Development of a drowsiness warning system

Kaneda, Masayuki; Iizuka, Haruhiko; Ueno, Hiroshi; Hiramatsu, Machiko; Taguchi, Mitsuru; Tsukino, Masataka

Affiliations

Abstract

The development of technologies for preventing drowsiness at the wheel is a major challenge in the field of accident avoidance systems. Preventing drowsiness during driving requires a method for accurately detecting a decline in driver alertness and a method for alerting and refreshing the driver. As a detection method, the authors have developed a system that uses image processing technology to analyze images of the driver's face taken with a video camera. Diminished alertness is detected on the basis of the degree to which the driver‘s eyes are open or closed. This detection system provides a noncontact technique for judging various levels of driver alertness and facilitates early detection of a decline in alertness during driving. When a diminished state of alertness is detected, the system issues a signal that first activates an audible warning and then generates a menthol scent. Compared with the stimulative effect of an audible warning alone, experimental results show that the provision of an audible warning combined with a menthol scent is more than twice as effctive in keeping the driver alert.

Cited Works (1)

Year	Entry
1985	Yabuta K, Iizuka H, Yanagishima T, Kataoka Y, Seno T. The development of drowsiness warning devices. In: Proceedings of the 10th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles (ESV). July 1-4, 1985; Oxford, England.282-288. SAE 856043.

Cited By (2)

Year	Entry
1996	Filiatrault DD, Cooper PJ, King DJ, Siegmund GP, Wong PKH. Efficiency of vehicle-based data to predict lane departure arising from loss of alertness due to fatigue. In: 40th Annual Proceedings, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM). October 7-9, 1996; Vancouver, BC.363-376.
1998	Kaneda M, Obara H, Nasu T. Adaptability to ambient light changes for drowsy driving detection using image processing. In: Proceedings of the 16th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). May 31–June 4, 1998; Windsor, Ontario, Canada.486-491.