Insights

Sleep is having a moment. We’ve recently seen prominent documentaries released on sleep, the emergence of sleep influencers on social media platforms, and even sleep tourism! Yes, it’s a thing. A strong driver of this increased interest is the emergence of smart devices that let people track their sleep. These devices are giving many of...

Vale Murray Johns (1937-2025) Dear Valued Customers and Partners, It is with deep sorrow and a heavy heart that I announce the passing of our visionary founder, Dr. Murray Johns, on Thursday 2nd January 2025. Murray was not only the motivating force behind the creation of Optalert, he was a pioneer in the field of...

In the final post in our three-part series about alcohol impairment, we argue that vision-based driver monitoring systems (DMSs) can accurately detect driver impairment, but not BAC.  Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is the prevailing metric to classify a driver as unfit to drive. However, our research shows that impairment persists long after BAC declines, as...

In the second article in our three-part series on alcohol impairment, we unveil the discovery of a new biomarker: the Optalert Intoxication Scale. Optalert’s algorithm detects alcohol-related driver impairment in real-time, unlocking a new chapter in road safety. Our first article detailed how impairment persists for hours after blood alcohol concentration (BAC) declines.  The study...

In the first of our three-part series about driver intoxication, we reveal how impairment persists for hours after blood alcohol concentration falls. BAC peaked 1.5 hours after drinking alcohol, while impairment peaked at the five-hour mark. Understanding the relationship between blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and impairment is critical to improving road safety and moving us...

What is relative risk? Risk is the probability that an adverse event will occur. In the context of road safety, this refers to the risk of a traffic accident or fatality. As a driver becomes impaired by intoxication, drowsiness, or another factor, their risk of an accident increases. To quantify this increase, we look at:...

In the automotive sector, some engineering teams have developed driver monitoring systems (DMSs) that attempt to detect the driver yawning as a proxy for drowsiness. This is not only ineffective, but likely increases the risk of an accident due to drowsiness. Yawning is commonly associated with someone being tired or bored. However, recent research tells...

This year, I have spoken with key decision makers in nearly every major automaker and driver monitoring system (DMS) supplier. Within our team at Optalert, we have a very clear position on driver monitoring: If a driver is objectively impaired (whether by drowsiness, intoxication, or anything else), there must be an intervention. If they are...

From mid-2024, all new models of passenger vehicles in Europe require a driver monitoring system (DMS) that can detect drowsiness. Engineering teams across the automotive industry have scrambled to learn about the science of drowsiness and develop systems that can detect it in drivers. Each of these systems then needs to be validated and shown...

From mid-2024, all new models of passenger vehicles in Europe require a driver monitoring system (DMS) that can detect drowsiness. Engineers across the automotive industry have generally used one of three ground truths to measure drowsiness in drivers. Ground truth Description  JDS  Johns Drowsiness Scale Eyelid movements are a window into the cognitive state of...