Continental Display Records Passenger Vital Signs

Continental is showcasing the "Invisible Biometrics Sensing Display". With the help of sensors invisibly integrated behind the display, important vital parameters of the vehicle occupants and safety-relevant data can be recorded.

At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas (January 7-10, 2025), Continental will present a display that has been awarded a CES Innovation Award Honoree: The "Invisible Biometrics Sensing Display" uses a camera and laser projector placed behind the screen to capture the vital signs of the vehicle occupants for a variety of safety and comfort functions. The technology is designed to detect the passengers inside the vehicle through the high-resolution OLED screen and thus remain completely invisible, as Continental explains.

"Our expertise allows us to seamlessly integrate pioneering technologies into our display solutions and thus enhance the range of functions offered and create added value", says Pavel Prouza, head of the User Experience (UX) business area at Continental. The Invisible Biometrics Sensing Display collects a variety of data points that are relevant for the interpretation of driver monitoring systems. This makes it a complete solution with seamless, invisible integration into the vehicle.

Capturing Vital Signs Using Biometric Image Analysis

The display offers new safety features. For example, it creates a 3D depth map for optimized airbag deployment and is able to detect whether the seat belt is fastened. In addition, the Invisible Biometrics Sensing Display, developed in collaboration with technology partner Trinamix, offers contactless analysis of vital parameters such as heart rate. This means that stressful situations or an impending medical emergency can be registered in good time, explains Continental. If necessary, a corresponding safety function of the vehicle can be initiated to protect the occupants and other road users.

According to Continental, a 1.5 MP near-infrared camera and a laser dot projector that is harmless to the human eye are placed behind the high-resolution OLED screen to capture vital data. The biometric image analysis used here comes from Trinamix. The method is said to use the reflections of the light dots emitted by the laser dot projector in the invisible light spectrum to derive results based on artificial intelligence. In addition, the solution provides further relevant information: the distance from the driver to the cockpit or the classification of fabrics, which is needed to detect a correctly worn seat belt.

This is a partly automated translation of this German article.