Nissan's sweat-sensing material lets you know when to take a drink

[midian182]

Japanese car maker Nissan has a history of embracing advanced and sometimes unconventional vehicle tech, but its latest prototype could be the most unusual yet: a sweat-sensing material that warns drivers when they’re dehydrated.

Nissan joined forces with Dutch design company Droog for the fabric, which is aptly named SOAK. To demonstrate its abilities, SOAK was applied to the car seats and steering wheel of a Nissan Juke vehicle. If you’re nicely hydrated, the color stays blue, but if it detects high levels of salt in perspiration, suggesting dehydration, the material will turn yellow.

Paulien Routs, the creator of SOAK, told Dexigner he originally intended it to be used in workout attire, but Nissan approached him to use it as a concept in the company’s ‘Do drink (water) and drive campaign.’

While this might sound a little pointless, Nissan has cited a 2015 study by Loughborough University in the UK. Funded by the European Hydration Institute, the experiment found that driving while dehydrated can be as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol, due to slower reaction times and less alertness. Researchers also discovered that people who only consumed just 25ml of water per hour made double the number of driving mistakes than those who were well hydrated.

Despite SOAK’s benefits, it’s unclear just how many drivers would be happy to sit on sweat-detecting fabric — and whether they’d even heed the warnings — which could explain why Nissan isn’t yet offering it as an option in the Juke.

Earlier this year, Nissan revealed the Signal Shield, a compartment built into the Juke’s armrest that blocks phone signals using principles based on a Faraday cage.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/71234-nissan-sweat-sensing-material-you-know-when-take.html

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

Nice gimmick. All that's missing is the in built GPS that directs you to the nearest pub when the material turns yellow.

 

[a20089]

Yep, thing we need the most, car that tells us we need a drink.

 

[dualkelly]

I call BS. Driving while dehydrated can be as dangerous as drunk driving is a petty sales gimmick... why dont they work on implementing technology that will test everyone's BAC before they are allowed to start the car none intrusively.

 

[Uncle Al]

What a bunch of BULL. They came out with that paint a year ago that eliminates the need for you to constantly wash your car and they NEVER FIELDED IT ON ANY AUTOMOBILE much less sold it over the market. And if this device is as reliable as that junk of a constant torque transmission they are now putting in their automobiles, the operator might get a nice shock or God knows what else after the first few thousand miles!!!

 

[trgz]

A) what if you are a naturally un-sweaty person? I have to dampen my hands sometimes, for more grip, to allow me to 'palm' the wheel while reversing etc (the debate will no doubt continue about this practice)
b) being dehydrated as dangerous as being drunk? - prove that one in practice
c) I've scoured the net and have come to the conclusion that SOAK is not an acronym just a Dutch take on the IKEA naming principle (see BOWLUX)
d) it's a spray that will in time wear off - perhaps this will mean an additional charge in 12 month service to have wheel resprayed?
e) why would you buy a Juke unless you were a fad-following person susceptible to any kind of... ah wait, I see it now

 

[p51d007]

What d*mn difference does it make? You "won't" be driving very much longer according
to "experts"...automated driving, so who cares? LOL

 

[p51d007]

I call BS. Driving while dehydrated can be as dangerous as drunk driving is a petty sales gimmick... why dont they work on implementing technology that will test everyone's BAC before they are allowed to start the car none intrusively.

Because it infringes on your 4th and 5th amendment rights. Doing what you ask, is that you consider EVERYONE guilty, until proven innocent. You DO NOT want to start down that path. "Oh, but it will give you more safety".

"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." -Benjamin Franklin

 

[dualkelly]

Because it infringes on your 4th and 5th amendment rights. Doing what you ask, is that you consider EVERYONE guilty, until proven innocent. You DO NOT want to start down that path. "Oh, but it will give you more safety".

"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." -Benjamin Franklin

Actually we are talking about a car not a court of law and it does not infringe upon anyone's rights at the moment because it doesn't exist. If for example we could create a steering wheel that detected BAC non-invasively. That technology will be forced to be implemented in all new cars by insurance companies just as speed limiters are already in place in your car most likely without you even knowing it. The need for technology like this will be rendered useless when cars can fully drive on their own.