that is linked to the highest accident rate during driving is fatigue. This is defined as a change in the physiological and psychological states that a person experiences during the performance of a high-demand cognitive activity for an extended period of time. This change is reflected as a decrease in performance in the execution of said activity, generating a feeling of exhaustion, tiredness or lack of energy and motivation, which appears as a regulatory, alarm mechanism that indicates the organism the loss of resources below a threshold and the need to recover them through rest.

Using EEG waves, an answer can be given to the early detection of this state, even before the person presents a visible symptom of fatigue, which reduces the probability of an accident. The EEG has the potential to be an accurate and highly specific tool to detect the early stages of fatigue in operators (eg drivers) and minimize the likelihood of accidents. Respiratory variable: oxygen saturation

As the geographical altitude is increased, the barometric pressure decreases, also decreasing the concentration of oxygen available to the tissues, which is known as hypoxia. The latter is the cause of a series of physiological changes that occur in the body, which allow maintaining adequate oxygen levels for proper cognitive and motor functions.

Hypobaric hypoxia occurs as a consequence of the low partial pressure of oxygen (PO2) in the inspired air, which results from the low barometric pressure found at high altitudes. A lower arterial PO2 in turn initiates a physiological response that attempts to maintain tissue oxygenation. A parameter used to determine the respiratory response and the transport of oxygen in the blood to the tissues is the percentage of hemoglobin saturation (% of SaC> 2), which is estimated through pulse oximetry. At sea level, the values fluctuate between 95 and 97%. Values below 90% SaC> 2 are associated with pathological situations such as respiratory failure. One effect produced by exposure to hypobaric hypoxia is the well-known acute mountain sickness (AMS), the symptoms of which include headaches, vomiting, fatigue, loss of appetite, and sleep disturbances.

The acute response to hypoxia depends mainly on 4 factors: the altitude reached, that is, the degree of hypobaric hypoxia, the rate of ascent, the individual susceptibility, and the physical and environmental requirements on the ascent and arrival.

Personal susceptibilities to hypoxia have to do with the presence of oxygen sensors and effective physiological adaptations. Depending on the susceptibility to hypoxia, exposed individuals can be classified as good responders, who tolerate and acclimatize without symptoms; a group with a low response and temporary minor symptoms that can limit performance; and poor responders, showing low sensitivity to hypoxia and ineffective compensatory physiological responses. Measuring this parameter using pulse oximetry, alerts about the effect of geographic height on the body of the workers, which provides information on the internal state of the worker and therefore is in optimal conditions to carry out their job functions. Acute or chronic hypoxia has negative effects on brain function and affects the state of cognitive functions such as attention span, memory, and executive functions. The acute effects of hypoxia can negatively alter the processing of information, and in turn, induce difficulties in the decision-making process, which negatively affects the work ability of workers.

Behavioral variable: galvanic skin conductance

Measurements of resistance and electrical conductivity characterize the functional state of the skin and allow us to estimate the activity of the autonomic, sympathetic, and parasympathetic nervous system, due to the fact that in the granular layer of the epidermis the regulatory processes of the nerve terminals that reflect the human emotional state. The value of this impedance depends on sweating, fat secretion, and the concentration of mineral salts, gases, and extracellular fluids. Sweating of the human body is regulated by the Autonomous Nervous System (ANS). The sweat glands are excited or inhibited by the sympathetic nervous system. In particular, if the sympathetic activity (SNS) of the ANS increases, the activity of the sweat gland also increases, which in turn increases the skin conductance, and vice versa. The states of anxiety and stress, which originate from the long working hours and the demanding working conditions at height, modify and disturb the performance of different cognitive tasks directed towards a goal. The number of cognitive functions that can be affected by stress is important: attention, learning, memory, decision making, and reasoning. The intensity of stress and individual differences determine to what degree stress will influence the response of each function.

The change of emotions, for example, states of stress or anxiety, generate changes in nervous excitation, increasing the moisturizing activity of the glands, increasing the electroconductive properties of the skin and decreasing ohmic resistance, an effect known as psychogalvanic reflex (SGR). . As the stress level increases, sweating increases, resulting in a decrease in the electrical resistance of the skin; otherwise, if the user enters a state of relaxation, sweating will decrease and skin resistance will increase. Through this physiological response we will be able to determine the effect of stress or anxiety on the work aptitude of the workers. Metabolic variables: anthropometric data

Obesity and overweight are common in high-altitude mining industry workers exposed to chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia. Obesity and overweight are associated with higher rates of high blood pressure, and cholesterol and glucose levels, having a significant implication in the syndrome of obstructive, central and mixed apneas.

These disorders have a higher accident rate on the part of workers, due to the symptoms that these pathologies entail; drowsiness, physical fatigue and mental fatigue directly affect the work ability of workers. There is evidence that the anthropometric value of cervical circumference is an accurate predictor of obesity and obstructive apneas, since the accumulation of adipose tissue in the upper body has been associated with the grouping of metabolic disorders and increased cardiovascular risk.

It is for this reason that constant medical evaluation and monitoring of cervical circumference, height and weight, together with the STOP-BANG survey from time to time, are essential for those who work and live at high altitudes, not just to detect the risk index to which workers are exposed for suffering from these disorders, but also to provide the correct nutrition, adequate treatment to achieve changes in risk factors and prevent related disorders. Cervical circumference is an innovative and innovative anthropometric measurement that saves time and is non-invasive for use in the field. ii) Control Module

The system of the present invention allows the capture and processing of physiological variables and anthropometric data, in a differential way, allowing the risk index to be determined in real time. The system consists of an analog subsystem, which performs a first adaptation of the signal, obtained by its biosensors system or devices, for its subsequent acquisition by means of an analog-digital converter, and a digital subsystem in charge of filtering and processing the signals obtained by the analog stage (see Fig. 3). The digital subsystem is in charge of acquiring the signals from the analog-to-digital converter for correct processing on a microprocessor card, the processing of physiological parameters by the subsystem is capable of generating the risk index by itself when the operator is not find yourself exposed to conditions of chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia. On the other hand, the processing of anthropometric data is carried out using an algorithm that generates a health factor, which indicates the health status of the operator. The system allows the transmission of both health factor and acclimatization through a communication network, which can be at least mobile internet, Wifi, Bluetooth, infrared, ultrasound, radio frequency, Satellite Antenna, Ethernet and serial communication, when the operator is exposed to conditions of chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia. The predictive model can generate risk index and exit actions considering at least one of the three factors considered by the current method, for each worker under different working conditions. iii) Data transmission module

The system control module has a communication network. Data communication can be done through a private network (Intranet) or via the Internet, through at least one mobile internet system, Wifi, Bluetooth, infrared, ultrasound, radio frequency, Satellite, Ethernet and through serial or parallel communication, for the transmission of the health factor obtained from the processing of the anthropometric data of the operator entered into the platform, and the transmission of acclimatization factor according to the level of geographical height that the workers operate in case they are under conditions of chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia to that all the factors previously described in the processing unit are processed by the predictive model that will give both the risk index and the customized exit actions for each operator. iv) Display panel module

The system includes an interface that allows to visualize the risk index as a result of the processing of the measured and recorded data. The risk index is displayed on the display panel locally for the driver or worker and is transmitted via the internet signal to a centralized platform.

Alerts in the cab tell the driver what actions to take, considering the operator's health factor and acclimatization factor under conditions of chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia. Centralized platform alerts allow generating a comprehensive report with all the information associated with different events while driving. The data transmission allows exchanging information related to the risk index by radio communication to any external device such as: Smartphone, tablets. Notebook, etc. The display panel has a memory that stores the data in case of not having an adequate internet signal for the transmission of data to the database of the server. v) Action generation module.

The system includes actuators that can be activated locally or remotely to execute some action on the worker in order to improve the risk index. These actions consider, for example, providing O2 to the cabin where the worker is located, generating changes in luminosity, emitting sounds, among others.

vi) Platform module and smart reports

All the data related to the risk index are registered in the system database. These data allow the generation of intelligent reports with all the information associated with the event while driving, identifying on the basis to this the focus of risk for the worker in a personalized way, leading to a general or specific action plan, depending on the risk, for each operator. METHOD FOR PREDICTING RISK INDEX IN REAL TIME

The method of the present invention, represented in the flow diagram of Figure 4, allows predicting the predictive index of risk in real time, considering at least the psychophysiological factor during the activity being carried out, in the event that the operators are in Chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia conditions, the method considers the individual effect of geographic height on work ability, by recording physiological parameters and anthropometric variables in real time, using the predictive model processing the 3 factors: Health factor, Acclimatization factor and Psychophysiological Factor.

The method of the present invention comprises the analytical processing of the data in a differential way in real time, by means of an adaptive development, which manages to evaluate in a personalized way the worker's work ability in these specific working conditions, based on physiological information on driving of each operator.

The method allows predicting a change in the predicted risk index, which exceeds the predetermined reference based on the activity of the central nervous system, autonomic nervous system, and / or anthropometric data of the operator, emitting an alert signal that is displayed in a display panel, providing both the user and the person in charge of supervising operations, information about the operator's risk index and, on the other hand, the method allows correcting and preventing a change in the risk index predicted by the actions that orders to achieve re- establish adequate physiological levels to decrease the risk index in workers.

This system and method through differential data processing allows determining a risk index in operators considering different factors that affect their work ability. The parallel processing of the method allows detecting the risk index to which operators are exposed in real time, at least considering physiological parameters, which are processed in real time. The method is capable of monitoring the risk index to which operators are exposed, also considering the effect of chronic intermittent hypoxia if necessary, considering the effect of this condition on health and acclimatization, on work ability and either to generate a risk index and the appropriate exit actions according to these operability conditions.

The method of the present invention has been implemented in a microprocessor of the control module to carry out the following steps in real time:

1) Acquisition of signals from sensors.

2) Filtering the signals.

3) Adjustment of signals.

4) Acquisition of anthropometric data

5) Processing of the physiological parameters, recorded in real time, together with anthropometric data to detect early the risk index of workers in chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia.

The present method in conditions of chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia starts with a health assessment, this is aimed at early detection of diseases that affect the acclimatization of the organism and therefore the psycho-physiological state of the operator, that is, pathologies that further alter the physiological parameters that will condition the behavior of the individual in geographic height, affecting work ability, which means a higher risk index for the worker. i) Health factor

The predictive model determines the risk index in a personalized way as follows. The system allows to remotely update data on the age, sex of the worker and anthropometric data, including weight, height and cervical girth. These data together by means of an algorithm allow predicting and / or detecting diseases that hinder the acclimatization process at geographic height, which further deteriorates the psychophysiological state of workers, that is, directly affects the physiological and mental state of an operator and therefore his work aptitude, exposing him to an event that can trigger an accident.

The health assessment shows the health factor, which is part of the risk index of workers in conditions of intermittent chronic hypobaria, since it conditions both acclimatization and the psychophysiological state of workers exposed to geographic altitude.

The health evaluation seeks to detect easily, predictively and quickly, according to the values of the cervical circumference, weight and height, the presence of diseases such as obstructive sleep apnea and obesity, it is relevant to detect these pathologies since they affect Acclimatization and the work aptitude of the workers significantly, due to the symptoms that these entail; drowsiness, physical fatigue and mental fatigue, by means of this health factor, the risk to which operators are exposed in conditions of high altitude suffering from these pathologies is predicted in the first instance. These health evaluations are carried out every certain period of time in conjunction with specific diagnostic tests for these incident diseases and the STOP-BANG survey, since in conditions of intermittent chronic hypobaria there is an increased risk of Obesity and obstructive Apnea, which it allows the system to specify the risk index and the exit actions. Failure to detect these diseases in time is risky, since they negatively affect the operator's psychophysiological state and acclimatization, further conditioning occupational fitness. In this way, the history of each operator is kept updated and the system can give the real risk index to which workers are exposed in these working conditions.

One of the main comparative advantages of the method of the present invention is that it considers key diseases that predispose the psychophysiological state of the worker in conditions of geographical height, to predict the risk index in the workday in a personalized way. ii) Acclimatization factor

Acclimatization corresponds to the set of adaptive physiological processes that start when the organism is exposed to a decrease in atmospheric pressure, the main action of which is to decrease the availability of inspired oxygen. These are intended to mitigate the effect of the drop in supply of oxygen at the cellular level and improve the body's ability to tolerate high altitude.

During this process, two categories of physiological responses are recognized, the acute phase and the chronic phase. During the acute phase, a set of initial respiratory, cardiovascular, renal, and hormonal responses to hypoxic stress are observed, due to less availability of O2 molecules in a hypobaric environment. This reaction is quickly expressed by perceived symptoms and signs, which over the course of hours, unless good oxygenation occurs, can give rise to the symptoms of Acute Mountain Sickness. This phase lasts from 48 to 72 and the chronic phase corresponds to physiological processes to attenuate and compensate hypobaric hypoxia, producing slightly slower internal changes, which help to achieve the acclimatization of the worker, allowing him to perform in his work day free of symptoms . On the other hand, the height level reached is decisive in the period of time that the body takes to achieve full acclimatization. But in the case of workers exposed to intermittent chronic hypobaria, these changes are reversed once they descend to sea level for more than 48-72 hours. This shift system that periodically alternates workers between height and sea level, allows absolute acclimatization at approximately 18 months of exposure to these conditions.

Taking into account the aforementioned, the predictive model indicates the risk index considering the acclimatization of the workers, according to the level of geographic height at which the operator works, information that is updated remotely in the system. It is through a comparison of the physiological parameters expected at the different levels of geographic altitude considered by the system, with the physiological parameters monitored by the detection device, specifically the values recorded for blood saturation, during the acclimatization phases.

By updating the information on the geographical height level, the system recognizes the acclimatization time in the different ranges of height reached differently, the range between 2,000-3,000 meters above sea level takes 5 days , the range between 3,000-4,000 above sea level it takes 10 days and the range between 4,000-5,000 meters above sea level takes 15 days.

In this way, the method establishes the acclimatization factor in a differentiated way according to the level of height reached and the time that the individual is exposed to this condition, considering the differences in the physiological parameters during the acute phase and the chronic phase, that is, the values of the physiological parameters that indicate that an individual is in his optimal conditions to carry out his work functions, he will be differentiated for both the acute phase and the chronic phase during the acclimatization time established by the system. In this way, the system is able to recognize, by saturating oxygen in the blood, if the organism is presenting acclimatization problems and to predict the risk index to which the worker is exposed during the workday.

In the event that the worker suffers from obesity or obstructive sleep apneas, diseases detected through the health assessment, the predictive model determines a risk index that considers the effect of these pathologies on the acclimatization process, warning early on the risk to which it is exposed. this worker. At geographic height, it has been seen that obesity and obstructive sleep apnea can condition an increased risk of acute mountain sickness and worsen acclimatization, which directly affects the risk index of workers. The method allows real-time monitoring of the psychophysiological state, considering the acclimatization process and the diseases that affect this process, by registering and analyzing physiological and anthropometric variables, detecting early states of fatigue, drowsiness, deterioration of attention and stress, indicating to the worker the risk index to which you are exposed during your working day and the exit actions for the proper management of the risk index. iii) Factor of the psychophysiological state; recording of physiological parameters in real time.

The human body generates different types of signals according to specific functions or states in which the organism is found.

Following this same line, the system comprises at least one detection device based on biosensors that is capable of registering the physiological variables that undergo the greatest alteration, accounting for the operator's physiological and mental state, under conditions of at least exposure to geographic height, long working hours and rotating shift system. Through a predictive model, the system is able to predict the risk index to which the worker is subjected, according to the deterioration of the physiological functions recorded by the detection device under these working conditions in real time and, on the other hand, the method it allows correcting and preventing a change in the forecasted risk index through the actions it orders to re-establish the appropriate physiological levels to decrease the risk index in the workers.

This detection device consists of a system of biosensors that obtain information on brain electrical activity, oxygen saturation and galvanic conductance from the operator's skin. These physiological variables are closely related to the psychophysiological state of the worker, detecting through them early the presence of stress, drowsiness, fatigue and deterioration of attention, which significantly influences the risk index of the workers. A) Oxygen saturation

As the geographical altitude is increased, the barometric pressure decreases, also decreasing the concentration of oxygen available to the tissues, which is known as hypoxia. The latter is the cause of a series of physiological changes that occur in the body, which allow oxygen levels to be maintained properly for cognitive and motor functions.

The effort that the organism makes to reach the oxygen levels that allow optimal performance and develop work functions without problems, depends mainly on acclimatization, the altitude level reached and the susceptibility of each individual to submit to these conditions. Using a pulse oximeter, the percentage of hemoglobin saturation (% SatC> 2) is determined. The pulse oximeter measures the absorption of light of specific wavelengths that will depend on the ratio of oxygenated hemoglobin or oxyhemoglobin to deoxygenated hemoglobin. In this way, the detection device will be recording the respiratory response and oxygen transport in the blood in real time, providing information about the operator's state of health, regarding respiratory disorders, independent of the acclimatization process, which will also It is considered by the risk index and the respective exit actions.

The predictive model of the invention is based on different ranges of geographic height,

and the respective blood oxygen saturation expected at these height levels, information that is updated according to the geographic height levels that the worker operates. This is taken into account to determine the risk index either in the acute phase or in the chronic phase, indicating by monitoring oxygen saturation in the blood, if the worker is already acclimatized and therefore if he is in optimal conditions to carry out his job functions, or in Otherwise, the acclimatization factor will corroborate if the value of the oxygen saturation in the blood is out of the normal, indicating that the individual is acclimatized to the worker, therefore the risk index is higher. The ranges that the predictive model manages correspond to the following:

workers exposed to less than 2,400 meters above sea level, SatC> 2 will be greater than 96%;

workers exposed to altitudes between 2,500 and 3,900 meters above sea level, SatC> 2 is between 91-95%; and

workers exposed to heights greater than 3900 meters above sea level, SatC> 2 are in the range of 90% -85%.

As previously noted, one of the main comparative advantages of the system is that it is the only one that considers key diseases that predispose the worker's psychophysiological state in conditions of geographic altitude, diseases that have a higher incidence, such as obstructive and central sleep apnea, since these pathologies can reach under 90% of oxygen saturation in the blood at sea level, making acclimatization more complex and therefore negatively predisposing the psychophysiological state of the worker, since the symptoms associated with this range of blood saturation, They promote states of fatigue, drowsiness, physical and mental saturation, sleep disorders, among others, exposing the individual to a higher accident rate.

The predictive model, through the analysis of the health factor, determines the individual's risk index since it predicts how complex the acclimatization will be and therefore the greatest deterioration of the psychophysiological state during the working day of an individual exposed to conditions of geographical height. Based on this information, the method is capable of monitoring acclimatization, considering height level, the different susceptibilities to hypoxia, during the acute phase and the chronic phase, and diseases that affect adequate acclimatization.

B) Brain activity

The human brain produces electrical impulses, called action potentials, that travel through our neurons. These electrical impulses produce rhythms that are known as brain waves. Electrical impulses are information that travels from neuron to neuron using hundreds of thousands of them to transport and perform a certain function. Brain wave activity can be recorded through an electroencephalogram or EEG. It is known that different brain wave patterns are bijectively related to different states of consciousness, such as intense concentration, alertness, drowsiness, fatigue, among others. The main brain waves that are related to these states are beta, alpha, theta, and delta waves. Beta waves. They occur when the brain is awake and involved in mental activities. They are broad waves and the ones with the highest transmission speed of the four. Their frequency ranges from 13-30 Hertz denoting intense mental activity. Alpha waves. Alpha represents a state of poor brain activity and relaxation. These waves are slower and wider than the betas. Its frequency ranges between 8 and 12 Hertz.

Theta waves. They are waves of greater amplitude and lower frequency between 4 and 8 Hertz. Studies show that Teta activity generally increases during homework time and mental fatigue. This increase is often accompanied by a lower cognitive and motor capacity, with a decrease in speed in reaction times and a deterioration in attention. It is a state in which the tasks carried out have been automated, you no longer need to have attentive and conscious control of their execution.

Delta waves. They are the waves with the greatest amplitude and lowest frequency 1-4 Hertz. They are normally associated with stages of deep sleep. In brain activity, these waves occur in stages three and four, in cases of brain damage and coma. Delta waves occur in deep dreamless sleep and are not present in the other stages of sleep (1, 2, and rapid eye movement). When we go to sleep, the brain waves go successively from beta to alpha, theta and finally, delta. During sleep cycles that last about 90 minutes occur.

It is through the recording of these brain waves that brain patterns are recognized that early predict states of fatigue, drowsiness and deterioration of attention, which tells the system about the psychophysiological state of the worker and work aptitude to face the activities of high complexity. The system is capable of detecting the deterioration of the psychophysiological state in real time, by recording brain activity through an electrode system. The algorithm recognizes brain patterns, through which it early determines the presence of fatigue, drowsiness and / or attention impairment during work activity. According to the presence of these states, the predictive model indicates the risk index, considering the actual deterioration of the driver's psychophysiological state and, therefore, the exposure that is found to be part of a risk situation. C) Galvanic skin conductance

Stress can be defined as a real or supposed threat to an individual's physiological or psychological integrity that results in a physiological and / or behavioral response. Physical and mental stress elicits physiological responses that are mediated by the autonomic nervous system. The physiological adjustments that the body makes in response to the stressful event are reflected in the modulation of the signals associated with stress by the sympathetic system. This physiological mechanism enables the body to respond to an emergency, whether fighting or fleeing it, prepares it to face a stressful situation with focus, strength and alertness.

There are three types of stress.

1) Acute: stress caused by an acute short-term stress factor, depending on the level, may have to do with an improvement in the task, since they are associated with greater motivation and commitment.

2) Episodic acute: acute stress that occurs more frequently and / or periodically

3) Chronic: stress caused by stress factors sustained over time, is harmful in the long term.

The state of chronic stress, which originates from the long working hours and the demanding working conditions, that modify and disturb the performance of different cognitive tasks aimed at a goal. The number of cognitive functions that can be affected by stress is important: attention, learning, memory, decision making, and reasoning. The intensity of stress and individual differences determine to what degree stress will influence the response of each function. The symptoms that are observed in chronic stress states are associated with fatigue, drowsiness, sleep disorders among others. The detection system has an ohmmeter that is capable of obtaining measurements of the electrical resistance of the skin, which allow us to estimate the activity of the autonomic nervous system, specifically the sympathetic nervous system. This system recognizes stress states in real time, through the galvanic response of the skin. These signals are processed by the detection device, the algorithm through these signals determines the presence of stress or anxiety during work activity, by detecting an increase in the galvanic response of the skin. Depending on the presence of acute or chronic stress, the predictive model indicates differentiated risk index, considering the negative effect that acute stress has on acclimatization and chronic stress on the performance of different cognitive tasks aimed at a goal, regardless of the conditions. geographic, increasing the risk that the operator ineffectively executes its functions or that affects the correct decision-making, resulting in greater exposure to risk for him and that of the other operators during the working day. iv) Predictive risk index model

The analytical processing of the data in a differential way in real time, allows to assess in a personalized way the work aptitude based on physiological information in the driving of each operator. In conditions of chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia, the anthropometric data entered into the system remotely are considered, as well as the geographical height level at which the worker operates. The system and method allow predicting a predictive risk index in real time, considering at least the psychophysiological factor during the activity being carried out. If the operators are in chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia conditions, the method considers the individual effect of geographic height on work ability, by recording physiological parameters and anthropometric variables in real time, using the model predictive processing the 3 factors: Health factor, Acclimatization factor and Psychophysiological Factor.

The method and system is also capable of generating the risk index considering at least one of the three factors that predict the risk index: the health factor, the acclimatization factor and the psychophysiological state factor. These inputs are processed by the predictive model to obtain 3 levels of risk index: mild, moderate and severe. On the other hand, through the processing of these data, the system is capable of throwing out actions, in accordance with the health factor and / or acclimatization factor in real time, against the detection of the risk index, with the aim of improve the work ability of workers during the working day in conditions of chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia. In this way, it is possible to alert the risk index early and in a differentiated way, according to the health status of the worker and the monitoring of physiological variables, this being critical in situations where the operator presents respiratory alterations, since it allows by means of the index of risk generating the appropriate alert and exit action for this type of event.

EXIT ACTIONS OF THE SYSTEM AGAINST MONITORING OF RISK INDEX IN REAL TIME

When a native sea level worker performs productive work activities at more than 2,000 meters. high or in underground facilities such as mines, tunnels, among others, there is a decrease in the contribution of oxygen to the tissues due to a drop in the partial pressure of this gas due to exposure to a lower barometric pressure and then an increase in the partial pressure of this gas after reaching sea level again at rest, this is defined as chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia. Due Due to the large participation of native sea level workers who ascend to their jobs located at a greater geographical height or work in underground mines, chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia (HIC) becomes a relevant antecedent to consider when we observe the effects it has on the work aptitude of the workers.

ICH has long-term effects which favor the presence of incident diseases in these conditions, as well as short-term effects such as the consequences it has on fatigue and drowsiness of workers, which are a risk factor for incidents / accidents due to drowsiness and fatigue, due to poor quality of sleep and reduced aerobic capacity during working hours, a condition which is known to be one of the main causes of accidents at work driving. In other words, ICH has known effects on human health that directly affect job performance, increasing the probability of risk for workers because the symptoms of these diseases are associated with insomnia, fatigue and drowsiness.

It is also important to note that the conditions of low pressure and lack of oxygen affect each individual differently. Although there is the acclimatization process, which partially reduces the consequences of the drop in oxygen supply at the cellular level, improving the body's ability to tolerate high altitude, in the case of workers exposed to shifts that periodically alternate between height and sea level, acclimatization is only recently achieved between 12 to 19 months. The current system, by detecting and managing fatigue and drowsiness, reduces the risk index, improving the work ability of workers in conditions of chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia, thus reducing the accident rate. In addition to the previously described, the risk index depends on the psychophysiological state of the driver. Since the psychophysiological state is related to physiological parameters that determine the behavior of the individual. The risk index refers to the physiological and mental state of an operator, where his occupational fitness decreases, exposing him to an event that can trigger an accident. This is why, by recording the physiological variables in real time, we monitor the psychophysiological state of the driver, as well as the work aptitude, considering the effect that the acclimatization process and the health of the operators have on this state during their working day. labor. These physiological variables are closely related to the state of the person in HCI conditions, accounting for the state of fatigue and drowsiness that affects and impacts workers, negatively influencing decision making, erratic behaviors, reaction speed, attention and they expose the worker to risky events, therefore a higher accident rate. i) Assessment of fatigue and drowsiness

The current system is capable of recognizing by monitoring physiological parameters whether it is the effect of ICH, the complex acclimatization process to which workers are subjected and / or the continuous physical and mental wear and tear of these operations in working conditions that require a high cognitive demand, added to the rotating working hours, which alter the physiology of circadian rhythms, and which are responsible for the deterioration of the psychophysiological state, triggering changes in the driver's alert level and whose effects are observed in symptoms such as fatigue, drowsiness, deterioration of attention, among others, work aptitude is affected and therefore increases the risk of being involved in a risky event. The system is able to identify if the physiological conditioner that is triggering an increase in the risk index while driving it corresponds to a decrease in oxygen saturation or certain brain patterns that favor events of fatigue and drowsiness.

The system is capable of identifying, by monitoring the risk index, by registering biometric sensors, the physiological parameters that are outside the established range and that are affecting the work ability of the workers. Therefore, the output actions determined by the system in real time, after the fatigue and drowsiness evaluation process, will be focused on re-establishing the physiological parameters, up to established values, in order to thus recover the state of alertness and wakefulness. of operators, thereby reducing the risk index.

The system through the evaluation of fatigue and drowsiness, allows to identify if the increase in the risk index in an established time is due to a decrease in the oxygen saturation in the blood, which favors drowsiness, due to the poor quality of workers sleep and increases fatigue due to reduced aerobic capacity during working hours or due to a cognitive activity that requires high concentration for a long period of time, which causes a drop in cognitive and psychomotor performance, decreasing performance while performing a task. According to this information, the output actions generated for the proper management of the risk index are obtained through data processing. ii) Risk index management

By processing the data obtained from the biosensors, the system is able to detect the increase in the risk index when at least one physiological parameter that is being recorded exceeds or falls below the pre-established physiological ranges that underlie an aptitude for work. optimal. Based on these comparisons, the controller can then determine the level of risk index, giving the corresponding exit action in the form of a visual, audible and / or vibrating alarm, through the interface or display panel of the system informing about the physiological status of the operator and therefore the instructions to achieve re -establish the physiological parameters allowing with this to recover the state of alert and the management of the risk index in real time.

Within these exit actions, two classes of preventive and corrective actions are generated that will allow the risk index to be managed. The first is the supply of oxygen in real time through a device while driving. In case of not having this device in the vehicle, the exit action considers different facilities that are in or near the work area such as siestaries, medical centers, oxygen supply stations, among others, which must have the conditions adequate for the correct supply of oxygen and the second corresponds to an activation plan, it is an effective pause, which requires or does not require facilities such as siestaries, among others, that allow effective rest and / or the reactivation of alertness. A) Oxygen supply

The current system is able to recognize that the increased risk index is due to a decrease in blood oxygen saturation as it compares the input data with the pre-established thresholds. Based on these comparisons, the controller determines the corresponding output action in the form of a visual, audible and / or vibrating alarm through the system interface, informing about the operator's physiological status and therefore instructions on how to re-establish the physiological parameters. that are outside the normal range, thus allowing the management of the risk index in real time. There is a certain time to carry out the risk index management suggested by the system, the system is capable of activating exit actions that allow oxygen supply in the most efficient way, which considers geolocation and the available infrastructure establishing intelligent routes for the operator, which will allow the corresponding risk index to be managed in the shortest possible time, a second alarm is activated with a higher frequency of appearance in the interface or display panel of the system when there is a delay on the part of the operator in performing the exit action suggested by the system. In the event that the operator does not make these actions effective, the remote transmission is activated (health manager, health center, supervisor, personnel in charge, among others) which makes a call, notice, message to the cell phone, satellite phone or any device Connected to the system to inform you about the permitting management that must be carried out regarding the management of the risk index.

If the critical increase in the risk index detected by the system is due to a decrease in oxygen saturation, which puts the life of the operator at risk, the activation of several exit actions that simultaneously manage this risk index occur simultaneously; the transmission of data to an operating system, computer, platform, server, among others, which activates the remote assistant (medical center, personnel, supervisor, virtual, among others), who through a cell phone, satellite phone, base unit between Others remain in contact with the operator, assisting him while receiving adequate medical assistance. In parallel, the deceleration of the car, the reduction of engine power, the activation of braking devices, among other operations, will be activated by connecting the system with the vehicle's computer since the operator is not able to continue driving. The operator's physiological parameters are transmitted to the server through the communication network, which can be at least mobile internet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, infrared, ultrasound, radio frequency, Satellite Antenna, Ethernet and serial communication. The server can process the parameters and / or store the data in the database, which can be part of the server or a separate device located near or in a remote location (health centers, oxygen supply stations, siestaries, among others ) in order to update the risk index, updating your medical history and so that you receive the oxygen supply in the shortest possible time and make the actions of outputs activated by the system more personalized and efficient in terms of managing the index risky. It is important to have a record of the oxygen saturation in the blood of workers as it allows the early treatment of diseases that affect work ability to be detected and therefore expose it to a higher accident rate.

B) Activation plan

The deterioration of the psychophysiological state of the driver is observed behaviorally in the presence of fatigue, drowsiness, impaired attention, stress, anxiety, among others. Of these symptoms the one that is linked to the highest accident rate during driving is fatigue. This is defined as a change in the physiological and psychological states that a person experiences during the performance of a high-demand cognitive activity for an extended period of time. This change is reflected as a decrease in performance in the execution of said activity, generating a feeling of exhaustion, tiredness or lack of energy and motivation, which appears as a regulatory, alarm mechanism that indicates the organism the loss of resources below a threshold and the need to recover them through rest. Fatigue is shown as an indicator of an implicit problem: the loss of an individual's basic resources such as reacting in a timely and appropriate way to a unforeseen, significantly increasing the worker's accident rate. By recording the electrical brain activity of workers, the earliest stages of this state can be detected, even before the person presents a visible symptom of fatigue, allowing the system to execute exit actions that efficiently reduce the risk index.

It is through the recording of brain electrical activity that brain patterns are recognized that early predict states of fatigue, drowsiness and deterioration of attention among others during the workday. The current system is capable of detecting the early stages of fatigue and drowsiness, which allows generating different exit actions for the proper management of the different levels of risk indexes, with the aim that the alert status of the workers is maintained. at optimal levels for proper job performance.

The system activates exit actions that are specific to the risk index levels focused on maintaining or improving the alert status of workers regardless of the geographical conditions to which the operator is subjected; In the first instance there is self-management which is established as an exit action in the earliest stages of fatigue and drowsiness, later when the risk index registers a significant decrease in alertness and the operator is exposed to risky events by decrease in their work ability due to the significant decrease in alertness, the activation plan is mobilized to manage fatigue and drowsiness in later states, these actions are different for day and night. The difference between these activation plans is due to the fact that the organism has a characteristic biological rhythm during the day and at night, which must be considered in the different exit actions of the system. In case the risk index management is not effective and it is not possible to re-establish the established range of physiological parameters with the actions activated by the system, in a certain time, the transmission of data to a remote assistant (manager health, supervisor, charge staff, computer system, online monitoring service, among others) who contacts the operator to update the risk he is in. Depending on your location, psychophysiological state and your work ability, different exit actions must be carried out; In the event that the operator has a risk index due to exhaustion, fatigue, it indicates to the body the loss of resources below a threshold and the need to recover them, through a nap, rest, among others, whether in the vehicle or facilities with adequate conditions for a restful sleep that allows the operator to be alert. a) Self-management

The system detects through the recording of brain patterns early stages of fatigue and drowsiness, this processed information activates an alarm that can be an audible, visual and / or vibratory warning that feeds back to the operator informing him about the level of fatigue and drowsiness that he has and It must start the self-management process including at least: hydration, improve posture in the seat, lower the window, lower the temperature of the cabin, play music, among others. When after these exit actions, self-management is not enough to revoke this state of fatigue and drowsiness and there is a considerable drop in performance, while driving, after a certain time, the system generates the second alarm to the worker indicating that he must execute the activation plan which, as previously stated, obeys different patterns during the day and night. b) Activation plan during the day

Mental fatigue is described as a change in both the psychological and physiological states that an individual experiences during the development of a cognitive activity that demands high concentration over a prolonged period of time. During driving, for example, the physical effort involved in driving long distances, the monotony of the route, the geographical altitude, working hours and shifts, among others, are factors that could accelerate the occurrence of mental fatigue and drowsiness. These changes are mainly shown as a decrease in cognitive and psychomotor performance, they decrease performance during the performance of a task. As a result of this, mental fatigue is linked to a state of decreased alertness, where fatigue and lack of energy gradually predominate. Fatigued people see their concentration abilities diminished, they suffer alterations in distance and speed perceptions, and their response times, their mathematical reasoning, their productivity and their communication skills decrease, fatigue in these situations is presented as a regulatory mechanism, alarm, which indicates to the organism the loss of resources below a threshold and the need to recover them through rest.

The current system is capable of generating different actions in parallel that allow managing the risk index during the day in the best way; When the system recognizes episodes of fatigue and drowsiness through brain activity, it generates an alarm that corresponds to an auditory, visual and / or vibratory warning that informs the driver that self-management was not effective and an activation plan is required.

The system is able to recognize, through the recording of brain patterns, more advanced stages of fatigue and drowsiness, for which rest, nap, among others, is established, since it is the most efficient way to recover alertness during the day, yes there is a homeostatic pressure to sleep. It is highly recommended to take a nap, lasting no more than 30 minutes, between 1:00 and 4:00 pm. This rest will provide a quick alert boost as the onset of sleep inertia is mitigated. c) Overnight activation plan

Working at night when the body is biologically programmed to sleep affects the functioning of a person's biological clock. Because this biological clock is programmed for different levels of wakefulness, people experience different levels of alertness depending on the time of day. The disruption of the circadian rhythm reduces the alertness, which favors the states of fatigue in the worker, increasing the risk of making mistakes and therefore of being involved in a risky event. The system is capable of identifying the different alert levels during night time, so the appropriate system exit actions will be focused on restoring the alert and attention levels to return to perform the functions after a drowsiness episode and / or fatigue during the night.

The current system is capable of generating different actions in parallel that allow managing the risk index overnight in the best way; When the system recognizes episodes of fatigue and drowsiness through brain activity, it generates an alarm that corresponds to an auditory, visual and / or vibratory warning that informs the driver that self-management was not effective, in terms of recovering the alert state, generating an exit action that corresponds to an effective pause, which refers to an activity focused on recovering the alertness of workers, for example getting off the machine, performing some type of physical activity, listening to some type of music, among others accompanied by significant visual, auditory, olfactory and / or tactile stimuli that increase their alertness level to optimally return to their job functions. Light pulse system.

Humans present different cyclical variations in different physiological processes. For example, the sleep and wake behavior has a circadian rhythm, that is, it has a time period of 24 hours. This cycle is regulated by different external factors, the most important being light. The light, which enters the retina through the eye, which communicates directly with a region of the brain located in the hypothalamus called the Suprachiasmatic nucleus. This region of the brain regulates the internal body clock by establishing behavioral rhythms such as the sleep-wake cycle, or the secretion of neuro-hormonal factors such as melatonin secretion, which basically results in being active during the day and sleeping at night. When working at night or on rotating work shifts, the circadian system is unable to quickly adapt to the new schedule and a desynchronization between the rhythm of internal physiological systems and external work demands arises, causing a series of alterations that affect directly the safety of the workers due to the fall in the state of alert and the attention levels, influencing the states of fatigue that is the majority of causes of work accidents and errors in the execution of tasks, increasing the risk and therefore the probability of having an accident. That is why, in the face of this conditioning of light on the physiological functioning of the organism, the system generates, as an output action during night hours, the activation of LED light pulses either inside the cabins, along the route, siestaries, Adequate facilities, among others, with an intensity and from time to time determined to have a direct regulatory effect on the biological clock and achieve a delay in the circadian rhythm, allowing delayed sleep and maximum fatigue in workers during night shifts, improving work performance and ensuring in the individual a better quality of sleep in the morning. C) Health assessment

It is important that this system and method, being preventive and corrective, carry out periodic health evaluations that allow knowing the real risk index to which workers are exposed, remember that there are incident diseases in conditions of chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia that condition both the acclimatization of workers as their psychophysiological state and this is because adaptive reactions to chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia can cause disorders of varying severity, either due to excess or defective functioning of the physiological mechanisms involved in acclimatization to intermittent hypobaric hypoxia chronicle. The digestive processes become slower, therefore, they cause greater absorption of fats, favoring the appearance of the Metabolic Syndrome, with diagnoses of Fatty Liver, alteration of the Lipid Profile, main generators of Obesity. Even more so if there is no permanent balanced feeding program, which allows balancing the needs that originate in these environments. This obesity originated in these conditions, also causes and favors various disorders, such as Sleep Apnea, both Central and Obstructive and mixed, and vascular disorders.

Obesity and overweight are common in high-altitude mining industry workers exposed to chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia. Obesity and overweight are associated with higher rates of high blood pressure, and cholesterol and glucose levels, having a significant implication in the syndrome of obstructive, central and mixed apneas. These disorders have a higher accident rate on the part of workers, due to the symptoms that these pathologies entail; drowsiness, physical fatigue and mental fatigue directly affect the work ability of workers. Early detection allows you to be aware of the influence of these Incident diseases in these geographical conditions of chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia in the work aptitude of workers.

The health assessment, medical diagnosis and treatment that is part of the method as a control measure of the risk index in conditions of chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia, which allows monitoring the effect of these diseases on the work ability of operators to define more precisely the output actions that the system must indicate according to the processing of the data in real time and the information provided by the health factor in the monitoring system.

Claims

1. A method to predict in real time the physiological and mental state of a subject or operator who performs complex and risky tasks under conditions of chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia, which allows to decrease the accident rate, CHARACTERIZED because it comprises:

determine a risk index, which includes:

- determine a health factor, which includes:

measure anthropometric variables of the subject; and

to analyze the anthropometric variables measured to predict possible incident diseases in chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia;

- determine an acclimatization factor, which includes: measuring the geographical height and the days the subject remains in said geographical height;

measure in the subject the degree of oxygen saturation in the blood;

compare the measured values for geographic height and days of stay with the expected values for blood saturation, to determine if the subject is acclimatized in a chronic phase condition or in an acute phase; and

- determine a factor of psychophysiological state, which includes: measure the subject's electrical brain activity, to determine a state of drowsiness, fatigue or alertness; and

measuring the conductance of the subject's skin, to determine a degree of stress on the subject;

- analyze and correlate the health factor, acclimatization factor and psychophysiological status factor, using a neural network that performs differential predictive data processing; and

generate an exit action to improve the risk index, where the exit action includes alerting the subject early when at least one physiological parameter being registered exceeds or falls below the pre-established physiological ranges underlying a optimal work aptitude.

2. The method according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED because the anthropometric variables to be measured are at least one of: neck circumference, height, weight added to age and sex data.

3. The method according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED because determining a health factor also includes considering incident diseases in hypobaric hypoxia conditions of the subject considering the specific tests for these diseases and the STOP-BANG survey.

4. The method according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED because the method considers the acclimatization factor differently according to the ranges of geographic height and residence time that are They update remotely according to the level of height in which the worker carries out his work activities:

2000 - 3000 meters above sea level (masl) - 5 days;

3000 - 4000 masl - 10 days; and

4000 - 5000 masl - 15 days.

5. The method according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the blood saturation levels expected for the geographical height are as follows:

2400 masl - O2 saturation greater than 96%;

2500-3900 masl - O2 saturation between 91% - 95%; and

3900 masl or more - O2 saturation between 90% - 80%.

6. The method according to claim 1, 4 and 5, CHARACTERIZED because it comprises differentiating the acclimatization factor according to the level of height reached and the time the subject is in this condition to establish physiological parameters of acute phase and conical phase , where the acute phase lasts from 48 to 72 hours and the chronic phase a longer time.

7. The method according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the output action comprises issuing at least one visual, audible and / or vibratory warning.

8. The method according to claims 1 and 7, CHARACTERIZED in that the exit action further comprises at least one of the following: supply oxygen to the cabin where the operator is located in real time;

generate light pulses;

generate instructions to attend a siestario;

generate instructions to attend a medical center;

remote communication between the subject and the supervisor; and

exercise an action on the controls that the subject operates.

9. The method according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the exit action comprises establishing a period of rest or nap time for the subject.

10. The method according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED because generating an exit action to recover the subject's work ability includes sending instructions to them to stop the work they do and perform physical activity, listen to some type of music, receive olfactory stimuli and / or touch

11. The method according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED because, in addition, the type of output action to be generated depends on whether the subject performs the operation during day or night hours.

12. The method according to claim 11, CHARACTERIZED in that the output action comprises the generation of light pulses in the place where the subject is during the night, in the siestarios, with an intensity, and for a certain period of time to have a direct regulatory effect on the biological clock of the subject.

13. The method according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that determining the state of drowsiness, fatigue or alert comprises measuring the Beta, Alpha, Theta and Delta waves of the subject's brain.

14. A system to predict in real time the physiological and mental state of a subject or operator who performs complex and risky tasks, which allows to decrease the accident rate, CHARACTERIZED because it includes: determining a risk index, which includes:

- means to determine a subject's health factor based on the measurement of anthropometric variables of the subject, which includes:

means to measure anthropometric variables of the subject;

- means for determining an acclimatization factor of the subject, comprising:

- means to determine geographic height and residence time;

means for measuring the percentage of oxygen saturation in the subject's blood;

- means for determining a factor of the subject's psychophysiological state, comprising:

means for measuring brain electrical activity; means for measuring the electrical conductance of the skin; means for measuring blood oxygen saturation;

- means for the processing and analysis of the data associated with the determined health, acclimatization and psychophysiological factors;

means to generate an exit action to alert the subject early when the risk index exceeds a preset value; and means for fatigue management.

15. The system according to claim 14, CHARACTERIZED because anthropometric variables to measure the at least one of: neck circumference, height, weight added to age and sex data.

16. The system according to claim 14, CHARACTERIZED because the means for managing fatigue comprises:

means for generating visual, audible and / or vibrating alarm;

means for supplying oxygen during driving in real time;

if it is rivers;

Medical centers; and

remote means of communication with the supervisor.

17. The system according to claim 14, CHARACTERIZED because it comprises a centralized processing system where multiple subject risk indices are analyzed.

18. The system according to claim 14, CHARACTERIZED in that it comprises data communication means between the centralized processing system and each subject, wirelessly, via the Internet or Intranet.

19. The system according to claim 14, CHARACTERIZED because the centralized processing system has means to generate and transmit periodic reports in real time of the risk index of the subjects.

20. A method to predict in real time the physiological and mental state of a subject or operator who performs complex and risky tasks under conditions of chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia, which allows to decrease the accident rate, CHARACTERIZED because it comprises:

determine a risk index, which includes:

- determine a health factor, which includes:

measure anthropometric characteristics of the subject, such as: age, sex, neck circumference, height and weight; and

- determine an acclimatization factor, which includes: measuring the geographic depth and the days of permanence of the subject in said geographic depth;

measure in the subject the degree of oxygen saturation in the blood; compare the measured values for geographic depth and days of stay with the expected values for blood saturation, to determine if the subject is acclimatized in a chronic phase condition or in an acute phase; and

- determining a psychophysiological status factor, comprising: measuring the subject's electrical brain activity, to determine a state of drowsiness, fatigue or alertness; and