3D interior sensing for enhanced driver monitoring

The ICARUS: Structured Light Evaluation Kit is a proof-of-concept that leverages existing architecture inside a vehicle to efficiently and cost-effectively provide high-performance 3D sensing capabilities for driver monitoring (DMS) and Occupant Monitoring (OMS).

Driver monitoring continues in importance as it is a key factor in helping to create a safer road environment. Through monitoring the driver ́s actions, technology in the vehicle could be able to determine if the driver is tired or distracted and send a warning. In addition, it can provide more driving comfort, which in turn often leads to less distraction.

ICARUS combines Smart Eye interior sensing software with AO’s dot illumination technology to generate a more accurate depth map of the driver using a structured light method. AO’s dot illuminator installs on top of conventional flood illumination mechanisms, and when integrated with Smart Eye’s Human Insight AI-driven software, the DMS can support valuable new features with high precision including augmented reality heads-up display (AR-HuD), secure driver authentication, and advanced body position to further enhance road safety by delivering inputs to airbag deployment decisions and pre- crash safety measures.

ICARUS is simple, easy to install, and serves as a low-cost upgrade for existing near infrared-based DMS hardware. It only requires the addition of an AO dot illuminator to function. By building the evaluation kit to be compatible with existing 2D architecture, Smart Eye and AO provide automotive OEMs and Tier One suppliers with the maximum amount of value without overhauling an entire system.

“We’re excited to collaborate with ams OSRAM on this innovative proof-of-concept. Driver monitoring is an essential function in new and existing vehicles on the road today,” says Henrik Lind, Chief Research Officer at Smart Eye. “This technology is critical to progressing interior sensing technology during a time when demand from automakers for intelligent DMS is rapidly accelerating. Smart Eye’s human-centric approach, combined with AO’s technology, allows us to explore the boundaries of AI-based automotive technologies and inspire a future of innovative mobility advancements.”

Firat Sarialtun, Global Segment Manager for In-Cabin Sensing at ams OSRAM, commented: “Structured light sensing technology is proven in the consumer market, where it is used for instance for secure face authentication in mobile phones. Previously in the automotive world, however, 3D sensing has only been implemented with dedicated indirect time-of- flight (iToF) cameras. By combining our accurate depth maps generated by the ams OSRAM platform with Smart Eye’s robust, reliable, and road-tested DMS, ICARUS can support the most advanced DMS features to improve the driving experience with the addition of just a single laser component.”

Smart Eye will demonstrate the ICARUS evaluation kit at its booth during the InCabin Event in Brussels, Belgium on September 15, 2022.