This ‘transparent tech’ from Continental monitors the vital parameters of passengers

In January, Continental presented a display novelty at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas which recently won a CES Innovation Award Honoree.
The Invisible Biometrics Sensing Display tracks the vital parameters of persons inside the vehicle using a camera and a laser projector installed behind the dashboard display to support a wide range of safety and comfort functions.
The technology detects the passengers inside the car through a high-resolution OLED screen, meaning it is completely invisible to the naked eye.
The innovative display offers a lot of other advantages also – for example, it features 3D distance mapping to optimise the deployment of airbags and other restraint devices and check the correct fastening of seat belts.
In addition, the Invisible Biometrics Sensing Display, which was developed together with trinamiX, a leading provider of biometric solutions and BASF subsidiary, enables contactless monitoring of vital parameters such as heart rate to identify stressful situations or an impending medical emergency in the driver’s seat.
A corresponding safety feature installed in the vehicle can be triggered if needed to protect the occupants as well as other road users.
“Our expertise allows us to seamlessly integrate pioneering technologies into our display solutions and thus enhance the range of functions offered and create added value,” Continental Head of the User Experience (UX) business area, Pavel Prouza, said.
In the run-up to the Consumer Electronics Show, described as “the world’s preeminent technology trade show,” Continental received the CES Innovation Award Honoree in the “Vehicle Tech and Advanced Mobility” category for its intelligent display solution.
“The award underlines our extensive technical expertise in user experience,” Pavel said.
“By installing the camera and laser dot projector invisibly behind the display, we will unlock completely new creative possibilities for designers of car interiors and boost acceptance among users.”
The Invisible Biometrics Sensing Display captures a number of key data points that are relevant for interpreting driver monitoring systems. It therefore provides an innovative all-in-one solution that is invisible to the naked eye, says Continental.
A 1.5 MP near infrared camera and an eye-safe laser dot projector are embedded behind the high-resolution OLED screen to monitor vital parameters.
The underlying biometric imaging technology was developed by technology partner trinamiX. The process captures the reflections of the light points emitted by the laser dot projector in the invisible light spectrum to derive results with the help of algorithms based on artificial intelligence.
The solution also provides other relevant information, including the distance of the driver to the cockpit or the classification of textile materials, which are needed to identify whether the seat belt has been fastened correctly.
“Our biometric imaging technology is ideally suited for use in car interiors,” trinamiX Director Consumer Electronics North America and Europe, Wilfried Hermes, said.
“The ability to monitor vital signs and other relevant passenger data without physical interaction and using just a single hardware module is unique on the market. We are delighted to be able to offer this solution together with Continental.”

For more information, visit www.continental.com