Scientists develop sensor to save children, pets left in vehicles

[Judi Lynn]

11-NOV-2019

UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO



IMAGE: GRADUATE STUDENTS MOSTAFA ALIZADEH, LEFT, AND HAJAR ABEDI POSITION A DOLL, MODIFIED TO SIMULATE BREATHING, IN A MINIVAN DURING TESTING OF A NEW SENSOR. view more

CREDIT: UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO

A small, inexpensive sensor could save lives by triggering an alarm when children or pets are left alone in vehicles.

The new device, developed by researchers at the University of Waterloo, combines radar technology with artificial intelligence (AI) to detect unattended children or animals with 100-per-cent accuracy.

Small enough to fit in the palm of a hand at just three centimetres in diameter, the device is designed to be attached to a vehicle's rear-view mirror or mounted on the ceiling.

It sends out radar signals that are reflected back by people, animals and objects in the vehicle. Built-in AI then analyzes the reflected signals.

More:
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-11/uow-sds110819.php

[emmaverybo]

1. This could work. Auto industry had technology for a warning system, but would not put it in as

a failure would mean they would be liable, like if it malfunctioned, people damaged it somehow.

[dweller]

2. i'm surprised

an adolescent or teenage science buff hasn't already invented a device to
detect this ...

🤔

✌🏼

[Javaman]

3. I had a better idea years ago...

put a weight sensor in the car seat with a proximity alarm.

you leave the car, at a certain distance, a fob on your keychain, with an alarm, goes off.

[cstanleytech]

5. How would the car tell the difference of weight between a person and groceries you may have

left in it or golf clubs in the trunk?

[Javaman]

6. the weight sensor would go in the car seat.

once the kid is put in its activated.

on edit. it would be a different fob than the one the car uses.

[customerserviceguy]

4. We already have all kinds of bells, lights, and whistles

that people ignore routinely.

Anyone who could ignore the fact that their kid is in the car could probably ignore the warning from this sensor.