UVic Engineers Keep Drivers Awake

Drowsy driving is fast becoming a major concern in North America. However, University of Victoria engineering students may have a solution in a unique device that detects when a driver falls asleep at the wheel and quickly produces an audible wake-up alarm. According to the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, fatigue-related crashes accounted for approximately two per cent of the police-reported collisions in B.C. in 2004. Since sleep and fatigue often leave no clues for investigators to trace, Transportation Safety Board of Canada, experts suggest the actual number of fatigue-related collisions may be much higher—as high as 20 per cent to even 40 per cent—making drowsy driving as dangerous as drinking and driving.
    The “Sleep Surveillance System” is just one of 10 projects that will be on display when 22 of UVic’s fourth-year electrical and computer engineering students present their final design projects on Thursday, July 26 at 4 p.m. in the lobby of the Engineering Lab Wing. The local chapter of the international organization, Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, will award the best designs. These projects give senior students an opportunity to practise the skills they’ve learned while at UVic. Some of the students created their designs in partnership with local companies, while others worked solo. For a complete list of projects visit www.ece.uvic.ca/499/ and click on “current projects.”

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