Reframing neuroergonomics in an evolutionary and active inference context

Corona-Strauss, Farah I.; Vibell, Jonas; Francis, Alexander L.; Lehser, Martina; Markert, Sebastian M.; Strauss, Daniel J. · 2026 · Crossref

DOI: 10.3389/fnrgo.2026.1796721

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Summary

This perspective paper addresses the growing disconnect between human sensory systems, which evolved in ancestral environments, and the complex, multisensory landscapes of the modern Anthropocene. The authors argue that rapid cultural and technological change has outpaced biological evolution, creating an "evolutionary mismatch." This mismatch manifests as sensory conflict (incongruent inputs across modalities) and sensory strain (the cognitive burden of maintaining attention in noisy environments). The paper reframes neuroergonomics within an evolutionary and active inference context, proposing that technology design must respect evolutionarily tuned priors while leveraging plastic, experience-dependent mechanisms to support adaptive change. The authors employ a theoretical framework distinguishing between the "core" and the "mantle" of human perception. The "core" consists of genetically entrenched, species-typical biases shaped by Pleistocene ecological demands, such as 360-degree auditory monitoring, vestibular-proprioceptive coupling, and privileged foveal vision. These mechanisms provide baseline priors for multisensory inference. The "mantle" comprises modulatory, context-sensitive processes—including epigenetic regulation, gene–culture co-evolution, and individual learning—that tune these priors across development and specific contexts. By integrating these concepts with the Free Energy Principle and active inference, the paper models perception as a process of minimizing prediction errors. Sensory conflict arises when incongruent inputs violate generative models, while sensory strain reflects the resource-intensive reallocation of precision weights to stabilize inference under uncertainty. The analysis highlights that modern technologies, such as virtual reality and digital factories, frequently induce sensory conflict and strain by violating ecological regularities. For instance, motion sickness results from a mismatch between visual and vestibular cues, which the brain interprets as intoxication. In complex settings like operating rooms or Industry 4.0 environments, overlapping stimuli from multiple machines create attentional cacophony, exceeding the capacity of attentional systems evolved for hunter-gatherer contexts. The authors note that while sensory conflict is well-documented, the general mechanisms of coping and compensation remain underexplored. They emphasize that identical scenes can induce different strain profiles across individuals due to variations in the "mantle," shaped by unique learning histories and epigenetic factors. The significance of this reframing lies in its implications for human-centered technology design. The authors conclude that neuroergonomics should adopt a first-principles approach, aligning technological interfaces with the constraints and affordances of the human sensory system. By understanding the neuropsychological mechanisms of cross-modal integration and attentional dynamics, designers can mitigate sensory mismatch. For example, empathetic AI systems could use neurotechnology to detect cognitive load and adaptively select the most appropriate sensory modality for information transfer, such as using haptic feedback in peri-personal space to avoid visual or auditory overload. This approach enables the creation of technologies that support, rather than disrupt, the brain’s active inference processes, thereby improving human-technology interaction in increasingly digital environments.

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• multisensory crossmodal