A high speed Tri-Vision system for automotive applications

Purpose: Cameras are excellent ways of non-invasively monitoring the interior and exterior of vehicles. In particular, high speed stereovision and multivision systems are important for transport applications such as driver eye tracking or collision avoidance. This paper addresses the synchronisation problem which arises when multivision camera systems are used to capture the high speed motion common in such applications. Methods: An experimental, high-speed tri-vision camera system intended for real-time driver eye-blink and saccade measurement was designed, developed, implemented and tested using prototype, ultra-high dynamic range, automotive-grade image sensors specifically developed by E2V (formerly Atmel) Grenoble SA as part of the European FP6 project – sensation (advanced sensor development for attention stress, vigilance and sleep/wakefulness monitoring). Results : The developed system can sustain frame rates of 59.8 Hz at the full stereovision resolution of 1280 × 480 but this can reach 750 Hz when a 10 k pixel Region of Interest (ROI) is used, with a maximum global shutter speed of 1/48000 s and a shutter efficiency of 99.7%. The data can be reliably transmitted uncompressed over standard copper Camera-Link® cables over 5 metres. The synchronisation error between the left and right stereo images is less than 100 ps and this has been verified both electrically and optically. Synchronisation is automatically established at boot-up and maintained during resolution changes. A third camera in the set can be configured independently. The dynamic range of the 10bit sensors exceeds 123 dB with a spectral sensitivity extending well into the infra-red range. Conclusion: The system was subjected to a comprehensive testing protocol, which confirms that the salient requirements for the driver monitoring application are adequately met and in some respects, exceeded. The synchronisation technique presented may also benefit several other automotive stereovision applications including near and far-field obstacle detection and collision avoidance, road condition monitoring and others.Partially funded by the EU FP6 through the IST-507231 SENSATION project.peer-reviewe

Method and apparatus for generating and transmitting synchronized video data

Problem. Current systems for generating synchronized video sequences from multiple video sources are too complex, too restrictive, too cumbersome or too imprecise. There are also few practical ways of faithfully transmitting highly synchronized multivideo between video sources and video sinks. Solution. A system and a method for ensuring precise synchronization of high speed stereovision or multivision systems is disclosed. This method involves the use of matched video sources such as cameras or image sensors which are subjected to a common clock as well as identical operating conditions thereby guaranteeing an identical internal state and synchronized output timing behaviour without relying on the provision of a frame reset pulse or a line reset pulse generated by any one of the video sources in order to guarantee synchronization. This avoids the delays associated with the transmission of such pulses and hence allows much higher frames rates to be achieved. In addition, a system and a method for transferring multivideo, and enabled by the use of highly synchronized video produced by the previously mentioned method, are disclosed. This allows the combined and faithful transmission of the synchronized outputs of a plurality of matched video sources over a single digital interface such as Camera-Link®. In the latter embodiment, this method extends, without violating, the provisions for multi-tap video as laid out in the Camera-Link® specification.peer-reviewe

Camera-link and synchronism in automotive multi-vision systems

Cameras are excellent ways of non-invasively monitoring the interior and exterior of vehicles. The motivations for cabin monitoring are largely safety related and include occupant detection, occupant classification, and driver vigilance/drowsiness monitoring. Exterior vehicular monitoring has wider motivations including road surface condition monitoring, lane-departure warning systems, blind spot warning, collision warning/mitigation/avoidance, vehicle security, traffic sign detection and adaptive cruise control. The large number of cameras envisaged, necessitates the development of a novel, high performance methodology for interfacing several cameras to a central processing hub over a single lightweight cable whilst preserving a high degree of synchronicity between stereovision or multivision sets. Such a solution, which is also backward compatible with the Camera-Link® standard, is thus presented. This results in substantial cabling, weight and cost savings while simultaneously guaranteeing superior performance. A stereovision design and implementation is presented that makes use of prototype, ultra-high dynamic range, automotive-grade image sensors developed by ATMEL Grenoble SA as part of the European FP6 Project - SENSATION (Advanced Sensor Development for Attention, Stress, Vigilance and Sleep/Wakefulness Monitoring).European FP6 Project - SENSATION (Advanced Sensor Development for Attention, Stress, Vigilance and Sleep/Wakefulness Monitoring)peer-reviewe

Feasibility study of a PocketQube platform to host an ionospheric impedance probe

Since the advent of CubeSat spacecraft, universities and private entities have been successfully designing and launching satellites at a fraction of the traditional cost. These satellites still accommodate useful scientific payloads. Another recently established satellite format is the PocketQube (PQ) - one eighth the size of a CubeSat – with the aim of further reducing launching costs. However, this brings with it the challenge of working with substantially smaller power, mass and volume budgets. Accurate ionospheric modelling requires the use of electron density measurements at the topside of the ionosphere which could be obtained via distributed in-situ sensing. This makes a low cost PQ constellation ideal for this application. In order to assess the feasibility of the PQ format, a preliminary study was conducted about the design of a PQ technology demonstrator capable of carrying a scientific payload. In this paper, the design approaches are discussed, keeping in mind the design budget restrictions as well as the constraints imposed by the ionospheric sensor.The research work disclosed in this publication is funded by the ENDEAVOUR Scholarship Scheme (Malta). The scholarship is part-financed by the European Union – European Social Fund (ESF) under Operational Programme II – Cohesion Policy 2014-2020, “Investing in human capital to create more opportunities and promote the well-being of societypeer-reviewe

Feasibility study of a PocketQube platform to host an ionospheric impedance probe

Since the advent of CubeSat spacecraft, universities and private entities have been successfully designing and launching satellites at a fraction of the traditional cost. These satellites still accommodate useful scientific payloads. Another recently established satellite format is the PocketQube (PQ) - one eighth the size of a CubeSat – with the aim of further reducing launching costs. However, this brings with it the challenge of working with substantially smaller power, mass and volume budgets. Accurate ionospheric modelling requires the use of electron density measurements at the topside of the ionosphere which could be obtained via distributed in-situ sensing. This makes a low cost PQ constellation ideal for this application. In order to assess the feasibility of the PQ format, a preliminary study was conducted about the design of a PQ technology demonstrator capable of carrying a scientific payload. In this paper, the design approaches are discussed, keeping in mind the design budget restrictions as well as the constraints imposed by the ionospheric sensor.The research work disclosed in this publication is funded by the ENDEAVOUR Scholarship Scheme (Malta). The scholarship is part-financed by the European Union – European Social Fund (ESF) under Operational Programme II – Cohesion Policy 2014-2020, “Investing in human capital to create more opportunities and promote the well-being of societypeer-reviewe

Development of pulsed plasma thruster for a Pico-Satellite

The University of Malta Astronics research group has been developing a family of low cost PocketQube (PQ) picosatellites, with the smallest having a total mass of under 250 g and dimensions of a 5 cm cube. These satellites will be launched in low metastable orbits where an electric propulsion system will be required to maintain the orbit and perform other orbital manoeuvres. The Pulsed Plasma Thruster (PPT) is a promising technology for creating such miniaturised propulsion systems. However, scaling down this technology to fit inside PQs presents new challenges. Hence, different configurations of the coaxial PPT with reliable integrated ignition mechanisms are being developed as part of this project. This paper describes the overall mission feasibility of using PPT technology to reduce a 500g 2p PQ’s orbit decay at an altitude of 500 km. Two PPT configurations with carbonisation mitigation efforts having a total discharge energy of 0.338J per pulse were developed and an analysis of the PPT PQ subsystems is provided. The results include the developed PPT PQ, a simulation of the electric field strength of the two PPT configurations, and the plasma plume generated by the thrusters.peer-reviewe

Circular lattice design for UHF geodesic dome phased array antenna with reduced footprint

A circular planar array composed of four equilateral triangle patch antennas with a common triangular ground plane is proposed. The array is a building block for a geodesic dome phased array antenna (GDPAA) based on an icosahedron structure, primarily intended for use in the UHF amateur satellite band of 435-438 MHz. Due to the relatively long wavelength of this band, a novel design for a low-cost GDPAA with a reduced footprint is proposed. It is found that if individual elements are placed in a circular lattice, the footprint is reduced and the overall array performance and antenna isolation are improved.peer-reviewe