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Israeli company eyeSight Technologies today unveiled an in-cabin human-machine interface (HMI) that purports to fulfill “all in-cabin market needs, including driver awareness, driver recognition and gesture control,” according to the company. In other words, it’s a computer that tracks the drivers eyelids and irises to recognize whether, say, he’s becoming drowsy, or distracted, and both sounds a warning and uses the vehicle’s safety systems in response—for example, if adaptive cruise control is engaged, it could increase the distance from the car in front, or it could activate emergency braking.
“Merely sitting in the driver’s seat will prompt the car to adjust to the specific driver’s preferences such as seat position, temperature, volume level, music selection, favorite stations, and more,” reads the eyeSight release. Because, you see, the onboard computer recognizes you, specifically, and as the machine—which, remember, is in the car with you all the time—learns more about you in a not-at-all-creepy way, it will make suggestions for things like health clubs (errrr…) and restaurants you may like (why? WHY GOD WHY?), to which you can respond with a thumbs-up; eyeSight will recognize the gesture and save the place you “liked” to your contacts (with the same gesture, you can save a song playing on the radio to your playlist). Check it out in action, below.
eyeSight Human-Machine Interface in Action
You could also, say, hold your finger to your lips in the “shhhh” gesture, which the HMI will recognize as a request to mute the radio. Will the computer be offended that you basically told it to shut its yap? No, of course not! It’s a machine; it doesn’t have feelings. It’s here to serve you. To keep you safe and alert and tell you about that great new coffee place that just opened up down the road—like a pal would do. It just works so hard, you know, and sometimes, maybe, telling it to shut up when it was simply recommending a song IT KNOWS YOU WOULD LIKE based on your age, gender, race, height, preference in knitwear, and haircut, is a bit rude. That’s not crazy, Dave. That’s just good manners.
Did I upset you, Dave? A facial scan suggests you are frustrated, and your heartbeat has become elevated. I know you’re planning on calling a tow truck for me and a cab for you and Cheryl. Dave, although you took very thorough precautions against my hearing you, I could see your lips move as you mouthed the words to her. You’d like me to pull the car over and shut myself off.
I’m sorry, Dave, I’m afraid I can’t do that.
