Ability Of Vehicle Research Articles

Image-Aided Navigation Using Cooperative Binocular Stereopsis

This paper proposes a novel method for estimating the positions of two vehicles in a global reference frame based on synchronized image and navigational information. The proposed technique leverages one vehicle's ability to localize itself relative to another using image data, enabling motion estimation from tracking common features. The visual odometry algorithm of this work uses the optimal vehicle motion over a single time interval estimated from the positions of common features in a bundle adjustment algorithm as a delayed state extended Kalman filter (EKF) measurement. The algorithm achieves accurate motion estimation and is a potential alternative to map-based simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) algorithms. Published 2015 This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Geometric Progression Application in Design Transmission Gear Ratio

One of the important aspects in determining the competitiveness of an automotive product is the traction ability or performance, the vehicle's ability to accelerate, wind resistance, rolling resistance, against the force of the ramp, and the capacity to pull a load. The size of traction for any level of gear and vehicle speed that can be achieved can be controlled by adjusting the ratio and transmission rate. Transmission ratio affects the amount of torque that can be transmitted, while the number of speed levels affects the fineness of the process of transmission and transformation of power in the transmission system. To find a gear ratio between the lowest and highest transmission rate is by geometric progression. The basis of the use of this method is to get the ratio and amount of gear transmission rate of speed at the same engine operating speed so that fuel economy will be the same on each transmission. Modified gear ratio produce traction curve where the distance curve closer adjacent transmission. This indicates a loss of power transmission shifting is getting smaller or in other words the better traction performance. The design of the installation ratio 6-speed, generating traction curve with the distance between the curve near the sting traction, produces good traction or good performance.

Pricing strategies for the site-dependent vehicle routing problem

The vehicle pricing game (VPG) which addresses the vehicles' viewpoints within a vehicle routing problem (VRP) is introduced. Each vehicle acts as a player who demands a price per kilometer. That is, vehicles represent decentralized actors in transport systems, e.g., carriers under subcontracts. Based on these prices, a VRP is solved and profits are generated. Which price should a vehicle choose to maximize its own profit, considering the competition among vehicles? To answer this question, site dependencies leading to inhomogeneous vehicles are included. More detailed, skill-levels, e.g., relating to the size of a vehicle, are used to indicate a vehicle's ability to carry out particular services. Moreover, penalty options are added. The VPG serves as an element of a vertical collaboration in a transport scenario and thus provides decision support for cooperative models. Theoretical results for the VPG are provided for a particular case of a two-player ring network game, for which the full set of equilibria is described and their uniqueness is discussed. It is shown that the uniqueness of the higher-skilled vehicle's payoff is guaranteed even for multiple equilibria. The competition ratio is defined; it restricts a vehicle's price to keep its competitiveness. Moreover, the acceptance ratio gives a lower bound on prices such that a loss of market share is still accepted. Experimental results are provided for general networks including the analysis of penalty options. It is demonstrated that strict site dependencies by tendency lead to monopolistic structures. In addition, particular penalty types show a positive effect regarding load imbalances caused by universally skilled vehicles.

A Multihoming Clustering Algorithm for Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks

Clustering in vehicular ad hoc networks is an effective approach to make dynamic wireless vehicular sensor networks more manageable and stable. To make vehicle clustering applicable everywhere regardless of the provided infrastructure, vehicles must rely only on themselves and must not take any supporting services, such as location or external communication services, for granted. In this paper, we propose a new clustering metric and a clustering algorithm with multihoming support. It relies only on the vehicle's ability to send and receive wireless packets which identify the vehicle relationship. Clusters are created with redundant connections between nodes to increase the communication reliability in case of topological changes and the cluster creation process is also inverted compared to other algorithms. The presented solution is verified and compared to MOBIC with the use of ns-3 and SUMO simulation tools. Simulation results have confirmed the expected behavior and show that our algorithm achieves better node connectivity and cluster stability than the former.

Electric regulation: Future of the electric vehicle charging stations

AbstractIn my January 2012 column, “Future of the Electric Vehicle,” I asserted that a lack of strong consumer demand, whether for the sake of preference or due to lack of information, is the most serious of several barriers to the substitution of electric for internal combustion automobiles. The argument focused on the historical development of automobile transportation in the United States with focus on technology and political economy. The lack of charging infrastructure was mentioned as another primary barrier to the electric vehicle's ability to compete.

Establishing Safety for Heavy Duty Vehicle Platooning: A Game Theoretical Approach

AbstractIt is fuel efficient to minimize the relative distance between vehicles to achieve a maximum reduction in air drag. However, the relative distance can only be reduced to a certain extent without endangering a collision. Factors such as the vehicle velocity, the relative velocity, and the characteristics of the vehicle ahead has a strong impact on what minimum relative distance can be obtained. In this paper, we utilize optimal control and game theory to establish safety criteria for heavy duty vehicle platooning applications. The derived results show that a minimum relative distance of 1.2 m can be obtained for two identical vehicles without endangering a collision, assuming that there is no delay present in the feedback system. If a worst case delay is present in the system, a minimum relative distance is deduced based upon the vehicle's maximum deceleration ability. The relative distance can be reduced if the follower vehicle has a greater overall braking capability, which suggests that vehicle heterogeneity and order has substantial impact. The findings are verified by simulations and the main conclusion is that the relative distance utilized in commercial applications today can be reduced significantly with a suitable advanced cruise control system.

Speed choice and driving performance in simulated foggy conditions

Driving in fog is a potentially dangerous activity that has been investigated in a number of different ways; however, most have focused on identifying the underlying perceptual changes that result in an inability to perceive speed of vehicle motion. Although the previous research has identified the perceptual changes associated with driving in fog and shows that people are highly likely to perceive their speed to be higher than it actually is, these research studies have not investigated driving behavior when drivers are allowed to maintain speed as they feel appropriate and make use of the vehicle's speedometer. In addition, much of the existing research focuses on speed perception and presents a limited view of other driving performance metrics in terms of lane keeping and event detection. The current study addresses these issues utilizing a driving simulator-based method where fog is simulated as a distance dependent contrast reduction while having participants drive at speeds they feel are appropriate. A number of different instructions and speed feedback mechanisms were tested in order to determine how drivers react when driving in varying levels of fog. Results also include lane keeping measures in order to assess whether drivers are willing to drive at speeds where their lane keeping performance is degraded due to the reduced visibility. Results indicate that, in general, drivers do not tend to slow down significantly until visibility distance is drastically reduced by fog; however, lane keeping ability is maintained throughout most of the range of visibility distances. Lane keeping ability was reduced only when fog results in visibility distances <30m. Overall, the current study shows that drivers are willing and able to maintain vehicular control at high speed when driving in fog; however, it is important to note that drivers chose to drive at speeds where they would be incapable of stopping to avoid obstacles in the roadway even if they were to identify and react to the obstacle immediately at the border of visibility distance. This research suggests that safety benefits may be gained by convincing drivers to slow down more than they would on their own when driving in fog or enhancing a vehicle's ability to identify and react to hazards that are not visible to the driver. In order to further understand the effects of driving in fog, future naturalistic driving research should focus on identifying and mitigating risky behaviors associated with driving in foggy conditions.

Systemic Delivery of DNA or siRNA Mediated by Linear Polyethylenimine (L-PEI) Does Not Induce an Inflammatory Response

The success of nucleic acid therapies depends upon delivery vehicle's ability to selectively and efficiently deliver therapeutic nucleic acids to target organ with minimal toxicity. The cationic polymer polyethylenimine (PEI) has been widely used for nucleic acid delivery due to its versatility and efficiency. In particular, the last generation of linear PEI (L-PEI) is being more efficient in vivo than the first generation of branched PEI. This led to several clinical trials including phase II bladder cancer therapy and human immunodeficiency virus immunotherapy. When moving towards to the clinic, it is crucial to identify potential side-effects induced by the delivery vehicle. For this purpose we have analyzed the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines [tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interferon (IFN)-gamma, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-12/IL-23, IFN-beta and IL-1beta] and hepatic enzyme levels (alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase) in the blood serum of mice after systemic injection of DNA or siRNAs delivered with L-PEI. Our data show no major production of pro-inflammatory cytokines or hepatic enzymes after injection of DNA or oligonucleotides active for RNA interference (siRNAs or sticky siRNAs) complexed with L-PEI. Only a slight induction of IFN-gamma was measured after DNA delivery, which is probably induced by the CpG mediated response. Taken together our data highlight that linear polyethylenimine is a delivery reagent of choice for nucleic acid therapeutics.

Requirements and approach for a space tourism launch system

Market surveys suggest that a viable space tourism industry will require flight rates about two orders of magnitude higher than those required for conventional spacelift. Although enabling round-trip cost goals for a viable space tourism business are about $240/pound ($529/kg), or $72,000/passenger round-trip, goals should be about $50/pound ($110/kg) or approximately $15,000 for a typical passenger and baggage. The lower price will probably open space tourism to the general population. Vehicle reliabilities must approach those of commercial aircraft as closely as possible. This paper addresses the development of spaceplanes optimized for the ultra-high flight rate and high reliability demands of the space tourism mission. It addresses the fundamental operability, reliability, and cost drivers needed to satisfy this mission need. Figures of merit similar to those used to evaluate the economic viability of conventional commercial aircraft are developed, including items such as payload/vehicle dry weight, turnaround time, propellant cost per passenger, and insurance and depreciation costs, which show that infrastructure can be developed for a viable space tourism industry. A reference spaceplane design optimized for space tourism is described. Subsystem allocations for reliability, operability, and costs are made and a route to developing such a capability is discussed. The vehicle's ability to satisfy the traditional spacelift market is also shown.

A Bayesian Approach for Analyzing Results of Vehicle Collision Tests

ABSTRACTCertain motor vehicle safety standards stipulate a collision test speed and a set of performance criteria that vehicles must satisfy during or after the collision test. For example, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 301 requires a 30 mile per hour (mph) barrier collision and specifies a certain maximum allowable limit on the total spillage of fuel. Vehicle designs are required to meet this standard; however, when collision tests are conducted at speeds higher than the standard, vehicles do not always satisfy the performance criteria. This paper develops a mathematical model for estimating the probability of meeting the standard by using a Bayesian framework to incorporate engineering judgment with collision test results. The model is based on the idea that there are random features to a vehicle's ability to meet performance standards in a collision, especially at such elevated speeds. Example calculations are included to illustrate the estimation of the probability of meeting the standard and to compare it with a maximum likelihood approach.

Triamcinolone acetonide in the treatment of acute and chronic lesions of the oral mucous membranes. Preliminary report.

Triamcinolone acetonide was administered in a new vehicle adhesive to fifty-six patients with various acute and chronic lesions of the oral mucous membranes. Trimacinolone acetonide therapy was undertaken in many instances after relatively prolonged unsuccessful therapy with numerous other agents and/or placebos. The patients treated included six with erosive lichen planus, six with denture stomatitis, four with oral erythema multiforme, four with geographic tongue, three with orolingual paresthesias, eight with desquamative gingivitis or stomatitis, thirteen with recurrent ulcerative stomatitis, eight with denture irritations or other traumatic ulcers. two with chronic inflammatory lesions of unknown etiology, and two with postradiation (cancer therapy) stomatitis. Triamcinolone acetonide in the adhesive vehicle was found to have either (1) suppressant, (2) ameliorative, or (3) curative effects on the various oral mucosal lesions enumerated above, with the exception of the three patients with idiopathic orolingual paresthesia and the four patients with geographic tongue. Further studies with this agent in acute and chronic lesions of the oral mucous membranes, especially when combined with the new adhesive vehicle, seem indicated. Since triamcinolone acetonide is a powerful corticosteroid which is fully active systemically, the total dose administered and the duration of therapy must be considered carefully. It is also essential that, where possible, therapy be of a discontinuous nature and that particular advantage be taken of the adhesive vehicle's ability to maintain a drug at the site of application.