Safer driving with new system that allows motorists to keep hands on wheel at all times

A researcher is using computer vision to make it safer for drivers to use their car radio or adjust the heating. A pointing finger is enough to change stations or turn on the air conditioning - and without taking the hands off the wheel.

Dr Stephen McKenna of the University of Dundee told a session at the Festival of Science about computer vision systems, which link video signals with software that can interpret shapes and motion.

He has three projects under way, including a home monitoring system that could be used to monitor elderly persons living alone. The system can "sense what people are doing and monitoring their activity," he said. It can recognise normal motion patterns and differentiate between lack of motion, say during sleep or if the person falls. A second project involves a system that recognises and interprets hand movements and gestures. In this case a person might use the device if they had a disorder that affects movement, such as cerebral palsy. The system would recognise a trigger gesture and then initiate some action as a result, Dr McKenna explained.

The project uses computer vision to reduce the risk of accidents while using "secondary" car systems such as the radio or heating. "They distract you when you are driving," he said and studies show many accidents are caused in this way.

A camera on the dashboard would detect hand and finger movements, Dr McKenna said. The driver could point at a display screen and the system would identify where the driver was pointing and initiate an action such as turning on the radio or the heat. A prototype is currently being tested.