Continuous monitoring of heart rate variability and haemodynamic stability of an automobile driver to prevent road accidents

A methodology to continuously monitor the heart rate variability (HRV) and haemodynamic stability of an automobile driver is essential for both the driver and the co-passengers. In this paper, we discuss the maximum physiological parameters that an oximeter installed in the steering wheel of an automobile can measure. A pulse oximeter which is normally used for measuring blood oxygen saturation is exposed to magnetic fields to obtain the blood viscosity, which is an essential parameter to keep the body haemodynamically stable. RGB color band analysis is made on the oximeter output in order to obtain the electro-cardiac signals from the Green band. Measurement of respiration rate is done by amplitude and frequency modulation of the light signal [1]. In case of cardiac arrest, the vehicle is changed to cruise control mode and the measured parameters will be sent to any nearby hospitals for assistance using GPS. The RFID tags are also used to communicate to the nearby vehicles to alert other drivers for emergency assistance. Each and every vehicle is equipped with automatic external defibrillator (AED) with detailed instructions on how to operate the AED, in order to defibrillate a person in cardiac arrest.