Detecting human driver´s physiological stress and emotions using sophisticated one-person cockpit vehicle simulator

Emotions and stress play a significant role in the genesis of car accidents and it is believed that the immediate history of an accident is characterized by conditions such as anxiety, nervousness, distraction or similar emotions. This paper briefly describes how the Transportation Informatics Research Group at the University of Klagenfurt uses biometric devices to measure physiological signals, which are then processed for emotion- and stress detection in various real-driving conditions. Core of this research is a sophisticated driving simulator that is used to provoke/induce stress and emotions within a controlled and safe laboratory setup.