Plastic optical fiber sensor for measuring driver-gripping force

Abstract

This study presents a plastic optical fiber (POF) sensor for measuring the driver's gripping force applied to a steering wheel. This sensor consists of a POF wound around the steering wheel covered with a soft material. The sensing method is based on the bending radiation loss of the POF induced by the driver's gripping force applied to the steering wheel. The bending radiation loss is proportional to the gripping force, and the response time of the POF sensor is about 2 s. The experimental results show that a POF sensor can be effective for monitoring the driver gripping force, and hence driver fatigue.