Internship | Seeing Discomfort: Machine Leaning Approaches to Motion Sickness Detection in Video Data

Many people experience motion sickness when traveling, yet there is still no good way to detect it without asking passengers directly. In this assignment, it is explored whether video recordings can reveal the subtle signs of discomfort and motion sickness, such as changes in posture, head movement, or facial expressions. As a master’s student, you will investigate this possibility using machine learning techniques on existing datasets. If successful, your work could help for affordable solutions that improve comfort for passengers in automated vehicles.

You will conduct a feasibility study to detect motion sickness from RGB video data. Using video recordings from three earlier TNO studies, you will extract features related to, for instance, head motion, posture, and facial muscle activation (action units) with the help of open-source libraries. These features will be combined with participants’ motion sickness ratings to train and evaluate a machine learning model. The outcomes will provide insight into whether video-based detection is possible to integrate motion sickness monitoring as part of the occupant monitoring systems of passenger cars and automated vehicles.

Proposed approach:
1.Literature Review:

• Summarise existing knowledge on detecting motion sickness from RGB images.
• Identify potential image features for motion sickness detection.
• Identify open-source libraries for extracting these features from video data.

2.Preprocessing of Video Data:

• Extract relevant information from the video data.

3.Development:

• Build a predictive machine learning model using video data and subjective ratings.
• Evaluate the model’s accuracy and reliability.

4.Reporting:

• Summarize the literature review
• Describe methodology and results
• Formulate the conclusions and recommendations

What can you expect of your work situation?
You will work at the Integrated Vehicle Safety department of TNO on the Automotive Campus in Helmond. In this department people are working on developing software for automated driving vehicles. The developed software is tested in pilot studies and on the public road. (more info on the department: Research on integrated vehicle safety | TNO). The department also develops methods to assess the safety and comfort of automated vehicles. The people are young, enthusiastic and driven. You will work in an open office area, within your own team. One of our employees will be your mentor. S/he will help you to get acquainted with the department and give you guidelines for your research in order to help you to get the best out of it.

The ideal candidate for this master thesis assignment has strong analytical skills and a solid background in AI and machine learning, with particular interest in developing algorithms to detect patterns in video data. Experience in working with large datasets as well as familiarity with video data analysis and preprocessing are considered a plus. We expect you to be able to start as soon as possible. The thesis is designed as a 6 to 9 month project based on full-time availability. To ensure smooth collaboration and access to our tools, we require you to work at the TNO office in Helmond at least twice a week.

You want an internship opportunity on the precursor of your career; an internship gives you an opportunity to take a good look at your prospective future employer. TNO goes a step further. It’s not just looking that interests us; you and your knowledge are essential to our innovation. That’s why we attach a great deal of value to your personal and professional development. You will, of course, be properly supervised during your work placement and be given the scope for you to get the best out of yourself. Furthermore, we provide:

• A highly professional, innovative internship environment, within a team of top experts.
• A suitable internship allowance (615 euro for wo-, hbo- and mbo-students, for a full-time internship).
• Possibility of eight hours of free leave per internship month (for a full-time internship).
• A free membership of Jong TNO, where you can meet other TNO professionals and join several activities, such as sports activities, (work-related) courses or the yearly ski-trip.
• Use of a laptop.
• An allowance for travel expenses in case you don’t receive an OV-card.

At TNO, we innovate for a healthier, safer and more sustainable life. And for a strong economy. Since 1932, we have been making knowledge and technology available for the common good. We find each other in wonder and ingenuity. We are driven to push boundaries. There is all the space and support for your talent and ambition. You work with people who will challenge you: who inspire you and want to learn from you. Our state-of-the-art facilities are there to realize your vision. What you do at TNO matters: impact makes the difference. Because with every innovation you contribute to tomorrow’s world. Read more about TNO as an employer.

At TNO we encourage an inclusive work environment, where you can be yourself. Whatever your story and whatever unique qualities you bring to the table. It is by combining our unique strengths and perspectives that we are able to develop innovations that make a real difference in society. Want to know more? Read what steps we are taking in the area of diversity, equity and inclusion.

After the first CV selection, the application process will be conducted by the concerning department. TNO will provide a suitable internship agreement. If you have any questions about this vacancy, you can contact the contact person mentioned below.

Important to be aware of before applying:

• Before the start of the internship, the internship agreement from TNO needs to be signed. For students at a college or university based in the Netherlands, TNO uses the UNL-template (supplemented with a number of specific agreements from TNO). For students of foreign and MBO educational institutions, the TNO internship agreement applies. TNO does not sign any other internship agreements.
• Before the start of the internship, the educational institution will need to confirm in writing that:
  • 1) you are enrolled at the educational institution during the internship, and;
  • 2) the internship takes place as part of the programme of the study.
• The confirmation of educational institution takes place by signing the UNL template or forms prepared by TNO.
• Interns at TNO must be in possession of a Dutch residential address at the start of the internship. Performance of internship activities from abroad is not possible.