Electrical and Computer Engineering Department

Senior Design Project 2012Team Xia

Geoff Hermann, Ben Bromberg, Rodrigo Bismonte, Patrick Estabrook

Simple Awareness of Vehicles and Assorted

Night Traffic(SAVANT)

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Outline

Problem Statement Our Proposed Solution – SAVANT

• System Overview• Block Diagram• Feasibility for SDP• Plan of Attack• Deliverables

• MDR and FDR

Questions

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Problem Statement

We wish to reduce injury and death due to road collisions caused by lack of visibility.

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Problem Statement

Over 700 cyclists killed by motor vehicles in 2008 Over 1,800 pedestrians killed by motor vehicles in 2010 Often, the drivers are not aware of pedestrians Especially dangerous at night/low visibility and blind turns

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Other Solutions

Radar/Camera Pedestrian Detection• Most systems use radar or image detection• Can detect pedestrians 80cm and taller• Robust enough to be marketable (Volvo XC60)• Alerts driver and even applies brakes• Stop collisions at speeds up to 35 kph (~20 mph)• Does not see pedestrians/bikers in blind spots• Does not work in poor light/weather conditions• Makes driver reliable on warning to brake• Expensive/Only available in nice/new cars

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Overview

Problem Statement Our Proposed Solution – SAVANT

• System Overview• Block Diagram• Feasibility for SDP• Plan of Attack• Deliverables

• MDR and FDR

Questions

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System Overview

Users of the road wear GPS devices transmitting their location

Motor vehicles have receivers and transmitters

Displays the location of received GPS information on the windshield (Heads Up Display)

Simple

Awareness of

Vehicles and

Assorted

Night

Traffic

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Block Diagram

The RF “Æther”

GPS

RF Transmitter

Microcontroller (ATtiny)

Car System Pedestrian/Cyclist System

RF Transciever

GPS

On-board Computer

(BeagleBoard)

Display System

GPS

RF Transmitter

Microcontroller (ATtiny)

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System Overview

SAVANT

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System Overview

SAVANT

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System Overview

Advantages of SAVANT• Provides info about pedestrians/bikers in all directions• Cheap solution/easily installed in older vehicles• Works regardless of lighting/weather• Anticipate bikers and joggers around turns• Gives driver more info without distracting/making driver

reliant on device

Disadvantages of SAVANT• Cannot “see” bikers or pedestrians without a transmitter• Not accurate enough to judge distance for auto-braking

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Outline

Problem Statement Our Proposed Solution – SAVANT

• System Overview• Block Diagram• Feasibility for SDP• Plan of Attack• Deliverables

• MDR and FDR

Questions

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Feasibility for SDP

Challenges for Electrical Engineering• Design of Transmitter/Receiver Components• Identifying between two signals• Doppler Effects on transmission• Making device wearable (durable, movable, lightweight)• Power issues

Challenges for Computer System Engineering• Software design for Automobile Receiving Element• Keeping track of specific bikers/pedestrians• Simplify Open Street Map data into display• Make clear/not distracting HUD.

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Feasibility for SDP

Cost Breakdown

BeagleBoard $125.00* $125.00*

XBee modules $45.90 (2) $68.85 (3)

ATtiny13A $1.07 (1) $2.14 (2)

EM-4061 GPS module for CAR $59.95 $59.95

GS407 Helical GPS module for PED

$89.95 (1) $179.90 (2)

Optoma EP-PK-101 10 lumen pico projector

$170.80 $170.80

8”x11” Clear Rear projection film

$20.00 $20.00

Total $387.67 $501.64*donated, not included in final cost estimate

Cost for one CAR and one PED

modules

Cost for one CAR and two PED

modules

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Plan of Attack

I. Learning Phase• GPS, XBee, ATTiny, BeagleBoard

II. Communication Phase• Getting all the components talking to one another

• Make connections, send and receive data

III. Software Phase• Write the software for each part of the system

• ATTiny, Xbee, Beagleboard

IV. Prototype• Get the transmit/receive system working in the

proposed fashion

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Plan of Attack

I. Learning Phase• Task 1 - (car, ped) learn about GPS modules • Task 2 - (car, ped) learn ATTiny programming software, procedure• Task 3 - (car, ped) learn about XBee programming, TX and RX • Task 4 - (car, ped) learn about BeagleBoard programming

II. Communication Phase• Task 5 - (car, ped) interface GPS with ATTiny microprocessor • Task 6 - (car) interface GPS with BeagleBoard • Task 7 - (ped) interface ATTiny with XBee module• Task 8 - (car) interface BeagleBoard with XBee module (TX, RX)

III. Software Phase• Task 9 - (ped) write software for ATTiny microprocessor • Task 10 - (car) write transmitter software for BeagleBoard • Task 11 - (car) write receiver software for BeagleBoard

IV. Prototype Phase• Task 12 - (car) prototype car TX/RX • Task 13 - (ped) protype ped TX

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Gantt Chart

Geoff

Patrick

Ben

Rodrigo

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Spring Semester Tasks

Extending software for multiple transmitting and receiving devices

Power circuits for car module and pedestrian module• Battery considerations• Power management in software

Printed circuit board design for pedestrian module

GUI design for car module Final enclosure designs

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Deliverables

Midterm Design Review• Working receiver and transmit circuit on breadboard

Final Design Review• 1-2 working bike/pedestrian transmitters (depending on

budget)• Receiver installed in car• On-Windshield Display

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References

"Now the Volvo XC60 Also Gets Pedestrian Detection and the New Infotainment System." Volvo V70 News. Volvo, 16 Nov. 2010. Web. 22 Oct. 2011. <http://navi.cs.kumamoto-u.ac.jp/english/publications/pdf/int_thesis/2004-06.pdf>.

Zhu, Zhenfeng, Hanqing Lu, and Keiichi Uchimura. "Car Detection Based on Multi-Cues Integration." Diss. Computer Science Dept., Kumamoto University, Japan, 2004. Abstract. Car Detection Based on Multi-Cues Integration. IEEE. Web. 22 Oct. 2011. <http://navi.cs.kumamoto-u.ac.jp/english/publications/pdf/int_thesis/2004-06.pdf>.

"Cycling Fatalities." The Washington Post: National, World & D.C. Area News and Headlines - The Washington Post. Washington Post. Web. 22 Oct. 2011. <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/graphic/2010/05/19/GR2010051905937.html>.