Future of Technology and Health, LC (FUTH) produces high-technology transportation safety products, including a system for detecting the onset of fatigue or lapse of attention and providing a warning to the driver or pilot to prevent accidents. Detection of fatigue is of interest for preventing motor vehicle accidents, especially since onset of fatigue often occurs unnoticed by the driver. Many drivers carry a sleep debt and are susceptible to drowsiness while driving. Groups at highest risk for fatigue-related accidents include travelers, truck drivers, late shift workers, and commercial pilots. In 1997, motor vehicle accidents caused 37,280 fatalities and 2,185,000 injuries in the U.S. alone. Prevention of even a small percentage of the accidents in which fatigue is a factor would have an enormous human and economic impact. FUTHs alertness monitoring technology has applications in several types of vehicles including cars, trucks, buses, trains, ships, airplanes, military vehicles, and agricultural equipment. Company co-founder Jeffrey B. Bishop, an expert in biomedical engineering and ergonomics, first began to develop transportation safety products in 1990 after a friend fell asleep at the wheel and was seriously injured in a motor vehicle accident. FUTH was incorporated in the state of Iowa in July 1997 by founding partners Jeffrey B. Bishop and Jennifer D. Bishop. In February of 1998 FUTH was selected to receive Phase I SBIR funding. Following a successful Phase I project, FUTH was selected for Phase II SBIR funding in January 1999. SBIR funding has played a key role in FUTHs success at rapid technology development. This funding has allowed FUTH to collaborate with the University of Iowa to utilize its world-class driving simulator resources for product development and validation studies, and has allowed us to employ several consultants and skilled professionals in the Iowa City community for product research and development efforts. SBIR funding was available to fund the development of this technology concept at an early stage, before other sources of funding were likely to be available to FUTH. SBIR funding may result in earlier introduction of this important safety technology to prevent transportation accidents.
