Driver fatigue monitoring and seat occupancy are just two of the capabilities of the PS25203 EPIC (electrical potential integrated circuit) sensor, which will find homes in automotive applications involving contactless ECG and movement sensing. Developed by Plessey Electronics and available from Saelig, the EPIC can rapidly measure electric potential sources such as electrophysiological signals or spatial electric fields. It can be used as a dry contact ECG sensor, avoiding potentially dangerous low-impedance circuits across the heart. By detecting changes in the electric field, the sensor also is able to drive a relay to act as a simple non-touch electric switch. It can be employed in a proximity mode or to detect specific kinds of movement as a gesture-recognition device. By adjusting the DSP and amplification circuitry, the sensors are tunable for detection at a distance as required. Sensor electrodes can be incorporated inside car-seat backs to acquire necessary biometric data.