Thermal Sense 司機監測介面 by Zeyuan Zhang and Xuechun Tao is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 A' Design Award 銅獎 in 介面、互動及用戶體驗設計 Competition Category.
銅介面· 2025
Thermal Sense 司機監測介面
by Zeyuan Zhang and Xuechun Tao
Client: Tick Design Labs (Shanghai)
A' Design Award 銅獎 Winner in 介面 Category
Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #165869The Design
About Thermal Sense 司機監測介面
Book Text: Thermal Sense係一款汽車司機監測介面。Thermal Sense用低解像度嘅熱感應器取代咗一般車內攝影機，淨係記錄熱能圖案，唔會產生任何可辨識嘅影像。感應器模組尺寸為40 x 30 x 20毫米，安裝喺倒後鏡上，可以廣泛覆蓋車廂範圍。神經網絡會分析眼睛閉合頻率同頭部動作，用嚟偵測瞌睡、分心同埋車廂內有冇小朋友。安全警示可以喺100毫秒內發出，同時喺數據層面保障用戶私隱。
The Recognition
About the A' Design Award 銅獎
Thermal Sense 司機監測介面是 A' Design Award 銅獎得主，這是授予以創造力、獨創性和敏銳見長的傑出設計的極具聲望的認可。銅獎得主是技藝嫻熟、創意驚人的作品，印證了其設計師豐富的經驗、想像力與機智。預計Thermal Sense 司機監測介面將成為一件備受推崇、令人欽佩且被珍愛的物品，兼具顯著的專業性與創新性。這件贏得 A' Design Award 銅獎的設計融入藝術、科學、設計和技術領域的最佳實踐，並因注重細節而出類拔萃。Thermal Sense 司機監測介面出色地滿足需求，觸動渴望，迷住情感，並吸引好奇心。
Behind the Design
Press Kit
Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.
- Unique Properties
- With the increasing requirement for in-car cameras to monitor drivers and support assisted driving systems, Thermal Sense offers a groundbreaking alternative. It replaces traditional cameras with low-resolution thermal sensors, capturing only heat signatures to eliminate privacy risks. This system ensures data-level privacy while detecting drowsiness, distractions, and child presence using advanced machine learning. By prioritizing safety and privacy, Thermal Sense sets a new benchmark.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- The thermal sensor module measures 40mm x 30mm x 20mm and is mounted discreetly on the rearview mirror for optimal cabin coverage. It features a low-resolution array of 32x32 pixels with a thermal sensitivity of ± 0.1°C. The system operates in real-time with a latency of under 100ms, powered by a custom hardware platform integrating convolutional neural network architectures. The package is lightweight, energy-efficient, and optimized for seamless automotive integration.
- Tags
- thermal imaging, privacy monitoring, driver analysis, cabin safety, thermal sensors, non-invasive, AI
- Production Technology
- Thermal Sense integrates a thermal sensor at the rearview mirror for wide-angle cabin coverage. Sourced with customized original equipment manufacturer specifications, the sensor detects minute thermal variations, ensuring high sensitivity for monitoring physiological parameters. Advanced convolutional neural network process thermal data, analyzing key indicators like eye closure rates and head movements. A robust real-time pipeline enhances image quality, extracts features, and provides immediate safety alerts.
- Design Challenge
- Limited availability of high-quality, low-cost thermal sensors and real-time processing technology were overcome through iterative testing and collaboration with original equipment manufactures and artificial intelligence experts.
- Research
- Using an in-between method, we cross-compared the thermal sensor approach with traditional cameras for measuring driver behavior. Controlled experiments with 50 participants assessed drowsiness and distractions. Results showed no significant performance difference between the two methods. This demonstrates that the thermal approach is as effective as cameras while eliminating privacy concerns, making it a superior, privacy-conscious solution.
- Inspiration
- Inspired by advancements in thermal imaging and the need for privacy-focused solutions, Thermal Sense addresses mandatory driver monitoring requirements without compromising identity. Research shows the efficacy of thermal sensors in detecting behavior and ensuring safety. By eliminating human-identifiable color images, it prioritizes privacy while monitoring driver attention, passenger activity, and child presence.
- Project Duration
- The project commenced in January 2023 in Shanghai, China, and was completed in October 2024. Research, development, and testing phases were conducted in collaboration with leading automotive technology innovation labs.
- Operation Flow
- Thermal Sense operates seamlessly in the background, using a thermal sensor to monitor the cabin without capturing identifiable images. Installed on the rearview mirror, it detects heat patterns to identify driver drowsiness, distractions, or child presence. The system provides real-time alerts, ensuring safety without compromising privacy. Its unobtrusive design and precise detection deliver reliable results, creating a safer and more privacy-conscious driving experience.
- Patents
- Copyrights belong to Zeyuan Zhang, and Tick Design Labs (Shanghai)
- Team Members
- Lead Designer: Zeyuan Zhang
Lead Designer: Xuechun Tao
Lead Designer: Yangyi Tai - Image Credits
- All Image: Zeyuan Zhang
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