Biometric Wearable System for Driver Incapacitation Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle operators who are incapacitated due to stress or lack of energy, such as drowsiness, pose a risk to themselves and others, as their condition is difficult to predict and they may not recognize their incapacity, making prevention challenging for surrounding vehicles and pedestrians.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle system equipped with a computer, sensors, and a wearable device that monitors biometric data to detect operator incapacitation and automatically control vehicle components like steering, brakes, and throttle to prevent accidents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If biometric sensors and automated control systems are implemented to detect and respond to operator incapacity, then safety and accident prevention are improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the safety monitoring function into multiple independent biometric sensors (heart rate monitor, respiration monitor, muscle activity monitor, temperature sensor) that each detect specific physiological parameters. This segmentation allows the complex safety monitoring task to be distributed across simpler, specialized sensor components, making the overall system more manageable and maintainable while improving reliability through redundancy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a computer system as an intermediary that receives data from multiple biometric sensors, processes the information, and automatically controls vehicle components. This intermediary layer bridges the gap between raw biometric data and actionable safety responses, enabling automated incapacity detection and prevention without requiring direct human intervention in the control loop
2Measurement precision
If multiple biometric sensors are used to monitor operator condition, then detection precision of incapacity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs multiple specialized biometric sensors, each designed to detect specific physiological parameters (heart rate, respiration, muscle activity, temperature). This segmentation of measurement functions into dedicated sensors improves detection precision for each parameter while keeping individual sensor complexity low, as each sensor only needs to perform its specific measurement function
Solution Approach 2:
The computer system serves as a universal processing unit that handles data from all different types of biometric sensors and performs multiple functions including data analysis, incapacity determination, and automated vehicle control. This multi-functional approach consolidates complexity into a single processing platform rather than requiring separate systems for each sensor type
Data Source
AI summary
Biometric data is received from a wearable device. The biometric data concerns a vehicle operator measured by at least one sensor in the wearable device. A load score is determined. The load score is a measurement of operator capacity to operate the vehicle based at least in part on the biometric data from the wearable device. At least one vehicle component is actuated based at least in part on the load score.