Τεχνολογία που θα επιτρέπει σε ένα αυτοκίνητο να «αντιλαμβάνεται» την συναισθηματική κατάσταση αναπτύσσουν επιστήμονες του MIT media lab (Affective Computing Group), εκτιμώντας ότι ένα όχημα που θα μπορεί να «καταλάβει» πότε ο οδηγός του είναι κουρασμένος ή αγχωμένος θα έχει τη δυνατότητα να βοηθήσει στην πρόληψη τροχαίων ατυχημάτων.
Η ομάδα που βρίσκεται πίσω από το πρόγραμμα (AutoEmotive) κέρδισε το Data Driven Hackaton, καθώς αναδείχθηκε νικήτρια από ένα πάνελ κριτών από το IDEO, το ΜΙΤ και το Volkswagen Group.
"Regardless of the emotional state of drivers, today's cars give the impression of being apathetic and detached. We believe that by installing in-car emotion sensing technologies we can dramatically improve the driving experience, increasing driver safety," the researchers (Javier Hernandez, Daniel McDuff, Judith Amores, Xavier Benavides) state on the project website.
A car that would understand negative emotions on the part of the driver could help prevent an accident by giving warnings. Sensors on the steering wheel and door handles could detect electrical signals from the skin, pressure applied by the driver (a possible sign of stress), or sweating in the palms, while a windscreen camera could analyse facial expressions. At the same time, special sensors would measure (remotely) the heartbeat.
The researchers point out that, depending on the signals it detects, the car will change its "behaviour", for example by increasing the intensity of the light (if it detects that the driver is experiencing tunnel vision) or changing the lighting, temperature and volume of the music inside the vehicle in order to "calm" the driver. The car will also be able to make changes to the music and the GPS voice to respond to the driver's psychological state (for example, by suggesting more "intense" music if it senses that the driver is too tired).
Indications of the driver's emotional state could be displayed to the driver on the dashboard, and the researchers go even further, suggesting that this data could be transmitted to other drivers to make driving safer, or even an "interactive" colour on the car, which would change to "warn" other drivers if they should be more careful about the car in question, for example by keeping a greater distance.
Source: naftemporiki.gr
