`cognitive-load-breakdown`

cognitive-load-breakdown reduces a cognitive load timeline to one session-level summary. It emits a duration-weighted average score and the time spent in each of three zones as a value channel.

The node reads a data service payload from its parent and finds the series Channel whose id equals sourceChannelId. Each point is weighted by the time until the next point, then classified as low, medium or high against two thresholds. The output pairs with the CognitiveLoadBreakdown widget.

It does not compute cognitive load. Its parent does, typically entity-state-to-cognitive.

When to use

Use this node when a Next dashboard needs a static summary of cognitive load rather than a playback gauge.

Pipeline position


entity-state-to-cognitive -> cognitive-load-breakdown -> json-merge -> dashboard-v2

The node reads the latest output of one parent.

Configuration

Configuration is optional.

Key	Type	Required	Default	Description
`sourceChannelId`	string	No	`cognitive-load-timeline`	Id of the `series` channel to aggregate. The default matches the `-timeline` channel `entity-state-to-cognitive` emits.
`realmName`	string	No	`overview`	Realm name for the output channel.
`channelId`	string	No	`cognitive-load-breakdown`	Output channel id.
`channelName`	string	No	`Cognitive Load Breakdown`	Display name. Also used as the group display name.
`groupId`	string	No	`cognitive`	Group id.
`lowThreshold`	number	No	`7`	Scores at or below this value are low.
`highThreshold`	number	No	`14`	Scores at or below this value and above `lowThreshold` are medium. Scores above it are high.

Output

A data service payload with one value channel.


{
  "$heat-dataservice": {
    "version": "1.0",
    "groups": [{ "id": "cognitive", "name": "Cognitive Load Breakdown" }],
    "realms": [
      {
        "name": "overview",
        "channels": [
          {
            "id": "cognitive-load-breakdown",
            "name": "Cognitive Load Breakdown",
            "groupId": "cognitive",
            "shape": "value",
            "data": {
              "value": {
                "score": 8.42,
                "zones": [
                  { "id": "low", "duration": "4m 10s", "percentage": 42 },
                  { "id": "medium", "duration": "4m 30s", "percentage": 45 },
                  { "id": "high", "duration": "1m 20s", "percentage": 13 }
                ]
              }
            }
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "dashboard_users": []
}

score is the duration-weighted mean, rounded to two decimal places.
duration is formatted as minutes and seconds. percentage is rounded to a whole number.
The last point takes the duration of the interval before it. A single point has zero duration.

Limitations

One parent, latest output only.
The source channel is matched in any realm, but only the first match is used.
The node fails when no series channel with sourceChannelId is found or it has no points.

CognitiveLoadBreakdown (Next) renders the value channel.
entity-state-to-cognitive produces the timeline this node reads.
CognitiveLoad (Next) is the playback gauge alternative.

HEAT documentation team. Last updated 2 October 2026.

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