PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device and method for drowsiness detection which is capable of appropriately detecting the drowsiness and reducing erroneous detection.SOLUTION: This drowsiness detection device 20 has opening/closing detection means 11, 12 and 13 for detecting the opening/closing of eyes, and eye closing time measuring means 33 for measuring an eye closing time to be measured based on the opening/closing of the eye, and detects the drowsiness when the eye closing measurement time (d) exceeds a threshold, wherein eye closing time measuring means 33 does not add the eye closing time which continues till exceeding a predetermined time A, to the eye closing measuring time but adds the eye closing time to the eye closing measurement time after continuously detected for a predetermine time A or more, and reduces the closed eye measurement time, when detecting the opening of the eye.COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT【課題】眠気を適切に検知すると共に、誤検知を低減することができる眠気検知装置及び眠気検知方法を提供すること。【解決手段】眼の開閉を検出する開閉検出手段11,12、13と、眼の開閉に基づき閉眼計測時間を計測する閉眼時間計測手段33と、を有し、閉眼計測時間dが閾値を超えると眠気を検知する眠気検知装置20において、閉眼時間計測手段33は、所定時間A未満まで継続した閉眼時間は閉眼計測時間に計上せず、所定時間A以上継続して検出されてから閉眼時間を閉眼計測時間に計上し、かつ、開眼が検出された場合、閉眼計測時間を削減する、ことを特徴とする。【選択図】図15
