Browse Topic: Sensors and actuators
Modern vehicle technologies such as keyless entry, push-button start, digital switches have made it easier and more convenient to operate cars. However, this ease of operation has also introduced new safety concerns, particularly the increased risk of accidental operations by children. This can lead to unintentional vehicle movement, injuries, and even fatalities. Existing safety features (e.g., unattended child presence alarms) mitigate entrapment risks but do not prevent children from unintentionally starting or shifting while inside. This paper proposes implementation of a solution for child-safety system which inhibits certain functionalities to prevent accidental operations by underage occupants. The proposed system combines multiple existing technologies like weight sensors, seat position detection, facial recognition, in vehicle camera tracking to determine the child presence. With this, certain operations can be temporarily inhibited, or the vehicle can ask for secondary
This paper presents the design and implementation of a Semi-Autonomous Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) capable of following a person while performing obstacle avoidance in urban and controlled environments. The LCV leverages its onboard 360-degree view camera, RTK-GNSS, Ultrasonic sensors, and algorithms to independently navigate the environment, avoiding obstacles and maintaining a safe distance from the person it is following. The path planning algorithm described here generates a secondary lateral path originating from the primary driving path to navigate around static obstacles. A Behavior Planner is utilized to decide when to generate the path and avoid obstacles. The primary objective is to ensure safe navigation in environments where static obstacles are prevalent. The LCV's path tracking is achieved using a combination of Pure Pursuit and Proportional-Integral (PI) controllers. The Pure Pursuit controller is utilized as lateral control to follow the generated path, ensuring
Accidents during lane changes are increasingly becoming a problem due to various human based and environment-based factors. Reckless driving, fatigue, bad weather are just some of these factors. This research introduces an innovative algorithm for estimating crash risk during lane changes, including the Extended Lane Change Risk Index (ELCRI). Unlike existing studies and algorithms that mainly address rear-end collisions, this algorithm incorporates exposure time risk and anticipated crash severity risk using fault tree analysis (FTA). The risks are merged to find the ELCRI and used in real time applications for lane change assist to predict if lane change is safe or not. The algorithm defines zones of interest within the current and target lanes, monitored by sensors attached to the vehicle. These sensors dynamically detect relevant objects based on their trajectories, continuously and dynamically calculating the ELCRI to assess collision risk during lane changes. Additionally
A smart highway tunnels lighting system based on the technology of cloud platform and Internet of Things(IoTs) has been designed to address the common problems of high energy consumption and low level of intelligence in China's highway tunnel lighting system. The highway tunnel lighting system consists of four layers of architecture: platform management layer, local management layer, middle layer and terminal layer. The system collects real-time brightness, lamp brightness, traffic volume and other data outside the tunnel through various sensors deployed on site, and then uploads the collected data to the main controller through LoRa IoTs. The main controller combines the brightness calculation method of the lighting design rules to control the brightness of the tunnel lighting in real time, achieving real-time adjustment of the brightness of the tunnel LED lights and the brightness outside the tunnel, and realizing a safe and energy-saving lighting effect of "lights on when the car
Researchers at the University of California San Diego have developed a soft robotic skin that enables vine robots that are just a few millimeters wide to navigate convoluted paths and fragile environments. To accomplish this, the researchers integrated a very thin layer of actuators made of liquid crystal elastomer at strategic locations in the soft skin. The robot is steered by controlling the pressure inside its body and temperature of the actuators.
From sorting objects in a warehouse to navigating furniture while vacuuming, robots today use sensors, software control systems, and moving parts to perform tasks. The harder the task or more complex the environment, the more cumbersome and expensive the electronic components.
In today’s medical equipment market, reliability is not a luxury — it is a necessity. Every adjustment, every movement, and every interaction with the equipment must be performed flawlessly to ensure patient safety, caregiver efficiency, and long-term service life. Behind this design and precision are highly engineered motion control components, such as gas springs, electric linear actuators, and dampers, that ensure safe, ergonomic operation of medical equipment across a wide range of healthcare applications.
Researchers from RMIT University have developed a wearable wound monitoring device with integrated sensors that could reduce infection risks by minimizing the need for frequent physical contact.
Planetary and lunar rover exploration missions can encounter environments that do not allow for navigation by typical, stereo camera-based systems. Stereo cameras meet difficulties in areas with low ambient light (even when lit by floodlights), direct sunlight, or washed-out environments. Improved sensors are required for safe and successful rover mobility in harsh conditions. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center has developed a Space Qualified Rover LiDAR (SQRLi) system that will improve rover sensing capabilities in a small, lightweight package. The new SQRLi package is developed to survive the hazardous space environment and provide valuable image data during planetary and lunar rover exploration.
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