As robots become increasingly autonomous, sensor fusion is growing in importance. Sensor fusion merges data from multiple sensors on and off the robot to reduce uncertainty as a robot navigates or performs specific tasks. It brings multiple benefits to autonomous robots: increased accuracy, reliability, and fault tolerance of sensor inputs; extended spatial and temporal coverage […]
Sensor fusion levels and architectures
Sensor fusion is the process of combining inputs from two or more sensors to produce a more complete, accurate, and dependable picture of the environment, especially in dynamic settings. The goal of sensor fusion is to provide those improved results with the minimum number of sensors and minimum system complexity for the lowest cost. The […]
Sensor fusion – How does that work?
Each sensor type, or modality, has inherent strengths and weaknesses. Sensor fusion is the process of bringing together inputs from multiple sensors to form a single model or image of the environment around a platform. The resulting model is more accurate because it balances the strengths of the various sensors. Sensor fusion brings the data […]
The role of ADAS sensors in automotive design
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are intended to prevent deaths and injuries by reducing accidents. Exemplary ADAS applications include: pedestrian detection/avoidance, lane departure warning/correction; traffic sign recognition; automatic emergency braking, and; blind-spot detection. This FAQ starts with an overview of the “levels of driving automation” and its relation to ADAS. It then reviews the role […]
Undersea optical-fiber cables do double-duty as seismic sensors, Part 2: Application
A research team has devised and tested a scheme based on advanced optical-physics principles, which uses active submarine optical-fiber data cables also to sense ocean-floor earthquakes and ocean-surface swells. The previous part of this article established the context for “piggybacking” seismic-sensing capabilities onto an existing undersea fiber-optic cable. This part looks in more detail at […]
Creating cryogenic environments for electronics
This FAQ series has gone to extremes and looked at “electronics that operate in extreme heat” (up to 800°C) and “electronics that operate in extreme cold” at cryogenic temperatures. This third and final FAQ will consider the various methods available to create artificial cryogenic environments. The temperature where refrigerated temperatures end and cryogenic temperatures begin […]
Electronics that operate in cryogenic cold
The first part of this FAQ series looked at “electronics that operate in extreme heat” (up to 800°C). This FAQ delves into the opposite end of the temperature spectrum and heads toward absolute zero. There are several existing cryogenic electronics applications, including superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) for measuring extremely subtle magnetic fields, microwave preamplification, […]
Electronics that operate in extreme heat to 800°C
Extreme environments require electronic systems capable of surviving beyond the MIL-STD operating temperature range of -55°C to +125°C. This FAQ series will go to extremes and look at super hot electronics (up to 800°C) and cryogenic electronics. Part one of this series looks at electronics that operate in extreme heat. Part two will look at […]
