Data collection on Google Cars

Data collection on Google CARs:

Abstract:

According to the world health organization, more than 1.2 million lives are lost every year in road accidents. we need to believe on engineering technology potential to prevent as much as road accidents.

we are also confident that self driving cars will transform to new “highway trains of tomorrow“.
i.e No need to worry about the driving and we can do something other important things in our life.

To achieve this dream, Google developed technology for cars that can drive them selfs. these automated cars that can drive them selfs.
these automated cars uses video cameras, radar sensors, LIDAR and detailed maps.

for detecting outside 3d world, Google car uses laser technology. A laser range finder is mounted on the roof of the car.
the laser range finder used in the Google car is velodyne 64- beam laser, which generates detailed 3d map of the environment.

The car then combines the laser measurements with high-resolution maps of the world, producing different types of the data models that allow itself while avoiding obstacles and respecting traffic laws.

The vehicle carries:    

            1. Four-radars, mounted on the front and rear bumps.
                To calculate speed of the other cars in the respective line.
            2. A camera positioned near the rear- view mirror.
                To detect traffic lights.
            3. GPS, inertial measurement unit and wheel encoder. To determine
                the vehicle location and keep track of its movement.

Velodyne 64-beam laser:

* velodyne’s HLD-64E sensor is designed for obstacle detection and navigation of autonomous       ground vehicles.
* durability of 360digree field of view and very highdata rate, which makes the sensor ideal for the most demanding perception applications.

Specifications of HLD-64E sensor:

1. 360 degree horizontal view, 26.8 degree vertical view.
2. 5-15hz user-selective frame rate.
3. over 1.3 million points per second output rate.

Data-sheet of HLD-64E sensor is available at velodynelidar.com

or search “velodyne 64-beam laser” on Google.


What is LIDAR?

LIDAR is LIght detection and ranging. the laser is Class-I and eye safe.

LIDAR is a remote sensing technology that measures distance by illuminating a target with a laser and analyzing the reflected light detection and ranging.

LIDAR was developed in early 1960s, shortly after invention of the LASER.

Applications of HDL-64E S2:

1. Autonomous vehicle navigation,
2. mapping,
3. surveying,
4. industrial automation.
These are the generic applications used.

Google CAR unit envelopment:

1. used on the basis of high datarate. So 100MBPS Ethernet interfaced to the end user application.
2. It uses 64-Fixed mounted lasers to measures the surrounding environment.

LIDAR concept:

velodyne’s unique HD lidar technology lets you focus for your efforts on controlling algorithms which are user specific, image parsing and application specific processing instead of multi-sensor mounting, debugging and integration.

contains:     1. LASER emitter (4 group of 16)
                    2. LASER receivers (2 group of 32)
                    3. A motor housing
                    4. Mounting Base

The mechanical motor which spins up to 900RPM (15hz) to gather the data.

Operating temperature 10 to 50 degree C.

LASER is class I eye safe. Mechanical motor operating voltage 15+(or)- 1.5V @4amps.

Output of 100MBPS UDP Ethernet.




Reference :

http://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/artificial-intelligence/how-google-self-driving-car-works

Welcome to the Embedded designing

To become an Embedded designer you must posses the fallowing skills:

1. Programming languages C and C++.
2. Embedded C: operators, data types , functions those are specifically for embedded software.
3. Digital electronics and applications.
4. Computer Organization.

Embedded development area includes system programming in LINUX kernel based operating systems. So, the next step after the embedded basic design is development field.

If you want to concentrate on programming otherthan designing of hardware board, you can try Arduino Uno development board. Here you can achieve the programming concepts for arduino envirnoment.

 

Arduino Uno

If you are beginner to the projects, then try to do small projects.

one of the mistake done by every beginner was copying the whole circuit diagram and trying to get output. My suggestion for the beginners is to think a small application and try to collect the data to implement. You can observe and understand the circuits and try to make your own understandable circuit on your own.

Remember, when you are decided to do project, select 1 or 2 members in your group and those members should be involve in your project.

Social websites you can involve:

1. Garagelab.com

2. Edboard.com

Circuit boards for the projects:

    There are some printed circuit boards which are available to do projects. These are:
    1. Universal printed circuit board.
    2. Special printed circuit boards.

circuit boards i am talking about here is to fabricate all the components with respect to the application.

     1. universal printed circuit boards:
   
        These are the printed circuit boards which having holes and the copper bottom. These can be used for any circuits. The components which you need to interconnect using wires. So these are the traditional methods to design an application. As a beginner it is best way to try.

     

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2. Specific printed circuit boards:
        These are the special type for the application. These PCBs designed for an application can not used for any different application. Here application means a circuit diagram.
Here is a good news, that i know how to desing special printed circuit boards at home without need of any high cost equipment. i will share it some other day.