New App Claims To Be A Wake-Up Call For Sleepy Drivers
A new app is on its way that claims to be a step forward in the quest to spot when a driver is nodding off at the wheel and to improve upon existing apps in the market such as Drowsy Driver and Open eyes.
A smartphone using such an app and mounted on the dashboard can alert a sleepy driver and help in the quest to avoid accidents.
The new app has been developed by scientists to recognise signs of drowsiness which they have isolated.
It uses real time video via a smartphone’s front facing camera to analyse the driver’s facial features.
It then monitors for changes in the eyelids and head position which mirrors proven fatigue symptoms. When drooping eyelids, drowsiness or nodding off are spotted an alarm is set off which the driver has to turn off either by voice or by hand to prove that he or she has woken up.
The App has be developed by Hong Kong Baptist University and , if proven, is likely to prove attractive because of its low cost, given that it will operate without any additional devices or sensors.
An added bonus is that the rear camera of the phone, in the appropriate mounting position, can operate at the same time as a dash-cam recording the road ahead.
Drowsiness is a factor in a significant percentage of road accidents, and is a particular risk to professional drivers working long hours.
Truck and coach fleet operators might take an interest in the development.
Although the use of the phone does place a reliance on remembering to deploy it, unlike dedicated, built in devices, which will probably be preferred.
