Low computational method for siren detection

Abstract

A driving assistance system which can detect the sound produced by sirens and warn the driver has indisputable advantages: diminishes the numbers of accidents involving emergency vehicles, saves lives by influencing the drivers to take early actions in order to clear the way for these vehicles. The United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported in 2012 a number of 60 accidents involving emergency vehicles travelling with the specific signals (sounding siren, blinking lights) in use in which at least one person died preceded by 51 in 2011 and 67 in 2010. There are situations when hearing the siren plays a critical role in avoiding an accident, for example at crossroads. In such cases the visual detection of the emergency vehicle can happen too late to avoid an accident. Also there are hearing-impaired persons who drive and have difficulties in hearing the siren. Siren detection systems exist but they use complex signal processing algorithms, demanding very high processing power and, in consequence, they are expensive. The paper presents a cost effective microcontroller based siren detection system which uses analog electronics blocks to decrease the needed processing power. The detailed system along with the MATLAB and SPICE simulation results are illustrated and discussed in the paper.