Driver Drowsiness Detection

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) attributes more than 100,000 crashes, including 1,357 fatal crashes and approximately 71,000 injury crashes annually, to driver drowsiness. At the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show, Denso unveiled its progress for using vision sensors to detect objects, pedestrians, and driver's condition. One vision sensor design is currently used in the Lane Keeping Assist system where drowsiness often causes drifting. In a conceptual approach, a vision sensor focused on the driver's face monitors the eyes and can detect inattentive driving caused by drowsiness by measuring how wide the eyelids are open. The technology can measure the blinking speed of a driver wearing glasses. Vision sensing, combined with electrocardiograph measurements made from electrodes installed in the steering wheel, provide a more detailed driver status. For more information on Denso's driver condition sensing technology go to: http://rbi.ims.ca/4914-504