Feeling sleepy behind the wheel? AI can tell

Feeling sleepy behind the wheel? A new Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based system developed by Mahatma Gandhi University can spot driver fatigue in real time, sending instant alerts to prevent accidents.

For the innovation, the university has now been granted a patent by the government of India. Named ‘A Drowsiness Detection System,’ the system has been developed by Pushpalatha K.P., Vineeth Vijayan, and a research scholar, all from the School of Computer Sciences.

According to the researchers, the mechanism aims at tackling driver fatigue, which is is one of the biggest challenges in road safety. Using a metric-learning architecture, it analyses subtle visual cues like changes in facial expressions and eye movements to spot the earliest signs of drowsiness.

“The system works in real time, issuing warnings within milliseconds to alert drivers before fatigue becomes dangerous. Advanced AI technologies also help reduce false alarms and improve accuracy. The invention has strong potential for real-world testing across a variety of driving conditions,” they explained.

Adaptive module

The next step in the project is to develop an adaptive module that strengthens the interaction between the driver and the vehicle. This will allow the system to adjust its responses depending on the driver’s condition and the surrounding environment, transforming drowsiness detection from a simple alert into a smart, proactive accident-prevention tool.

The technical excellence of the system has been validated through comparisons with multiple international patents, including those from the United States. Recognising its social significance, it has also received seed funding from the Research Innovation Network Kerala (RINK) under the Kerala Startup Mission.