A Bracelet That Can "Steer" You Away From Sleep While Driving | TechTree.com

A Bracelet That Can "Steer" You Away From Sleep While Driving

A soon-to-be-launched device will not allow drivers to fall asleep on the wheel, thus reducing one of the most common causes for road accidents and fatalities.

 

Imagine you’re on your way to that weekend holiday destination. You start the drive early in the morning in order to ensure that you spend the best of the extended weekend with your family and friends. However, overnight stress makes you tired and you either stop for numerous stimulants to stave off sleep or risk your life and those of others in your vehicle.

A technology pioneered by two young researchers – Vlad Ilyin and Maria Fedoseyeva – has resulted in a bracelet that helps drivers from falling asleep while driving their vehicle. The product, imaginatively named Steer, detects the levels of drowsiness by analyzing the driver’s heart rate and skin conductance, and warns them of impending sleepiness.

In fact, besides warning the driver about the fact that she / he is drowsy; Steer actually wakes them up, thus ensuring that they stay safe and continue the journey. The bracelet is intended for all drivers and anyone who suffers from sleep deprivation from time to time.

The Background

Each day, there are millions of people who move from one place to another in their vehicles. Some travel short distances while others need to drive for long. However, only a small percentage of these people are aware of how dangerous it is to drive while feeling tired.

In fact, global data trends suggest that drivers who continue to drive while tired are involved in more accidents and fatalities than those who drive under the influence of alcohol.

Global driving data estimates that over 3.2 Lakh car accidents are caused by driver fatigue while 25 per cent of all accidents are caused by drivers falling asleep on the wheels resulting in as many as 30,000 mortalities.

While driving drowsy, the driver is very vulnerable to "micro-sleep". Micro-sleep can last for up to 30 seconds, and when it occurs, the driver is unconscious and does not respond to any environmental sensors, such as sound or light. Micro-sleep is often a result of sleep deprivation, but also often occurs while driving monotonously for a long time.

How does Steer help?

Steer prevents the driver from experiencing micro-sleep at the very first signs of tiredness, making them much safer on the road. The device uses 16 highly accurate sensors, which measure the driver's heart rate and his skin conductance (galvanic reaction of the skin).
The technology being used in these sensors is the same that is used in polygraph (lie detector) tests by the police, but society had very little access to them in dealing with global problems such as drowsiness behind the wheel.

When the driver switch on Steer, for a minute it analyzes your normal heart rate and skin conductance, and then it refers to these indicators to determine whether or not you are getting tired. The device assesses the driver’s condition every two seconds and when it detects a decrease in the heart rate by 10 units, Steer will release a strong vibration and a yellow light.

When the driver’s heart rate decreases by 3 more units and skin conductance also goes down, it would mean that the driver is close to sleep, at which point Steer will wake her / him up with a gentle electric shock.

As a result of these simulations, the levels of serotonin, noradrenaline, and cortisol in the body increases, and the level of ‘sleeping hormone’ melatonin goes down. These changes will the driver feel fresher and less drowsy and cause the heart rate to become normal.

The Steer Specs

Steer is made from high quality, durable, hypoallergenic plastic. It has an elegant, yet minimalistic design that should suit every style of automobile drivers. The strap is easily adjustable to any arm size.

The product has a battery capacity of 500 mAh with a life of two weeks of usage or 30 days of inactivity. It takes about one hour to charge using a micro USB cable, which is part of the product package.

The Steer bracelet will keep you awake much better than two to three cups of coffee or canned energy drink or even loud music that is put on to distract from sleep, says co-founder Vlad Ilyin. It is safer, more effective and more reliable, he says, adding, “with Steer, you will become much safer on the road and we really want you to be safe.”

For more details, visit the Kickstarter page of Steer - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/creativemode/steer-you-will-never-fall-asleep-while-driving


TAGS: Kickstarter, Steer Bracelet

 
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