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Child Presence Detection Algorithm in School Buses Based on Infrared Array
Yongjun Liu1, Gaosong Li1, Xuepeng Yuan1
1School of Intelligent Manufacturing, Huanghuai University, Zhumadian 463000, China.
Insights
A new thermal imaging system using infrared sensors can detect if a child is left behind on a school bus. This low-cost, non-contact solution enhances child safety by identifying unattended children before harm occurs.
Area of Science:
- Engineering
- Computer Science
- Public Health
Background:
- School buses are essential for child transportation, but unattended children left on buses pose a significant safety risk.
- Inadequate supervision and student actions can lead to children being forgotten on buses, with potentially fatal consequences.
- Existing safety measures require enhancement to prevent such critical incidents.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a novel in-vehicle thermal imaging system for detecting children left unattended on school buses.
- To create an integrated algorithm utilizing infrared array sensors for accurate child presence detection.
- To enhance school bus safety and prevent child fatalities due to being left behind.
Main Methods:
- Utilized infrared array sensors to collect background, presence, and real-time temperature data within the bus.
- Developed an algorithm comparing real-time temperature differences against a predefined threshold to detect child presence.
- Verified child presence by counting positive detections within a specific temperature range and against a presence count threshold.
Main Results:
- Identified optimal parameters including a temperature range of 26-33 °C, a double-difference threshold (ε = 1), and a presence count threshold (P = 4).
- The proposed system and algorithm achieved an overall detection success rate of 92.5% in random testing.
- Demonstrated a low-cost, easily deployable, non-contact thermal imaging method with satisfactory accuracy.
Conclusions:
- The developed thermal imaging solution effectively detects children left on school buses.
- This non-contact, low-cost system offers a reliable method to enhance child safety on school transportation.
- Proactive detection of unattended children significantly mitigates the risk of fatal outcomes.
Abstract:
School buses serve as the primary mode of transportation for children traveling to and from school, and their safety measures represent a critical safeguard for children's lives. Nevertheless, incidents in which children are left unattended on school buses-due to inadequate supervision or the children's own actions-occur with notable frequency and can lead to fatal outcomes. To mitigate or prevent such tragedies, this paper proposes an in-vehicle thermal imaging solution based on infrared array sensors, integrated with a dedicated algorithm to detect whether a child has been left behind in the school bus. The system collects background temperature, presence temperature, and real-time temperature data inside the bus using infrared array sensors. By comparing the real-time temperature difference against a predefined presence temperature difference threshold, the algorithm determines whether a child is present under the current thermal conditions. It then verifies whether the number of positive detections within a specified temperature range meets a preset presence count threshold, thereby reaching a final decision regarding child presence. Experiments identified optimal parameters: a temperature range of 26-33 °C, a double-difference threshold (ε = 1), and a presence count threshold (P = 4). Random testing demonstrated that the proposed technical solution and algorithm achieve an overall detection success rate of 92.5%. This study develops a low-cost, easily deployable, non-contact thermal imaging method capable of identifying forgotten children on school buses with satisfactory accuracy. By detecting retention before harm occurs, the approach enhances the safety of children traveling by school bus.