- Drowsiness is the leading cause of fatal accidents on highways.
- A Lille company and the Lille hospital center have worked on this issue.
- They have developed a solution to prevent this phenomenon well in advance.
Sleeping is sometimes dying. Falling asleep at the wheel is the leading cause of fatal accidents on highways, before alcohol and speeding. A phenomenon that spares no one and against which there is no 100% effective weapon. Any ? Maybe more. Supported by the work of scientists from the Lille University Hospital Center (CHU), the Lille company Core claims to have developed a system to prevent drowsiness.
Drowsiness is a phenomenon that causes periods of microsleep that last between one and four seconds. Lying on the couch is no problem. Driving a moving vehicle can be fatal for yourself and others. "It is even more striking for road professionals such as truck drivers," says Nicolas Vera, CEO of Core.
An algorithm used to measure pain in operating theaters
In 2015, the founders of Core developed a system to measure people's stress and comfort levels using their heart rate. The algorithm is used in particular by anesthesiologists to assess the level of pain of patients in operating theaters. "We thought that it could be as effective in preventing falling asleep at the wheel," says Nicolas Vera.
To put it simply, a sensor analyzes the heart rate, transforms it into physiological data which is then exploited by the algorithm developed by Core. "It helps to prevent between 10 and 20 minutes before drowsiness occurs and it works 100%," insists the DG. The sensor can be contained in a cuff or a watch. It is linked to a smartphone application that will warn the driver. "It can also be connected directly to the vehicle to interact with, for example, lighting, temperature or light and wake up the driver or bring him to park," imagines Nicolas Vera.
Initially, this system mainly targets professionals, such as road transporters. “On average, a non-fatal accident costs a transport company nearly 130,000 euros. Our system is a good investment in terms of security but also of image and profitability for the company ”, insists the CEO of Core. These arguments have already won over many logistics professionals, particularly in the North. The idea of diversifying to the general public is in the pipes of Lille society, but not for now.
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- Truckers
- Accident
- Road safety
- Lille
- High-Tech