Deemed an industry first, OMRON’s onboard driver monitoring sensor uses three barometers to judge whether the driver is capable of focusing on driving responsibilities:
- whether the driver is observing the vehicle's operation (Eyes ON/OFF)
- how quickly the driver will be able to resume driving (Readiness High/Mid/Low)
- whether the driver is behind the wheel (Seating ON/OFF)
Additionally, the company's OKAO Vision facial image-sensing technology makes it possible to sense the state of the driver even if wearing a mask or sunglasses, something that had previously not been possible.
OMRON developed its driver-monitoring sensor in response to the needs and legislative trends surrounding autonomous driving. The sensor represents further advancement in the onboard sensor with driver concentration-sensing technology that the company announced in June last year.
Primary Features
Technology to date has allowed for judging only one factor: whether the driver is in a condition suitable for safe driving. But now by making advancements in time-series deep learning technology, OMRON has made it possible to simultaneously judge three barometers to determine whether the driver's circumstances allow him/her to focus on driving.
1. Is the driver observing the vehicle's operation? (Eyes ON/OFF)
The Eyes ON/OFF function makes a binary judgment based on the manner in which the driver's eyes are opening and closing and the direction of the eyes to determine whether he/she is focused (ON/OFF) on the direction of the car and its periphery.
2. How quickly will the driver be able to resume driving? (Readiness High/Mid/Low)
The Readiness High/Mid/Low function makes a ternary judgment as to the driver's capacity to resume driving based on what the driver is doing, determining whether he/she is ready to drive immediately (High), able to resume driving momentarily (Mid) or will require some time before resuming driving (Low).
3. Is the driver in the driver's seat? (Seating ON/OFF)
The Seating ON/OFF function makes a binary judgment based on whether the driver is behind the wheel (ON/OFF).
Enhanced recognition accuracy for ascertaining finer details in facial information
Having been working on its OKAO Vision facial image-sensing technology for over 20 years now, OMRON has made further advancement in this by applying time-series deep learning technology to ascertain finer details in facial information. The company has significantly improved recognition accuracy, making it now possible to judge the manner in which the driver's eyes are opening and closing, his/her line of sight and the direction of his/her face -- even if wearing a mask or sunglasses.
Expanded database for handling a wider range of actions and conditions of the driver
By incorporating real-world driving data that cover the issues at hand during vehicle operation and expanding its database, OMRON has accumulated a wealth of information on drivers' various motions and conditions when behind the wheel and enabled the use of this in the company's technology. For more information, contact OMRON Corp., Hoffman Estates, IL. 847-882-2288