Blind Spot Bicycle Detection via AI Image Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Collisions between vehicles and bicycles often occur when bicycles are in a motor vehicle's blind spot or difficult to see, leading to fatal accidents, highlighting the need for systems that provide additional warnings to motorists of a bicycle's presence.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that uses a sensor to obtain images of the area, processed by a data processing unit with an image analysis module employing artificial intelligence to detect the presence of a bicycle, generating a signal for a display unit to show a visual warning to the motorist when the bicycle's path intersects with the vehicle's path.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a motor vehicle turns right across a roadway, then the motor vehicle can change direction efficiently, but collisions with bicycles in blind spots occur frequently
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of bicycles in blind spots before the motor vehicle completes its turning maneuver. The sensor array continuously monitors the roadway ahead and to the side, identifying cyclists before they enter the vehicle's path, allowing the driver to adjust the turning trajectory or speed in advance to prevent collision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary warning system between the motor vehicle and the bicycle. The display unit acts as a mediator that communicates the presence of detected bicycles to the driver, bridging the information gap created by blind spots and enabling safer interaction between the vehicle and vulnerable road users
2Reliability
If sensors and display units are installed to detect and warn of bicycles in blind spots, then collision avoidance improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor array is designed to perform multiple functions: detecting bicycles, determining their motion trajectories, and providing warning signals. By making the detection system multi-functional, the patent reduces the need for separate specialized components, thereby managing system complexity while maintaining high reliability for collision avoidance
Solution Approach 2:
The system divides the monitoring area into multiple zones using an array of sensors positioned at different locations. Each sensor monitors a specific sector of the blind spot area, and the data from segmented sensor zones is integrated to provide comprehensive coverage. This segmentation allows complex spatial detection to be managed through modular, distributed sensing elements
Data Source
AI summary
System and method for providing a warning to a motorist of the presence of a mobile target in an area, when at least one projected path of the motor vehicle intersects at least one projected target path. A sensor obtains an image of the area and passes the image to a data processing unit. The data processing unit comprises an image analysis module that is used to analyze the image to detect the presence of a target, such as a bicycle, in the area. The image analysis module uses artificial intelligence methods to analyze the image. When a mobile target is detected in the area, a signal is generated and passed to a display unit. The display unit then displays a visible warning of the presence of the target to the motorist. In one embodiment, the area includes a blind spot of a motor vehicle operated by the motorist.