Analisis Pengaruh Suhu Lingkungan dan Ketinggian Virtual terhadap Respons Fisiologis, Performa Kognitif, dan Keseimbangan Postural

Ivo Vincenes Sibarani, Dr. Eng. Ir. Titis Wijayanto, S.T., M.Des., IPM.

2026 | Tesis | S2 Teknik Industri

Pekerja konstruksi sering kali terpapar suhu lingkungan tinggi dan bekerja pada ketinggian secara bersamaan. Kedua faktor tersebut berpotensi meningkatkan risiko kecelakaan kerja melalui gangguan pada respons fisiologis, performa kognitif, dan keseimbangan postural. Namun, pengaruh gabungan antara kedua faktor tersebut terhadap aspek-aspek tersebut masih belum dipahami secara memadai. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis pengaruh suhu lingkungan dan ketinggian virtual terhadap respons fisiologis, performa kognitif, dan keseimbangan postural menggunakan simulasi berbasis Virtual Reality (VR).

Penelitian ini menggunakan desain eksperimen within-subject dengan melibatkan 12 partisipan laki-laki sehat. Eksperimen dilakukan pada dua kondisi suhu, yaitu suhu normal (24.33 ± 0.17°C) dan suhu panas (32.11 ± 0.19°C), serta tiga level ketinggian virtual, permukaan tanah (0 m), ketinggian sedang (5 m), dan ketinggian tinggi (20 m). Pada setiap kondisi, partisipan menyelesaikan tugas visual exploration untuk memberikan paparan ketinggian virtual, tugas simulasi welding untuk menilai koordinasi motorik halus, serta Trail Making Test (TMT-A dan TMT-B) untuk menilai kecepatan psikomotorik dan atensi melalui tugas menghubungkan angka secara berurutan (TMT-A), serta fungsi eksekutif dan fleksibilitas kognitif melalui tugas menghubungkan angka dan huruf secara bergantian (TMT-B). Respons fisiologis diukur melalui suhu timpani, heart rate (HR), dan Heart Rate Variability (HRV), sedangkan keseimbangan postural diukur menggunakan parameter Center of Pressure (COP) yang meliputi root mean square (RMS) distance, mean velocity, dan 95% ellipse area.

Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa paparan suhu panas secara signifikan meningkatkan goyangan selama tugas eksplorasi visual dan welding task, memperpanjang waktu penyelesaian TMT-A dan TMT-B, serta meningkatkan beban fisiologis melalui peningkatan suhu timpani, denyut jantung, dan penurunan HRV. Sebaliknya, ketinggian virtual menunjukkan pengaruh yang lebih spesifik pada keseimbangan postural selama tugas TMT dan welding task (p < 0>

Construction workers are frequently exposed to high environmental temperatures and elevated working locations. These two factors may increase occupational accident risk by impairing physiological responses, cognitive performance, and postural balance. However, the combined effects of heat  exposure and height on these aspects remain insufficiently understood. This study aims to analyze the effects of environmental temperature and virtual height on physiological responses, cognitive performance, and postural balance using a Virtual Reality (VR)-based simulation.

This study employed a within-subject experimental design involving 12 healthy male participants. The experiment was conducted under two air temperature conditions, thermoneutral (24.33 ± 0.17°C) and hot temperature (32.11 ± 0.19°C), and three virtual height levels, ground level (0 m), medium height (5 m), and high height (20 m). In each condition, participants completed a visual exploration task to provide virtual height exposure, a simulated welding task to assess fine motor coordination, and the Trail Making Test (TMT-A and TMT-B) to assess psychomotor speed and attention through sequential number connection (TMT-A), as well as executive function and cognitive flexibility through alternating number-letter connection (TMT-B). Physiological responses were measured using tympanic temperature, heart rate, and Heart Rate Variability (HRV). Meanwhile postural stability was evaluated using center-of-pressure (COP) parameters, including root mean square (RMS) distance, mean velocity, and 95% ellipse area.

The results showed that exposure to hot temperature significantly increased postural sway during the visual exploration and simulated welding tasks, prolonged completion times in TMT-A and TMT-B, and increased physiological strain as indicated by higher tympanic temperature, increased heart rate, and reduced HRV. In contrast, virtual height showed more task-specific effects on postural balance during TMT and simulated welding tasks (p < 0>

Kata Kunci : Suhu Lingkungan, Ketinggian Virtual, Respons Fisiologis, Performa Kognitif, Keseimbangan Postural, Virtual Reality