Project description :
This project aims to establish new design methods for robust and efficient automotive navigation and optimal management of a fleet of vehicles in harsh environments. In addition, the project also aims to develop innovative metrics for real-time analysis of dangerous driving behaviour as well as real-time analysis of car accidents in order to significantly improve global safety of Canadian drivers. In general, this research proposes to combine measurements from a high sensitivity GPS receiver with data coming from a self-contained inertial navigation system and other complementary autonomous sensors such as odometers and magnetometers. Moreover, in order to provide an affordable solution, the targeted system will be based exclusively on the use of very low cost sensors. It is expected that this project will help reduce the environmental footprint of motor vehicles in addition to having a significant positive impact on overall vehicle safety. For example, improving vehicle localisation accuracy and robustness in harsh environments can significantly reduce the time to find a stolen or misplaced vehicle, which can have an important impact on Canadian companies’ finances. Furthermore, having a robust and precise solution for monitoring vehicle behaviour can lead to the implementation of a new taxation system based on car usage or on driving behaviour, which according to recent studies, can help reduce vehicle greenhouse gas emissions by up to 10%. In addition, accurate reconstruction of car accidents in real-time allow prediction of specific parameters of an accident scene thus improving reaction time and vehicle safety. The proof-of-concept demonstrator will be evaluated in-laboratory and on-road using simulation equipment and a car test platform under real operating conditions in order to characterize protocols and system performance. The project will contribute to international initiatives for the definition of new standards and contribute to Canadian efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and create new employment opportunities for the team of highly qualified personnel.
Responsibilities of the candidate:
According to the schedule, the professional researcher will be in charge of the following tasks:
1) 1-12 Study of scientific objectives
2) 1-13 Training on Orchid platform and associated tools
3) 1-14 Technical study on vehicles’ embedded sensors and data networks
4) 1-15 Technical study on AC1120S rate table
5) 1-34 Initial system architecture selection
6) 1-35 Study of sensor interconnection and data fusion
7) 1-8 Final year report
8) 2-81 Development of data transmission protocols
9) 2-101 Hardware and component selection
10) 2-102 Schematics of connections between components
11) 2-103 Design and manufacturing of the PCB
12) 2-104 Prototype software implementation
13) 2-105 Validation of the implementation of the prototype
14) 2-106 Physical robustness analysis of the prototype
15) 2-107 Detailing the prototype specifications
16) 2-11 Final year report
17) 3-12 Real test setup and planning
18) 3-42 Real car test setups and planning
19) 3-43 Driving behaviour test realisation
20) 3-82 Real car test setups and planning
21) 3-83 Real car accident test realisation
22) 3-91 Hardware and component modifications
23) 3-92 Schematics of connections between components
24) 3-93 Design and manufacturing of the PCB
25) 3-94 Prototype software implementation
26) 3-95 Validation of the implementation of the prototype
27) 3-10 Final year report
28) 4-32 Establishment of a communication protocol
29) 4-33 Establishment of real-time wireless communication link
30) 4-41 Resources consumption analysis
31) 4-42 Code optimization
32) 4-43 Realization of energy saving modules
33) 4-6 Final year report
The objective of the professional research engineer’s project is to ensure that theoretical developments made by the research team will lead to the ultimate goal of the project: the development of a robust embedded integrated navigation system for real-time vehicle fleet monitoring and real-time analysis and diagnosis of car accidents. One of the tasks of the professional engineer is to ensure (together with the professors conducting the research project and the industrial groups) that the research subjects proposed during the three years advance at reasonable pace. He should also support the research team members during their research activities. He should always have a general view of the global picture of the project. He will know about the work of the trainee, Master’s, and Ph.D. students in practical areas. He will participate in the post-processing of raw data recorded during laboratory and on-road testing, as well as, the corresponding analysis.
On a more technical point of view, the engineer will be responsible for the hardware aspect of the project. Thus, he will be the leading expert concerning the iMetrik’s Orchid platform. According to this task description, the engineer must know, in detail, each sensor used in the project, as well as, the communication links connecting them to the microcontroller (whether wired or wireless). The engineer will be also responsible for software implementation within the embedded system. Thus, he will be in charge of graduate students who will carry out this implementation and should therefore ensure that it is carried out according to common design rules. In addition, the engineer will be responsible for code optimization in order to ensure that the developed algorithms consume minimal energy, memory and processor resources. In connection with this task, he will have to develop an innovative energy saving/management system based on various criteria such as the car dynamics and the on/off state of the vehicle. This system will help optimize energy consumption by enabling/disabling certain system features based on actual vehicle conditions. Finally, the engineer will be in charge of the prototyping of a new platform i.e. Orchid VTADS thus be responsible for PCB design, manufacturing and assembly, as well as, algorithm implementation of the prototype software suite.
