Helmet-Mounted Radar for Skiing Collision Avoidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Skiers and snowboarders lack effective means to safely detect and respond to approaching individuals from the side or rear while maintaining focus on their downhill path, with existing solutions like rear view mirrors and video cameras being cumbersome, expensive, and prone to visibility issues due to weather conditions.
Innovation Solution
A rear-looking radar system with audio alerts mounted in a helmet, using ±30° beams to detect approaching skiers or snowboarders and provide audio cues for evasive maneuvers, ensuring safety without diverting attention from the downhill path.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If skiers or snowboarders constantly turn their heads to search for encroaching skiers or snowboarders, then they can detect approaching individuals, but they become partially blind and dangerous projectiles while losing focus on their downhill path
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical action of turning heads with an electronic radar detection system mounted on the helmet. The radar automatically scans for encroaching skiers and snowboarders, converting the mechanical search motion into an electronic sensing system that provides continuous monitoring without requiring the user to physically move their head.
Solution Approach 2:
The radar system performs the detection function autonomously without requiring active user participation. The system self-monitors the environment for approaching individuals and automatically provides alerts, allowing the skier or snowboarder to maintain their focus on the downhill path while the system handles the surveillance task independently.
2Reliability
If skiers or snowboarders wear rear view mirrors on their helmets, then they can see behind them with less head turning, but they still need to focus on the rear view mirror and spend time not looking for other skiers or snowboarders in their own downhill path
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the optical rear view mirror system with an electronic radar detection system. Instead of using reflected light to view the rear scene, the system uses electromagnetic waves to detect the presence and movement of encroaching individuals, providing information about approaching skiers without requiring visual monitoring of a mirror.
Solution Approach 2:
The radar system acts as an intermediary between the encroaching skiers and the user. Rather than directly viewing the rear scene through a mirror, the radar detects and processes information about approaching individuals and translates it into audible alerts, serving as an intermediate sensing and communication layer.
3Reliability
If skiers or snowboarders wear rear view mirrors on their helmets, then they can see behind them, but the mirrors are susceptible to frost, fog, and snow which reduce visibility and lead to periodic cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the optical mirror surface that is vulnerable to environmental contaminants with an electronic radar system. The radar uses electromagnetic wave transmission and reception that is not affected by frost, fog, or snow accumulation, eliminating the visibility problems that plague optical mirror systems in cold weather conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The radar system uses transient electromagnetic signals rather than a permanent optical surface. The detection function is achieved through short-lived radio wave pulses that penetrate through environmental obstacles without requiring a clean, maintained surface like a mirror would need.
4Reliability
If skiers or snowboarders mount video cameras to the rear of their helmets and use a heads up display in their goggles, then they can view the rearward video scene, but this approach is very expensive and suffers from the same disadvantages as rear view mirrors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the complex video camera and heads up display optical system with a simpler radar detection system. Instead of capturing and displaying video images, the radar directly detects the presence, position, and movement of encroaching individuals using electromagnetic waves, providing essential safety information without the complexity of video processing and display systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the essential safety function from the video camera system. Rather than providing a complete visual reproduction of the rear scene through video, the radar system extracts and provides only the critical information needed for safety - the detection and tracking of approaching individuals - eliminating unnecessary complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively detects approaching skiers or snowboarders with high probability (>99.9%) and low false alarms, allowing users to react promptly and safely, enhancing safety and reducing collision risks while maintaining a clear view of the downhill path.
Implementation Method 1
The approach proposed in this patent allowing skiers and snowboarders to 'see' beside or behind themselves avoids the problems described above. In general the proposed approach uses a rear looking radar with audio alerts.
Data Source
AI summary
A technique for alerting a user of approaching moving objects from the side or rear includes a rear looking radar with audio alerts to the user. Feasibility of the Rear Looking Snow Helmet is shown using the skiing and snowboarding applications where variable frequency (distance related) audio alerts are provided to left and right earphones depending on the location of the approaching skier/snowboarder. The electronics driving the system are mounted in the skier's/snowboarder's helmet while two antenna elements are mounted on the rear of the helmet. A large ON/OFF switch is mounted on the helmet for easy access. We show feasibility of the concept using performance analysis and by proposing an implementation architecture for the skiing and snowboarding applications. We claim the system will meet an acceptable level of performance when parameters are varied and traded off and that the system is technology independent.