A Study of the Dead Man's Switch considering bio-response

생체 신호를 이용한 기관사 감시시스템 연구

  • 송용수 (한국철도기술연구원, 무선통신 열차제어연구단) ;
  • 백종현 (한국철도기술연구원, 지능형도시철도제어연구실) ;
  • 고태균 (한국철도기술연구원, 무선통신 열차제어연구단) ;
  • 김용규 (한국철도기술연구원, 무선통신 열차제어연구단)
  • Published : 2011.10.20

Abstract

A Consider the dead man's switch installed in each and every locomotive cab, which support operational safety on railways around the world. The concept is very simple - every 150 to 180 seconds an illuminated push-button demands to be acknowledged so as to know that the Train Driver is alive and active. In the absence of a response over a period of minutes, the vigilance control will automatically apply the train brakes and bring the train to a stand. If we multiply the resetting of the vigilance control 60 times per hour by a 10-hour shift it equals 600 presses of the button during the shift that a Train Driver must pay attention to and acknowledge. This adds a fair bit of pressure on the train driver's job, particularly when he/she is driving through stations, with passengers moving about on platforms in an environment of complex signaling arrangements - all the while looking out for restricting signals. From this perspective, the Vigilance System's demand to be acknowledged every 150/180 seconds is disturbing and can unnecessarily take a driver's attention away from what is happening outside the confines of the cab. A much more dramatic situation can happen when a train driver is driving hour after hour at night when, by Mother's Nature request - people need to sleep. Experience and research shows that the the dead man's switch can be pressed by train driver in a state of deep relaxation and 'micro-sleep'. The vigilance control system which is applied to reduce the drive load considering bio-response multiple unit train is proposed.

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