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Alertness app

Liveinthemind

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Hi all.
I'm afraid I just lost steam on the My Pack To Yours project. I'm expecting to get back to it before long (i.e., once I have more mental stability), but in the meantime I have another idea.

What do you think about an app that tests how alert you are, to make sure it's okay for you to drive or do anything else that requires your full attention? I'm thinking the app would test your reaction time, and maybe one or two other factors.

Cheers
 
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B_Mac

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...good point. Damn it.

Maybe I am way off on this, but couldn't it be monetized by selling to someone or something that has an interest on if you are not fully alert? I wouldn't buy it either, even though it may have the potential to save my life by preventing me from driving drowsy. But a parent with a newly licensed kid who wants to stay out late with friends (my opinion, every newly licensed kid) might be interested.

Or maybe you partner your app with insurance companies, and they provide insurance discounts to logistics or delivery companies who might have drowsy drivers. When I was in college, a truck driver came through my city late one night, fell asleep at the wheel, cross multiple lanes of traffic, struck a highway patrol car and killed the officer, and caused a large fire on the interstate that stopped traffic for hours.
 
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Scot

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Or maybe you partner your app with insurance companies, and they provide insurance discounts to logistics or delivery companies who might have drowsy drivers.

This could be a good idea. Get deals with logistics companies for their drivers. That way they can cut liability.

Or

If you're really bold, get something with the DoT to have something like this at weigh stations.
 

Roli

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Hi all.
I'm afraid I just lost steam on the My Pack To Yours project. I'm expecting to get back to it before long (i.e., once I have more mental stability), but in the meantime I have another idea.

What do you think about an app that tests how alert you are, to make sure it's okay for you to drive or do anything else that requires your full attention? I'm thinking the app would test your reaction time, and maybe one or two other factors.

Cheers
Someone uses the app, crashes, sues the shit out of you, game over.
 

B_Mac

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Someone uses the app, crashes, sues the shit out of you, game over.

Of course, anyone could sue you for anything at anytime, and the outcome is up to a jury. But I'm not sure this is as much of a concern as one might think.

My reasoning behind that is:
1) Used in the situations given, it is understood that it gives insight into the person's alertness at the moment it is used and cannot predict where they will be in the future.
2) The person would most likely have had the crash anyway, without regard to using the app. I say that because most people, if they are tired, would still attempt to drive home anyhow, because they don't want to get a hotel or sleep in their car.
3) The app used in the situations given would take the decision making away from the one being checked for drowsiness. So, if being used by DOT to check truck drivers at weigh stations, the officer at the station would make the decision based on the apps results (and other criteria, perhaps) on if the driver was fit to drive at that moment. Takes at least some of the "blame" off the app.

And yes, again, all of that could be argued away by a good lawyer. But overall, I think it is a good idea if you could find a way to develop it.
 
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Fox

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Some problems just don't translate to an app.

Being too tired to drive also means you are probably not likely to take out your phone and use an app to test your alertness.
I have fallen asleep at the wheel more than once in my life and it is similar to being drunk, you are not even aware of anything. I don't know how you are going to make an app to solve for that issue. When sleep deprived my natural reactions for a quick test on an app would still be good but over a long distance I am dangerous on the road.

I can't see how you could accurately test for that and then it has huge legal percussions if you mess up also.

***

What would probably be better is a GPS based app that can tell distance travelled within a certain time and recommends you pull over for a break. Maybe a market for that in the transport sector. If people don't pull over their employer gets a notification (the person most likely to buy this).
 

rollerskates

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What would probably be better is a GPS based app that can tell distance travelled within a certain time and recommends you pull over for a break. Maybe a market for that in the transport sector.

That already exists, it's either on a GPS app or a feature on some rental cars. I know someone who was driving a long distance and it kicked in, telling them to take a break.
 

Liveinthemind

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That already exists, it's either on a GPS app or a feature on some rental cars. I know someone who was driving a long distance and it kicked in, telling them to take a break.

Yep, that was my initial idea but I quickly found that it had been done.
I'd have to turn tricks to be able to afford an attorney, can't risk that.

Back to waiting until inspiration strikes again, I guess.
 
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Last edited:

rollerskates

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Yep, that was my initial idea but I quickly found that it had been done.
I'd have to turn tricks to be able to afford an attorney, can't risk that.

Back to waiting until inspiration strikes again, I guess.

But see, that means you have good ideas! Keep looking. ;)
 

Roli

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Of course, anyone could sue you for anything at anytime, and the outcome is up to a jury. But I'm not sure this is as much of a concern as one might think.

My reasoning behind that is:
1) Used in the situations given, it is understood that it gives insight into the person's alertness at the moment it is used and cannot predict where they will be in the future.
2) The person would most likely have had the crash anyway, without regard to using the app. I say that because most people, if they are tired, would still attempt to drive home anyhow, because they don't want to get a hotel or sleep in their car.
3) The app used in the situations given would take the decision making away from the one being checked for drowsiness. So, if being used by DOT to check truck drivers at weigh stations, the officer at the station would make the decision based on the apps results (and other criteria, perhaps) on if the driver was fit to drive at that moment. Takes at least some of the "blame" off the app.

And yes, again, all of that could be argued away by a good lawyer. But overall, I think it is a good idea if you could find a way to develop it.

I was being glib; however @Fox's reply sums up what I was trying to say much better. Also I'm assuming the OP lives in America; big assumption I know, however most people on this forum do.

In the States motorcycle manuals are about 10 to 15 times thicker than they are here in the UK, because of the sue-happy culture the manufacturers have to add shit like "do not disembark from the motorcycle whilst in motion". Therefore an app that claimed to test your alertness for driving or operating heavy machinery would run into a whole heap of problems.

Anyway like I said @Fox illustrated why this idea should be shelved and the OP move onto something more viable.
 

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