Naobumi Kuboki, Hiroyo Okamura, Takayuki Enomonto, Takuya Nishimoto, Toshikazu Ohue, Kazuyoshi Ando
Abstract
With a view to upgrading the functions of automotive safety systems and driver assistance technology, work is going forward on the development of sensors to make judgments of seat conditions, including the body build of the occupant, and the presence or absence of a child restraint system. Particularly in the U.S. there are demands to reduce injuries inflicted by air bags, and this requires sensors that detect occupant body build, posture, etc. Using a flexible tactile sensor, we have measured data for load distributions applied by car seat occupants and have investigated a method of classifying occupants by body build.
We have verified the accuracy of a method for judging the standing body height of occupants based on peak distance and buttock print width as shown by the loads applied to the seat, and have found that in discriminating between adults and children, an accuracy of about 90% can be obtained.
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