DRT Mode (Detection-Response Task) measures how much cognitive effort a task requires by comparing an athlete’s reaction times in two different conditions. It does this by introducing a secondary task while the athlete is focused on a primary task.
During the task, a red dot (the DRT stimulus) randomly appears in the top right corner of the screen. The athlete must react to this dot as quickly as possible while still performing the primary task.
By comparing reaction times, DRT Mode reveals how much mental effort is required for a task:
Primary Task Reaction Time – The athlete’s normal response speed to the main task.
DRT Reaction Time – The response speed to the red dot while completing the primary task.
If the DRT reaction time is significantly slower than the primary task reaction time, it indicates that the task is mentally demanding and requires a large portion of the athlete’s attention. The greater the gap between these two reaction times, the higher the cognitive load, showing that the task is taking up more of the athlete’s mental resources.