In the U.S., 751 children have died of heatstroke in cars since 1998.Getty Researchers at the University of Waterloo in Ontario have developed an inexpensive sensor that triggers an alarm when children or pets are left behind in vehicles.Some vehicles currently warn drivers to check the rear seat when they exit the vehicle the system is triggered when the rear doors are opened before driving, suggesting a child might be buckled into a seat but dont actually detect if anyones there.In the U.S., its estimated an average of 38 children die each year of heatstroke after they’ve been forgotten and left behind in a hot car. In 2018 the number was 51, the highest on record.The Waterloo project was partly funded by a major automotive parts manufacturer and could be on the market by the end of 2020. It uses radar technology combined with artificial intelligence, and its inventors say it can detect unattended children or animals with 100-per-cent accuracy.The tiny sensor is designed to mount in the ceiling or on the rearview mirror. It sends out radar signals that are reflected back by both live and inanimate objects in the vehicle, and can penetrate the seats to look for rear-facing child seats. The AI then analyzes the signals and looks for breathing movements. If a child or pet is detected, the system sounds an alarm and prevents the doors from locking. Graduate students Mostafa Alizadeh, left, and Hajar Abedi position a doll, modified to simulate breathing, in a minivan during testing of a new sensor. University of Waterloo It addresses a serious, worldwide problem, said George Shaker, an engineering professor at the university, who said the system is so affordable it could become standard equipment in all vehicles.Because the device determines how many people are in the vehicle and where they are sitting, the information could also potentially be used to qualify for carpool lanes or toll rates. The researchers are also exploring the ability to monitor the drivers vital signs to look for distraction, impairment, fatigue or
Origin: Canadian university working on radar to detect kids forgotten in back seats