This blog shows the Vehicle Situational Awareness System installed on a vehicle and operating both at night and in the daytime.
This picture shows the extra LED illumination panel plus the reversing-view video camera (to the left) and the ultrasonic distance sensor (to the right) all mounted on the rear bumper. It is just possible to see the rear view LCD display mounted on the dash. The other object (in the passenger seat) is a tripod, where the blog recording camera will be mounted.
Note - If you are going to be experimenting with prototype equipment on a car like this, it pays off to use a car that is already painted "duct tape gray", although "duct tape black" might be and even better option. The LED panel is actually quite flexible and could easily be bent to conform to the bumper contour, if a more permanent installation is to be designed.
This video shows operation in the daytime:
For these demonstrations the video camera is angled a bit high just to get more interesting objects in the video.
I found taking video of a low-cost LCD is a difficult challenge both in daylight and at night, especially at an angle.
Here is a demonstration of nighttime operation:
The video guidelines generated by the camera give some indication of distance, but the ultrasonic sensor provides much more definitive distance measurements.
This concludes my Vehicle Situational Awareness System blogs, unless questions arise that I can answer.
I think my next blog will be on reflow soldering of high power Würth LEDs.
The LED Road Test page is here:
http://www.element14.com/community/roadTests/1481
The Lighting Group page is here:
Here are links to my other blog entries for this road test:
LED Road Test - Proposal - Blog 0 Jan 1, 2016
Light Emitting Diodes Road Test - Blog 1 Nov 1
LED Road Test - 3D Printed Housings - blog 2 Nov 10
LED Road Test - Dodecahedron Light Fixture Blog 3 Nov12
LED Road Test - Wearable Interactive Lights - Blog 4 - Nov 13
LED Road Test - Interactive Trophy - Blog 5 Nov 16
LED Road Test - Making Household Objects Interactive - Blog 6 Nov 22
LED Road Test - Power LEDs - Up & Running - Blog 7 Nov 24
LED Road Test - Star Wars - The Force Awakens - Blog 8 Nov 28
LED Road Test - Selfie Phenomenon - Blog 9 Nov 29
LED Road Test - MSP EXP430FR4133 Launchpad IDE - Blog 10 Dec 6
LED Road Test - Vehicle Situational Awareness System Blog 11 Dec 14
LED Road Test - Vehicle Situational Awareness System Indoor Demo - Blog 12 Dec 20
LED Road Test - Maple Leaf Christmas Decoration - Blog 13 Dec 24
LED Road Test - Reflow Soldering Power LEDs - Blog 15 Jan 10
LED Road Test - Induction Heating Reflow Soldering - Blog 16 Jan12
LED Road Test - Summary - Blog 17 Jan 15
Associated Video Links
Creating a Light Fixture using 123D Design
Wearable Interactive Arc Reactor
Interactive Illuminated Household Objects
Star Wars - Let The Force Be With The Light
Vehicle Situational Awareness System in Operation
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