Integrated Collision Warning System for Transit Buses

Open in new window

Speaker
Christoph Mertz and Aaron Steinfeld
NavLab, Robotics Institute, Carnegie Mellon University

When
-

Where
Newell-Simon Hall 1305 (Michael Mauldin Auditorium)

Description

In the late 1990s the Federal Transit Administration recognized that collision warning systems (CWS) being developed for cars and trucks would be inadequate for the environment and operation of transit vehicles. This led to a series of projects to develop and specify CWS for the transit realm to address the specific nuances of transit operation, especially with respect to side collisions—a type of collision that had largely been neglected by the other vehicle modalities.

We will describe two components of the work conducted by NavLab under this effort: determination of potential threats and the driver-vehicle interface. The former is complicated by the fact that typical operation maneuvers are often intentionally close to fixed objects and predicting intersecting paths of travel in urban environments is particularly difficult. The challenge of providing an appropriate driver-vehicle interface is compounded by three paradoxes inherent to transit operation and the need to provide valuable information yet still prevent driver annoyance.

Speaker's Bio

Christoph Mertz, a Project Scientist in NavLab, is an expert on data analysis, sensor development, surround sensing, intelligent transportation systems, and collision warning algorithms. He earned a doctorate in physics prior to joining the Robotics Institute.

Aaron Steinfeld, a Senior Research Psychologist in NavLab, has experience in human-robot interaction, intelligent transportation, mobile robotics, military and healthcare robotics, head-up displays, assistive technology, and interaction with agent systems. He is interested in operator assistance and appropriate robot behavior.

Speaker's Website
http://www.ri.cmu.edu/research_lab_group_detail.html?lab_id=28&menu_id=263