The Hindu Business Line : Device to alert napping drivers

A BATTERY operated automobile safety device - No Nap - which fits on the ear a la bluetooth alerts drivers who are on the verge of nodding off behind the steering wheel.

The device, developed by a Pune-based engineer, which was advertised on Yahoo and Google for a two-month period is finding enthusiastic response across the US and Europe.

"We have sold over a lakh pieces of No Nap in USA and Europe through our dealers in the six months since we launched," Mr Vivek Bhatia, Partner, Fuel Saver India, old Business Line. The ear device is also being sold in India and is being largely bought by corporates, Mr. Bhatia said.

"In India we don't have so many high-speed roads and drivers are constantly alert, so the chances of dropping off to sleep is limited,'' Mr Bhatia said.

The device has been showcased and sent to the R&D wing of the Indian Railways to be tested for suitability for drivers on its railway network.

No Nap comes in two variants

One is a vibrating device fitted on the ear for use in high-noise applications such as inside a railway engine. The second one emits a shrill whistling sound as soon as the drivers' head shows signs of dropping off and keeps up the noise till he is awake.

The device is being sold at $20 in the overseas market. In India, it costs Rs 350.

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