New bracelet that could prevent car crashes from falling asleep at the wheel

Bracelet is called AdvicyDrive

Smartwatches and bands promise a range of features but the latest has the potential to save your life.

Called AdvicyDrive, the wearable monitors your heart rate while driving to determine how awake you are.

If it detects a drop in heart rate, which suggests you're dozing off, it sounds an alarm on a connected smartphone.

When a person falls to sleep their heart rate drops by up around 10 to 30 beats per minute on average.

To detect the most subtle of these changes, AdvicyDrive uses digital photoplethysmography (PPG) - an imaging test used to detect changes in blood flow at the microvascular level on the skin.

It's typically used to monitor blood flow in people with Raynaud's disease, for example, from their fingers and toes.

The technology shines a green LED onto the skin, and based on the variations in colour that are reflected back, the sensor can detect the heartbeat.

It uses a traffic-light system to monitor the beats and will issue a cautionary warning if it begins to drop into the 'amber' section.

The loud alarm rings when the rate reaches the 'red' zone'.

I actually like this idea. I hope it pans out. I have mild narcolepsy, but not bad enough to take my license away. I just use caution. If I'm tired, everyone knows, I do not get behind the wheel of my car. I used to be prescribed Nuvagil, but now my insurance in this state won't allow it, so I can take it anymore. Now I just take No-Doze. Thankfully I don't take it very often, but I can see this being a promising item for patients like myself who are essentially self-monitoring. That or just driving long hours and worried about falling asleep at the wheel. Is there any among you who might try this out? I'm curious.

Now instead of an interlock device you blow into to prevent drunk driving, they need a steering wheel with sensors to detect alcohol in your blood. They already have TAD (trans-dermal alcohol detectors) in production, how hard would it be to incorporate it into a steering wheel? The steering wheel would take random samples as you drive, and require you to hold the steering wheel for 10-20 seconds before you start the car.

If alcohol is detected, the car won't start -- if you're driving and it detects above .08, a signal is sent to the police with your location.

Imagine the lives saved.

This is just a magnificent idea, actually. Both of them. Now if only they could design a sensor/device to prevent cell phone usage while driving...

originally posted by: Ironhawke
This is just a magnificent idea, actually. Both of them. Now if only they could design a sensor/device to prevent cell phone usage while driving...

My dad has Blue Tooth in his radio, He's constantly on the phone while driving. Even with Blue Tooth, I worry about him, because he doesn't always pay attention to the road. I'll be honest when I say I wait for the day when I get "The Call". My sister as well, too.