Smart Seat

Researchers from the University of Tokyo, Oita University, the Shimane Institute of Health Science and Delta Tooling, an industrial equipment manufacturer, have developed a prototype smart car seat capable of detecting when its occupant is on the verge of falling asleep. They developed a system of sensors that could both detect these changes and be embedded in the seat. The seat is equipped with a pair of pulse-monitoring pressure sensors in the seat-back and a set of respiration-monitoring sensors underneath. The researchers successfully tested the system in a variety of simulated and actual driving conditions, and they claim it works effectively even when the driver is bundled in layers of clothing. This newly developed smart car seat does not require the driver to wear any special hardware, it can detect drowsiness as long as the driver remains in the seat.