When well over 1” of rain fell rather quickly in various parts of Phoenix recently, areas prone to flooding accumulated much more. As one of the highest amounts of rain to fall within the past seven years, it provided a new scenario to Waymo robotaxis. Several of the driverless vehicles confronted “Do Not Enter When […]
How to implement multi-sensor fusion algorithms for autonomous vehicles
To achieve autonomous vehicle (AV) operation, sensing techniques include radar, LiDAR, and cameras, as well as infrared (IR) and/or ultrasonic sensors, among others. No single sensing technique is adequate by itself, and each of these sensors has its strengths and weaknesses. As shown in Table 1, one or more sensing techniques overcome the weaknesses of […]
The power of sensor fusion
Industrial machines have long relied on a variety of sensors to execute their targeted mission and obtain the desired performance and reliability. Sensor fusion provides a more comprehensive approach to achieving these results and makes the appropriate decision(s) in these and other applications, as well as offering other benefits. Actually, a subcategory of data fusion, […]
Have you got mail?
Since 1989, America Online’s (AOL’s) phrase “You’ve got mail” has been associated with the arrival of digital messages. More recently, the United States Postal Service (USPS) has provided a digital message (email) to alert customers of the arrival of physical mail and packages. The email notifications are part of the USPS Informed Delivery system and […]
How do restrooms get smarter?
In a busy airport, if you’re making the long trek from where you are to the gate you depart from, a WOW! moment can occur when a digital display informs you of an available restroom stall along the way and removes one source of frustration and anxiety. In a public restroom, sensors provide several automatic […]
More sensors or AI?
With continually improving artificial intelligence (AI) technology, system designers will face the design tradeoff of adding more sensors to achieve specific design objectives or using AI instead. A good example is a smart elevator. Today’s elevators have several sensors in their design. One of the key features of smart elevators starts with traffic analysis and […]
What standards impact sensors?
Sensors require compliance with many industry standards and government regulations to be acceptable for different applications. One of the more stringent and well-known areas is automotive. However, industry groups in many market segments have sensor and system requirements that may be common or unique to specific applications. Industry-specific standards In automotive applications, government regulations, such […]
How do sensors impact elevators?
Perhaps the most obvious sensing performed in modern elevators is the technology used for elevator doors. Or maybe it is the weight sensing that is indicated by the certification plate that specifies the elevator’s weight limit. In any case, safety is the most critical application of elevator sensors. However, security is right up there, too. […]
How is sensing improved in the newest security screening efforts?
While it may be costly, installing a security screening system can be a valuable investment for many institutions, especially in soft-target environments such as schools. Even if it never confronts or prevents an attack, like any insurance policy, the security system can provide numerous benefits to the insured. As part of the Support Anti-terrorism by […]
How does a portable appliance get even more useful?
Suppose an individual born in the U.S. lives the average life expectancy (78.4 years today). In that case, they can expect numerous iterations of technological innovations and improvements throughout their lifetime, especially for healthcare products and systems. Looking back, an item like the Holter monitor (developed in 1947 and released for commercial production in 1962) […]
