On-Road Evaluation of Unobtrusive In-Car Respiration Monitoring

Abstract

This paper introduces and evaluates an innovative sensor for unobtrusive in-car respiration monitoring, mounted on the backrest of the driver’s seat. The sensor seamlessly integrates into the vehicle, measuring breathing rates continuously without requiring active participation from the driver. The paper proves the feasibility of unobtrusive in-car measurements over long periods of time. Operation of the sensor was investigated over 12 participants sitting in the driver seat. A total of 107 min of driving in diverse conditions with overall coverage rate of 84.45% underscores the sensor potential to reliably capture physiological changes in breathing rate for fatigue and stress detection.