LED Road Test - Vehicle Situational Awareness System Blog 11 Dec 14

14 Dec 2015

This road kit test includes LEDs, a high power LED driver and an MSP430FR4133 launchpad. I want to incorporate most of these items in a system that showcases a practical application. Finally I have received enough components to implement this system. The application I chose is a situational awareness system for use in a vehicle. (V-SAS) When operating a vehicle it is crucial to be aware of everything around the vehicle that might affect the vehicle, its operation, occupant safety, the safety of others nearby or the safety of vehicles or things in the vicinity. The most important situational awareness information we receive is visual followed by audio, followed by other senses. You can sometimes smell problems with the vehicle – not a fun experience. You can also feel when the vehicle hits something – also not a fun sensation, because this is usually too late. Hearing is important because it can provide advanced warning of impending danger. If you choose to block out external sounds while driving, you must accept the increased risk, to yourself and others, associated with this decrease in situational awareness.

This situational awareness augmentation system is designed primarily to aide in reversing operations. While reversing, there are several limitations that increase the risk of hurting someone or damaging something, not least of which is the challenge of reverse steering which is completely different from steering going forward and it is different again when using mirrors versus looking straight back. Situational information is also incomplete;

the vehicle blocks our view of significant areas
there are also blind spots where mirrors cannot “see”
it is difficult to turn our heads enough to see behind the vehicle
it is impossible to get a full picture by looking in a mirror
it is hard to judge distances when looking in a mirror
it may be too dark to see what is behind, since there are no bright headlights in that direction

V-SAS Features

V-SAS helps to overcome poor visibility by using high brightness LEDs (driven by the TI power LED driver) to illuminate the area behind the vehicle. This light also serves to inform pedestrians and other drivers that the vehicle is reversing.

V-SAS helps to overcome blocked vision by using a wide-angle video camera mounted at the back of the vehicle. This camera feeds a colour display on the vehicle dash - relieving neck strain and reducing potentially dangerous assumptions about what is behind.

V-SAS helps to improve judgement of distance by mounting an ultrasonic distance sensor at the back of the vehicle. The distance measured by this sensor will be displayed on the Launchpad which has a very suitable LCD.

The Build

This system has involved a lot of mechanical design (including seven 3D printed objects) and assembling 6 custom cables, taking many hours, but most of the subsystems are built except for a couple of mounting brackets at the rear of the vehicle. Here is a picture of the various subsystems:

Subsystems

Launchpad with LCD in a 3D printed case with USB power cable
Video display with 3D printed clip-on bracket and power cable
Vehicle mounting bracket for the dash information system
Ultrasonic distance sensor in a 3D printed housing with sensor cable
LED illuminators on a heatsink
LED power driver in a 3D printed box with power cable in and out
Video camera with power cable and video cable
Power control box with internal 5V power supply, vehicle power cable and 3D printed faceplate for 3 power switches

I am hoping to get the V-SAS running and installed this week because I will have to switch over to Christmas related aspects of this road test shortly.

I am also still waiting for some parts to arrive that will permit further exploration of Würth LEDs.

The LED Road Test page is here:

http://www.element14.com/community/roadTests/1481

The Lighting Group page is here:

Lighting

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