Driver Neck Imaging for Fatigue-Responsive Vehicle Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Commercial truck fleets face challenges in identifying drivers susceptible to sleep apnea and fatigue, as it often goes undiagnosed, which can impact driver safety and fleet operations.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing driver-facing imaging sensors, such as cameras, to monitor a driver's neck size over time, analyzing images to detect increases in neck size, which correlates with potential fatigue, and modifying vehicle operations to ensure safe driving.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If driver neck size monitoring is implemented using imaging sensors, then driver fatigue detection capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical measurement devices with imaging sensors (cameras) to monitor neck size. The system uses optical fields instead of mechanical contact to detect changes in driver neck circumference, thereby improving detection capability while avoiding complex mechanical structures. The processor analyzes image data to determine neck size changes, substituting mechanical measurement with optical detection and computational analysis.
2Measurement precision
If continuous monitoring of driver neck size is performed, then detection precision of fatigue conditions is improved, but use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs periodic monitoring of driver neck size at scheduled intervals during operation rather than continuous monitoring. The processor captures images at defined time intervals and compares neck size measurements periodically, maintaining detection precision for fatigue conditions while reducing overall energy consumption compared to uninterrupted continuous monitoring.
3Reliability
If vehicle operations are modified based on neck size changes, then driver safety is improved, but loss of time in vehicle operations occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system detects neck size changes and identifies potential fatigue conditions before they lead to actual driver impairment or safety incidents. By monitoring trends in neck size over time and alerting drivers or operators in advance, the system enables preventive action (such as scheduling breaks or route adjustments) before safety is compromised, thereby improving safety without requiring time-loss interventions during critical driving moments.
Data Source
AI summary
System and methods that utilize driver facing cameras to monitor a neck size of a driver and to modify vehicle operations as an increase in neck size is detected are disclosed. In one form, a system includes a memory; an imaging device configured; and at least one processor in communication with the memory and the imaging device. The at least one processor is configured to receive an image of the interior of the vehicle captured by the imaging device; analyze the image and determine a parameter associated with a neck size of a driver of the vehicle that is present in the image; determine that the parameter associated with the neck size of the driver present in the image has increased more than a predetermined value; and modify an operation of the vehicle based on the parameter associated with the neck size of the driver present in the image increasing more than the predetermined value.