Driver Condition Detection Using Steering Wheel Slump Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing driver condition detection systems struggle to detect abnormal conditions in drivers without detecting their face, and require expensive equipment to monitor heartbeat, breathing, or brainwave information.
Innovation Solution
A driver condition detection system that uses a driver monitor camera to capture images and a driver condition judging part to detect slumping against the steering wheel based on image contrast, allowing for abnormal condition detection even if the face is not detected, and includes a steering wheel touch sensor to confirm driver presence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If facial information detection is used to detect driver abnormal conditions, then detection accuracy can be improved, but the system cannot detect abnormalities if the driver's face is not visible
Solution Approach 1:
The driver monitor camera is configured to perform multiple detection functions: it detects both facial information (when visible) and slumping conditions (when face is not visible or when driver loses consciousness). The system universally monitors driver state through different indicators depending on visibility conditions, making the detection system adaptable to various driving scenarios including when the driver's face is turned away or obscured.
2Measurement precision
If complicated equipment is used to detect heartbeat, breathing, or brainwave information, then driver condition detection accuracy is improved, but system cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and utilizes readily available image data from the existing driver monitor camera to detect slumping conditions, rather than adding separate complex sensing equipment for heartbeat, breathing, or brainwave detection. The system takes out the essential detection function from complex physiological sensors and implements it through simple image contrast analysis of the driver's position relative to the steering wheel.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the existing driver monitor camera infrastructure that is already present in modern vehicles for other purposes (such as lane departure warning, driver attention monitoring), and repurposes it for slumping detection. This avoids the need for expensive dedicated detection equipment, leveraging a 'cheap' existing resource instead of investing in complex new hardware.
3Reliability
If the system requires face detection to determine driver condition, then detection reliability is improved, but the system fails when face cannot be detected
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-establishes the spatial relationship between the driver monitor camera and the steering wheel position during system setup or calibration. It stores reference information about where the driver's face should appear relative to the steering wheel in normal conditions. This preliminary action enables the system to detect slumping by comparing current image data against pre-stored spatial relationships, allowing reliable detection even when the face is not directly visible.
Data Source
AI summary
The driver condition detection system comprises a driver monitor camera provided in a vehicle and capturing a driver of the vehicle to generate an image of the driver, and a driver condition judging part configured to judge a condition of the driver based on the image of the driver. The driver condition judging part is configured to judge that the driver is not in a condition able to drive if detecting the driver slumping against the steering wheel based on the image of the driver.