Design and Experimental Characterization of a Low-Cost, Real-Time Health Monitoring System for Automotive Applications

Human factors are the leading cause of road transportation accidents, primarily due to driver distractions, drowsiness, fatigue, stress and anxiety. Although significant progress has been made in developing driver monitoring and assistance systems, there is a pressing need for more reliable methodologies that can adapt vehicle safety settings in real-time based on the specific driver's condition. In this context, this paper proposes a low-cost, flexible and affordable system for the real-time monitoring of the driver's health status, through the synchronous acquisition of electrocardiographic (ECG) and photoplethysmographic (PPG) signals and the extraction of heart and breathing rate. Experimental tests are provided to verify the proper working of the developed system, together with its flexibility and reliability under different simulated driving conditions. Even if preliminary, the results are encouraging, suggesting in perspective the possibility of using the proposed system in real driving scenarios to prevent potential accidents due to undesired conditions of either stress or tiredness.