Monitoring Driver’s Heart Rate Response Using Heart Rate Detection Device (HDD)

Introduction: Drowsiness driving is one factor contributing to road accidents resulting in fatalities of drivers and passengers. However, a warning system device to alert drivers about the drowsiness level has never been appropriately developed. This study aims to create a heart rate detection device that monitors drivers’ heart rate and notify them about their drowsiness, which will, in the long term can help to reduce the number of road accidents due to drowsiness. Methods: In this experimental research, ten participants (Mean Age= 24 Years-Old, SD=0.4) were attached to the developed heart rate detection device on the steering wheel of a driving simulator. The participants underwent four 30-min sessions on the driving simulator sessions and heart rate reading throughout the driving period to obtain the heart rate mean value from the first three sessions. The obtained heart rate mean value was set as a threshold value so that the alarm will trigger if the value of heart rate falls below the threshold value in the fourth session. Results: The results showed that the respondents’ average heart rate (bpm) decreased gradually the longer time they drove the car simulator. This study also revealed that the heart rate detection device successfully monitored the driver’s heart rate and notified them when they were at drowsiness level. Conclusion: Overall, the device should be more user friendly by improving the sensitivity of sensors in all parts of the steering wheel for better data collection.