Browse Topic: Human Factors and Ergonomics
Under the constraints of conventional chassis layouts, traditional wheeled vehicles struggle to maintain stable obstacle-crossing performance on complex terrain. This study aims to enhance both the obstacle-crossing capability and stability of such vehicles. First, a transformable wheel capable of varying its effective radius and actively adjusting the wheel–ground contact configuration is designed, and its degrees of freedom are analyzed using screw theory. Next, based on screw theory and Lie group theory, position-level and velocity-level kinematic models of the transformable wheel are established, and system-level performance indices—including workspace, singular configurations, and force-transmission characteristics—are formulated. Finally, taking these performance indices as optimization objectives, a constrained optimization model of the mechanism’s geometric parameters is constructed, from which an optimal dimension set for the transformable wheel is obtained. The results show that the optimized transformable wheel has significantly improved minimum singularity and dexterity. The designed transformable wheel can achieve changes in wheel radius and wheel rim inclination angle, improving the vehicle's passability in complex terrain.
To accurately assess the navigation safety status of LNG vessels in port waters and balance safety control with waterway capacity efficiency, this study constructs a 3D dynamic safety domain model for port LNG vessels, integrating human–ship–environment multi-factors. The model introduces the Weibull function to quantify the impact of drivers’ knowledge, skills, and physiological-psychological states on safety boundaries, combines a ship motion mathematical model to establish a 2D safety domain boundary equation, and incorporates hull subsidence to build a vertical dimension, forming a complete 3D model. Longitudinally, the safety distance is calculated using the car-following braking theory, while laterally, boundaries are determined by controlling the ratio of inter-vessel interference force to navigation resistance. Through static scenario analysis and dynamic simulation verification, results show that the safety domain scale is dominated by ship speed and environmental conditions, and its shape tends to shrink as the driver’s state improves, making it more suitable for actual port scenarios than traditional models. Verified with a specific LNG hub port as a case, the safety distance calculated by the model is significantly reduced compared with current specifications, while the delay impact rate and average delay time on other vessels are decreased. The research results establish a quantifiable framework for dynamic safety assessment, providing maritime administrations and on-board pilots with a scientifically-grounded tool to determine real-time safe navigation boundaries in complex port environments, balancing safety control with operational efficiency.
To address the lack of safe and effective on-site vehicle blocking and control methods in the event of fires or other emergencies in extra-long tunnels — which can significantly reduce traffic safety risks and prevent secondary accidents — this study proposes a novel barrier-free light–smoke curtain interception method. The method integrates conventional traffic safety warning facilities (gantry-mounted variable message signs and audio–visual alarms) with two light–smoke curtain interception images to form a composite early-warning and interception system. Driving simulation experiments were conducted to comprehensively evaluate its warning effectiveness, interception performance, and operational safety in comparison with methods employing only traditional warning facilities or light curtain images. Furthermore, field drills were performed to validate its real-world applicability and interception effectiveness under both daytime and nighttime conditions. The main findings are as follows: 1) The fixation ratio and interception success rate associated with the proposed method were significantly higher than those of the other two methods, demonstrating enhanced visual attention and superior warning and interception performance. 2) The maximum deceleration observed with the proposed method was lower than that of the light curtain–only method and did not trigger emergency braking, thereby indicating high operational stability and driver comfort. 3) In field drills, after activation of the interception equipment, only one and two vehicles entered the tunnel under daytime and nighttime conditions, respectively, and full control of on-site vehicles was achieved within two minutes without any traffic accidents, verifying the system’s rapid response and effective safety assurance.
Every kid who has read a comic book or watched a Spider-Man movie has tried to imagine what it would be like to shoot a web from their wrist, fly over streets, and pin down villains. Researchers at Tufts University took those imaginary scenes seriously and created the first web-slinging technology in which a fluid material can shoot from a needle, immediately solidify as a string, and adhere to and lift objects.
With the increasing demand for material microimaging analysis, there is a growing need for advanced precision grinding and polishing equipment, especially for metals, ceramics, and composites. Existing automated systems struggle with handling complex material challenges. This paper presents a fully automated adaptive grinding and polishing machine based on an STM32 microcontroller that handles multi-material samples. The system includes modules for sample access, cleaning, pad replacement, human-computer interaction, and equipment communication. The STM32 microcontroller executes grinding and polishing tasks based on instructions from the host computer while dynamically adjusting PID control parameters using an improved weighted average optimization algorithm. This approach enhances control accuracy, stability, and overall surface treatment quality compared to traditional PID control methods.
This document is intended to establish a procedure to certify AD fallback test driver skill levels as an endorsement to SAE J3300 foundational level certification. The SAE J3300/3 endorsement can be used by the individual driver to qualify their skills as a test driver of vehicles with automated driving features. The SAE J3300/3 endorsement levels may also be used by test facilities or other organizations when seeking test or professional drivers with these skills. This document provides directions for obtaining the endorsement, including associated AD fallback test driving skill examination requirements, through SAE J3300-certified Examiners (refer to SAE J3300 for definition). Endorsement registration and associated records are administered through Probitas Authentication®. Probitas Authentication® is the current Independent Program Administrator for the SAE J3300 series. This document is a supplement to SAE J3300, providing information specific to the AD fallback test driver skill endorsement and clarifying the application of the rules set forth in SAE J3300 to the AD fallback test driver endorsement. While the references, definitions, rules, and guidelines presented in SAE J3300 Sections 1 through 5 apply to the AD fallback test driver endorsement, they are not repeated in this document.
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