Mercedes Benz is working on an anti-microsleep system that will warn drivers that appear to be surrfing from driver fatique and possibly falling asleep at the wheel. An article at PistonHeads look at some methods Mercedes team of experts are testing to accurately determine when a driver is at danger of falling asleep.
Over the course of their investigations, the company's team of engineers, cyberneticists, mathematicians, computer scientists and psychologists is testing out a variety of methods for detecting driver fatigue as soon as it sets in. One of these techniques is the eye-blink observation method: an infrared camera directed at the driver's head permanently monitors the eye-blink frequency, enabling microsleep to be detected the instant the eyes stay closed for a certain period of time. A warning signal sounds in the car's cockpit in response.
In order to obtain objective indicators of fatigue, other physiological readings such as the electroencephalogram (EEG) are used. Yet another method is based on the analysis of dynamic driving data, such as steering or braking characteristics. One of the systems triggers an alarm if the driver does not move the steering wheel for a prolonged period of time.
The article on PistonHeads.com also says research indicates that the early morning hours provide the most danger for sleep-deprivation accidents.
Most road accidents caused by over-fatigue occur in the early hours of the morning between 0200 and 0600 as well as in the afternoon, according to studies carried out by insurance companies in Germany and the Swiss Advisory Agency for Accident Prevention. As well as fatigue, this fact can also be attributed to our biorhythms, as the human body is programmed for sleep and recuperation at these times. Human performance levels drop rapidly after 2200, reaching their lowest point between 0300 and 0400. Performance levels do not return to their maximum until the morning, which is the best time of day for long journeys.
If someone is severly sleep deprived they may have an incident that jerks them awake only to fall asleep again later. If a driver is this tired the best option may be to stop driving and get some well need rest.
If drivers suddenly feel tired, there is only one solution: take a break. Drinking coffee, cola or energy drinks only serves to boost concentration levels briefly and can often leave drivers feeling even more fatigued when the effect wears off. A brisk walk in the fresh air, on the other hand, can often be far more beneficial. However, when it comes to combating fatigue as effectively as possible, nothing can beat a good sleep.
An effective anti-microsleep system will hopefully help to jolt a sleepy driver back awake but it will be up to the sleepy driver to pull off the road and get some sleep before they attempt driving again. (via path -> MedGadget -> Ubergizmo -> Autoblog)
