Staying Awake: Embedded Vision Assistance Keeps Drivers From Making A Big Mistake

Back in mid-November, I discussed taxicab drivers' backlash at the increasing presence of cameras inside vehicles...ostensibly for driver safety reasons (to compel would-be evildoers to suppress their urges, or at minimum to capture in-progress crime evidence for subsequent prosecution) but (the drivers believe) also for Big Brother employee monitoring purposes.

Such cameras aren't restricted solely to taxi cabs, of course, and as a late November Engadget writeup points out, they can be quite valuable:

Tobii has unveiled its new technology that detects drowsiness and distraction in on-board driver safety systems. The platform is based on the company's advanced eye tracking tech to bolster automobile safety on the highways and byways. The system detects eyes of all shapes, sizes, and colors -- without calibration -- even if the driver is wearing glasses or a pair of Ray Ban shades.

A constant stream of data communicates to the watchman the driver's condition, regardless of changes in environment or if the person behind the wheel takes a quick peek out the window. Tobii isn't looking to stop here either, as it says eye control of in-cabin infotainment systems is within reach.

As the Engadget writeup notes, Tobii's technology detects more than just impending driver slumber; it also discerns if your teenager (or heaven forbid, you) is paying more attention to the texts and emails on your smartphone than on the road ahead. For more, check out this promotional video: