Multi-Sensor Impact Detection for Low-Energy Vehicle Collisions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional safety systems in passenger vehicles are not optimized to detect and respond to low-energy collisions, which occur frequently and do not require the deployment of conventional safety apparatuses like airbags, but may still necessitate other actions such as stopping the vehicle or communicating with the operator.
Innovation Solution
A low-energy collision detection system utilizing a combination of electromechanical and acoustic sensors, along with AI techniques like machine learning, to estimate the location and type of impact, and generate commands for the vehicle's system controller to perform appropriate actions, such as stopping or communicating with operators.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional safety apparatus are deployed for all collisions, then passenger safety is improved, but system over-response to low-energy collisions worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the response strategy based on collision energy level: high-energy collisions trigger conventional safety apparatus deployment, while low-energy collisions trigger alternative responses such as alerting the driver or logging the event, making the system adaptable to different collision scenarios
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the response parameter from uniform deployment to differentiated response based on detected collision characteristics, allowing appropriate response selection that matches the severity and type of collision detected
2Reliability
If multiple sensor types are used for low-energy collision detection, then detection reliability is improved, but system complexity worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses contact microphones that serve multiple functions: detecting low-energy collisions, identifying collision location, and providing acoustic signatures for collision classification, thereby improving detection reliability without proportionally increasing system 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
Effectively identifies and responds to low-energy impact collisions, improving safety outcomes by preventing potential damage to the vehicle and external objects, and enhancing the reliability of collision detection through multi-sensor confirmation.
Implementation Method 1
a second set of sensors comprising a plurality of acoustic sensors distributed about the vehicle, each acoustic sensor configured to detect sound
Implementation Method 2
a first set of sensors comprising a plurality of electromechanical sensors distributed about the vehicle, each electromechanical sensor configured to generate a signal in response to an impact with the vehicle
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure relates to systems and techniques for identifying collisions, such as relatively low energy impact collisions involving an autonomous vehicle. Sensor data from a first sensor modality in a first array may be used to determine a first estimated location of impact and second sensor data from a second sensor modality in a second array may be used to determine a second estimated location of impact. A low energy impact event may be configured when the first estimated location of impact corresponds to the second estimated location of impact.