A real-time heart-rate monitor using non-contact electrocardiogram for automotive drivers

A large number of vehicle accidents and its associated human fatalities occur throughout the world due to drowsiness or health-related issues of the driver. Such mis-happenings can be reduced by integrating a driver-health monitor into the automotive. Different techniques such as camera-based image processing, photoplethysmograph, electroencephalograph, etc. have been employed to develop driver-state monitors. They use either multiple electrodes or require direct optical contact with the human body or need complex signal conditioning algorithms. In this paper, we develop a basic framework in the direction of developing a simple real-time heart-rate (HR) monitoring system using non-contact capacitive electrocardiograph (ECG). The system uses of an electrode structure which can be integrated within a steering wheel and simple, low-cost signal processing blocks. The system efficiency is verified through extensive testing on a number of volunteers in multiple scenarios and multiple electrode configurations with respect to the steering wheel. These tests show that the proposed system gives good quality ECG signals and estimates HR with good accuracy. The capability of the system as a reliable drowsiness monitor is also tested and encouraging results are obtained.