Semiconductor solutions provider Omnivision and Dutch health technology company Philips have developed a prototype of an in-cabin driver health and well-being monitoring system.
The prototype monitors vital signs such as pulse and breathing rate, using Philips’ vital signs camera for automotive software with Omnivision’s OX05B1S CMOS image sensor.
The data can be used for customising comfort settings while driving, such as intelligently adapting media, climate, lighting, seating, engine modes, scent and more.
Also, the data can be used for timed delivery of vehicle notifications or make adaptive route and break suggestions.
The two companies plan to showcase their in-cabin monitoring solution at AutoSens Europe, held in Palau de Congressos, Barcelona, Spain.
Omnivision senior automotive marketing manager Ritesh Agarwal said: “Automotive OEMs are continuously looking to add value and differentiate their brands by adding novel features that increase the comfort level in cars.
“We have partnered with Philips, a renowned health and well-being technology software provider, to develop vital signs monitoring solution particularly tailored to the automotive industry, which has the potential to be connected to the comfort and safety settings of the car.
“This in-cabin solution will bring added value to automotive consumers and shorten time to market for tier-one automotive OEMs.”
Omnivision’s OX05B1S is a 5MP RGB‑IR backside illuminated (BSI) global shutter sensor that features Nyxel technology.
The technology uses novel silicon semiconductor architectures and processes to achieve the top quantum efficiency at the 940 nm near-infrared (NIR) wavelength.
Also, it allows OX05B1S to detect objects that other image sensors would miss under extremely low lighting conditions, enabling high-performance in-cabin camera capabilities.
Omnivision said that its advanced AI-enabled OAX4600 image signal processor easily processes the data from the image sensor for the med-tech system.
Philips EMEA business development manager Laurens Pronk said: “By collaborating with OmniVision, we have demonstrated that camera sensors already available in the automotive industry are capable of accurately measuring vital signs such as pulse rate and breathing rate.
“Philips has over 20 years of experience in developing and clinically validating patented vital signs monitoring algorithms for various sensor technologies.
“We have partnered with OmniVision, an industry leader in in-cabin automotive image sensors, to leverage our joint capabilities and demonstrate this state-of-the-art technology during AutoSens Europe.”
Earlier this year, the US-based Catholic health system Bon Secours Mercy Health (BSMH) entered a collaboration with Philips to improve its patient monitoring.
