FOCUS+ – a wearable device that has been designed to detect the onset of fatigue in tram drivers – has delivered excellent results in independent tests which were commissioned by UKTram. The tests have shown that the technology has an accuracy rate of over 98%.
The technology has been developed by Integrated Human Factors and was introduced after an initial Driver Innovation Safety Challenge (DISC), involving City of Edinburgh Council, Transport for Edinburgh, Edinburgh Trams and the Scotland Can Do Fund. Trials of the device have been undertaken since which has demonstrated the potential for FOCUS+ to reduce the risk of accidents by alerting control room operators of driver fatigue.
James Hammett, Managing Director of UKTram, said: “The independent testing report confirms the potential of FOCUS+. In the future, it could play a key role in fatigue management system guidance, ensuring the well-being and safety of network employees and their passengers.”
Neil Clark, CEO of IHF Limited, said: “We were proud to have been selected to develop this cutting-edge wearable technology as part of the DISC project. FOCUS+ was three years in the making, having evolved using a combination of data analytics, biometrics and Human Factors-best practice approach to safety.
“It represents a significant leap forward in proactive fatigue monitoring and workplace safety. I am excited that we have had the system endorsed by the LRSSB and can now go on and fully commercialise the system. We have already had inquiries from as far away as Australia, with its versatility making it a consideration for many hazardous sectors.”
The prototype FOCUS+ device features a sophisticated array of five biometric sensors that continuously monitor the wearer’s vital signs, creating a personalised biometric profile over time. These sensors measure heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, skin temperature, electrocardiogram and galvanic skin response. This then enables the device to detect variations from the wearer’s baseline, providing real-time, colour-coded alerts for both the user and a control room or a supervisor.
The Light Rail Safety and Standards Board have also played a key role in the project by assessing algorithms used to underpin the system. Carl Williams, LRSSB Chief Executive, said: “To establish the 98 per cent accuracy of the algorithms used to assess the data is certainly a remarkable achievement. It clearly illustrates the potential of the devices and the underlying software to effectively detect driver fatigue in real-world situations and to further enhance light rail safety.”