Seeing Machines unveils new driver monitoring chip

Designer and developer of vision-based driver monitoring systems, Seeing Machines, announced the introduction of its first generation FOVIO embedded hardware chip on Thursday.

The AIM-traded company described the chip as a “world first” in DMS performance and price-optimised hardware platforms, that will deliver physiological and psychometric monitoring to passenger cars, commercial transport and ultimately for the ‘internet of things’ and artificial intelligence applications.

With the company's current contracted OEM vehicle deliveries scheduled to launch in 2017, the board said the development allows it to begin the next stages of automotive accreditation of the FOVIO chip in preparation for inclusion in vehicles produced as early as 2018.

Seeing Machines explained that the decision to embed its head and eye behaviour monitoring and interpretation software into an automotive grade chip will reduce substantially the overall cost and time-to-market of DMS deployment by automotive manufacturers and tier one suppliers, to a level that facilitates mass-market uptake.

The flexible processing chip will also become the core of Seeing Machines' next generation ‘Guardian’ fleet product range, and be made available through the company’s own channels to industry partners and third parties for application in commercial and public transport sectors.

“I am delighted to announce the introduction of our FOVIO DMS chip which, as a world first, further cements Seeing Machines' position as global leader in the Driver Monitoring industry,” said CEO Ken Kroeger.

“The FOVIO chip will reduce greatly the cost of DMS deployment, helping to accelerate not just our growth but mass market uptake of DMS technology in general.

“This product will become the key offering of our new stand-alone automotive business that is currently being structured and staffed.”