Detecting drowsy driver using pulse sensor

Abstract

The driver’s condition, which involves staying focus on the road, is the most important aspect to consider whenever one is driving. To ignore the importance of this could result in severe physical injuries, deaths and economic losses. Again, previous researches were focused mainly on the physical conditions of the driver; eg movement of head and drowsiness. However, this research is focused on the driver’s heart rate by using an infrared heart-rate sensor or pulse sensor. These sensors are non-intrusively measured heart pulse wave from the driver’s heart. By doing experiment, the results show clear pulse wave signal can be obtained by looking at the low to high frequency (LF/HF ratio) which calculate HRV frequency domain of the driver’s heart rate time series. The LF/HF ratio shows decreasing trends as the drivers go from the state of being awake and alert to the state of drowsiness. Therefore, accidents can be avoided if there is an alert system to keep the drivers alert and focused on the road.