It is estimated that between four to eight million older adults in the United States who are experiencing mild cognitive impairment are currently behind the wheel. Remarkably, a third of these individuals are at risk of developing dementia within the next five years. As dementia progresses, it eventually impairs the ability to drive safely, yet many of these individuals remain oblivious to their deteriorating cognitive health.
The capacity for current driving screening and evaluation services to assess individuals with cognitive concerns is limited, leaving many undiagnosed who need to understand whether they require medical intervention.
Researchers from a multidisciplinary team at Florida Atlantic University, encompassing fields such as nursing, engineering, and neuropsychology, are pioneering the evaluation and testing of a new, discreet in-vehicle sensing system they have devised. This innovation holds the potential to be the first step towards providing an extensive, cost-effective early warning system for cognitive decline among the vast population of older drivers in the U.S. and potentially worldwide.
Their research, published in BMC Geriatrics, methodically investigates how this system can identify unusual driving behaviours that may suggest cognitive impairments. More studies must look at the continuous, discreet monitoring of daily complex activities over time for signs of subtle cognitive changes. This gap presents an uncharted opportunity to recognize early cognitive decline in a significant segment of the older driving population.
Ruth Tappen, Ed.D., the study’s lead investigator and senior author, highlighted the critical nature of early detection of cognitive dysfunction. She pointed out that autopsies of older drivers who died in car accidents, who were unaware they had Alzheimer’s disease, showed brain neuropathologies of the condition. According to her, sensor systems fitted in the vehicles of older drivers could be instrumental in identifying these cognitive shifts, thus providing timely alerts for possible cognitive deterioration.
The study employs a naturalistic longitudinal approach, continuously monitoring driving behaviours and correlating these observations with comprehensive cognitive assessments conducted quarterly over three years. That includes installing cameras facing the driver and the road alongside a telematics unit within the vehicle. Data is collected every three months, concurrent with cognitive testing.
The researchers monitor aberrant driving behaviours such as disorientation, disregard for traffic signals, near-collisions, distraction, and drowsiness, as well as specific driving patterns like the number of trips made, miles driven, and driving under different conditions.
The sensor network developed by FAU’s College of Engineering and Computer Science utilizes open-source hardware and software to streamline in-vehicle development. The system emphasizes seizing simplicity and compactness to its discreetness. The system includes two distributed sensing units for collecting telematics and video data.
The video component features built-in artificial intelligence capabilities for real-time analysis, including monitoring the driver’s facial expressions, behaviours, and external events. Indicators of driver behaviour analyzed include adherence to traffic signs, detection of nearby objects and pedestrians, and lane discipline, which are crucial for identifying changes in an older driver’s cognitive and physical capabilities.
The study will involve 460 participants from Southeast Florida, categorized into groups based on their cognitive status: mild cognitive impairment, early dementia, and unimpaired. The Louis and Anne Green Memory and Wellness Center, operated by FAU’s College of Nursing, is the clinical site for comprehensive assessments covering cognitive function, daily living activities, mood, executive function, and attention.
Tappen emphasizes that the innovative aspect of their research lies in the hidden nature of the sensing and monitoring system. This system leverages modern open-source technologies to develop a novel application for detecting cognitive changes in drivers. This approach represents a significant step forward in the early detection and monitoring of mental health among older drivers, potentially leading to improved safety and quality of life for this demographic.
More information: Ruth Tappen et al, Study protocol for “In-vehicle sensors to detect changes in cognition of older drivers”, BMC Geriatrics. DOI: 10.1186/s12877-023-04550-5
Journal information: BMC Geriatrics Provided by Florida Atlantic University
