The Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, has come up with ways to check the alertness of locomotive pilots, both before and while they are at the wheel. This comes at a time when Indian Railways is battling the challenge of trains wrongly or dangerously crossing signals, resulting in avoidable rail accidents.
A tamper-proof device for the online monitoring of drowsiness can be used for real-time assessment of a loco pilot’s alertness based on the analysis of normal and near-infrared facial images.
Drowsiness metric
According to IIT-Kharagpur electrical engineering professor Aurobinda Routray, the device uses a camera to capture images of the loco pilot’s face to compute a metric of drowsiness by observing the dynamics of eyelid motion. “In the event of loss of attention, it will sound an alarm and can also send an alert to the control room. The algorithm residing on the processor computes the percentage of eye closure over time, and based on a predetermined threshold, the driver is declared as drowsy,” he explained.
The gadget consists of an embedded computing unit, a camera, a near-infrared lighting facility, and a warning system. It is a completely non-invasive solution that will not interfere with drivers’ operations, and its installation will not require any significant changes to existing ergonomics. The proposed system is tamper-proof and can easily be interfaced to any communication network, Prof. Routray said.
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Assessing alertness
Another tool will help assess the fitness of loco pilots before they join duty for their shift. Fatigue, stress, sleep deprivation, and alcohol consumption are among the factors that can lead to a loss of attention in loco pilots. IIT-Kharagpur’s proposed alertness test system will help to screen pilots before boarding and check if they are fit for a 10-hour driving schedule.
This assessment tool uses the parameters of eye movements (a physiological measure), as well as the response time displayed in a psychomotor reaction test (a psychological measure).
“The eye movements are recorded using electrooculography (EOG) signals, which essentially give the voltage difference between the cornea and retina of the eye. A special spectacle has been designed by us to accommodate the electrodes. This arrangement makes it comfortable for the user to wear it while his EOG signals are recorded and relayed to the gaming computer,” Prof. Routray said.
To perform the test, a loco pilot will be asked to sit comfortably on a chair and wear spectacles containing electrodes. The pilot will then be asked to perform a psychomotor vigilance task in a kiosk for about three to five minutes.
“The EOG and game response data, being indicators of alertness, are then fed to a decision maker, who finally decides the vigilance of the subject and gives a decision about the readiness to drive,” said Prof. Routray, who has developed these tools along with IIT Guwahati assistant professor Anirban Dasgupta. Both systems have been presented to the Ministry of Railways for consideration, he added.
