Vehicle Biosignal Sensing for Real-Time Driver Alertness Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems fail to effectively monitor and respond to driver attentiveness and fatigue in real-time, posing a significant risk for road accidents, and disabled individuals face mobility and communication challenges during emergencies.
Innovation Solution
A physiological data acquisition assembly, comprising electrodes and a sensing device, collects and processes biosignals to predict alertness and adapt vehicle control, or facilitate communication through a communication-tree, using machine learning models and sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If physiological data acquisition assembly with electrodes and sensing device is implemented, then driver safety is improved through real-time monitoring, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensing functions (electrodes for physiological signals, accelerometers for motion detection, gyroscopes for orientation) into a single integrated physiological data acquisition assembly that is embedded in the vehicle seat, thereby improving monitoring comprehensiveness while managing system complexity through consolidation
Solution Approach 2:
The physiological data acquisition assembly serves multiple functions: it monitors driver alertness through physiological signals, detects vehicle motion through accelerometers and gyroscopes, and triggers appropriate responses (alerts, vehicle control adjustments) based on combined data analysis, making the system multi-functional and highly effective for driver safety
2Loss of time
If real-time physiological monitoring is implemented, then response time to driver fatigue is reduced, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system processes physiological data in periodic intervals rather than continuously, analyzing electroencephalogram, electromyogram, and electrooculogram signals at scheduled time points to detect driver fatigue states, thereby reducing energy consumption while maintaining effective real-time monitoring capability
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where processed physiological data triggers alerts or vehicle control adjustments only when fatigue thresholds are exceeded, optimizing energy usage by activating corrective actions selectively rather than continuously, thus balancing response time requirements with energy conservation
3Reliability
If vehicle control adaptation is implemented based on physiological data, then driver safety is improved, but loss of human control increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides continuous feedback to the driver through alerts and notifications about their fatigue state, maintaining driver awareness and ultimate control while enabling automated safety interventions only when necessary, thus preserving human agency while improving safety through physiological monitoring
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle control adaptation dynamically adjusts based on the severity and progression of detected fatigue states, escalating from gentle alerts to more substantial control interventions only when physiological indicators show critical deterioration, thereby maintaining appropriate human control while ensuring safety when needed
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances driver safety by adapting vehicle control based on real-time physiological data, and enables effective communication and mobility assistance for disabled individuals.
Implementation Method 1
A physiological data acquisition assembly that comprises a sensing device and one or more clusters of electrodes. The sensing device can be utilized to acquire, process and transmit signals from the one or more clusters of electrodes.
Implementation Method 2
The sensing device may include an accelerometer and a gyroscope
Implementation Method 3
The sensing device may include an accelerometer and a gyroscope
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to methods and system for acquiring and analyzing biosignals or physiological signals of a person sitting in a vehicle and predicting (in real-time) time-varying attention, engagement level or alertness level using the biosignals. The biosignals may be acquired using one or more clusters of electrodes together with a wearable user device or from a sensing device that is embedded in the seat of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the biosignals may be utilized to predict restedness level of the subject, to monitor or predict physiological state of the subject, to detect a distress situation and to adapt a vehicle control accordingly. In some other embodiments, the biosignals can be transformed into communication, for example, speech signals or instructions for the vehicle. One or more actions may be triggered based on the analysis of the biosignals including engaging the person, generating alerts, or adapting the vehicle control.