Over the years there has been a growing interest in testing workers for their "Fitness for Duty," also referred to as "Readiness to Perform." There is a need for a short, conveniently administered test that can detect potential impairment. If the test is positive (indicating potential impairment), then the worker can be referred to a supervisor who will carry out whatever management policies have been established for dealing with test failure. Fitness-for-Duty tests have run the gamut from simple substance detection systems (e.g. a breath tester), to tests of physiological function (e.g. the occulomotor system) and higher-level tests of psychomotor and cognitive function.

The CTT is an efficient test of psychomotor functioning, and can basically detect impairment to eye-hand coordination and continuous response in control activity (e.g. driving or operating other heavy machinery). The CTT detects any impairment present, regardless of its cause, whether from fatigue, illness, alcohol, medications, illegal drugs, or other sources. As indicated by the references at the end of this summary, research over the past 30 years has developed the CTT capability, and has demonstrated the CTT sensitivity to a variety of impairments. Research from around the world on the CTT theory, and empirical results on its sensitivity to a variety of impairments (e.g. alcohol, drugs, prescription medications, bed rest, fatigue, ship motion, etc.) has been published in refereed journals.

The CTT is a simple test of psychomotor functioning that measures eye-hand coordination and delays in visual motor response. The task itself takes about one minute to perform, and uses the same skills that would be needed to balance an upright stick on the palm of your hand. The CTT was developed about 35 years ago to measure the ability of Air Force pilots to deal with aircraft malfunctions. Based on this work, NASA sponsored a series of studies on the development of the task for measuring astronaut functioning in orbit. Studies were conducted at this time on the effects of bed rest and isolation on CTT performance. General Motors and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) next sponsored studies on the ability of the CTT to detect alcohol impairment. About 25 years ago the NHTSA sponsored the development of an in-car alcohol interlock based on the CTT that was designed to prevent drunk drivers from driving. This government sponsored research allowed the CTT to be calibrated and statistically validated in its ability to detect alcohol impairment. This extensive history of research has led to the current interest in the CTT for determining fitness-for-duty. The purpose of this application is to minimize the negative impact of worker impairment (i.e., damage and injuries) through employee cooperation and screening. The likelihood of achieving this goal is increased through the use of the CTT because:

For purchasing information on the Critical Tracking Task, please call Sanjeev Weerasuriya at 310/679-2281, extension 24, or send e-mail to This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .