Development and analysis of a real-time system for automated detection of improvised explosive device indicators from ground vehicles

We propose a real-time change detection system to be used as a vehicle-mounted early-warning system for indicators of improvised explosive devices. Within the context of military route clearance, the system automatically detects suspicious changes in the environment with respect to a previous patrol. For this purpose, historical images of the...

Fuel penalty comparison for (Electrically) heated catalyst technology

The conversion efficiency of three way catalytic converters is mainly defined by the temperature range wherein they are operating. Traditionally, ignition retard has been used to reduce the light-off time of the catalyst. This is however associated with a fuel penalty. With increasing vehicle electrification, electrically heating facilities...

EyeRobot TBI unmanned TelePresence reconnaissance mission

There is an increasing use of unmanned systems in military operations. Effective use of unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) for counter IED and reconnaissance tasks under battlefield conditions has been reported. For operations in urban environment, good real time situational awareness for the operator is required to be able to manoeuvre and observe...

Function and acceptance of overtaking assistant design tested in driving simulator experiment

This paper describes a driving simulator experiment to test the functioning and acceptance of a standardized overtaking assistant design. On a simulated two-lane road, 24 participants drove 15 min with and without a prototype overtaking assistant The overtaking assistant calculated the available time to perform an overtaking maneuver, taking the...

Use of a vehicle-modelling tool for predicting CO2 emissions in the framework of European regulations for light goods vehicles

The reduction of CO2 emissions and fuel consumption from road transportation constitutes an important pillar of the EU commitment for implementing the Kyoto Protocol. Efforts to monitor and limit CO2 emissions from vehicles can effectively be supported by the use of vehicle modelling tools. This paper presents the application of such a tool for...

Influence of roadside infrastructure on driving behavior: Driving simulator study

This paper describes the results of a driving simulator study that focused on the influence of roadside infrastructure on speed choice and lateral placement of car drivers. A review of the RISER detailed accident database revealed that lateral positioning and speed of the vehicle were two of the primary factors leading to crashes. The driving...

Function and acceptance of overtaking assistant design tested in driving simulator experiment

Inhalation exposure to isocyanates of car body repair shop workers and industrial spray painters

As part of a large-scale epidemiological study, occupational isocyanate exposure was assessed in spray-painting environments. The aim was to assess which compounds contribute to isocyanate exposure in car body repair shops and industrial painting companies, and to identify tasks with high risk of isocyanate exposure. Mainly personal task-based...

Particulate matter regulation for two-stroke two wheelers: Necessity or haphazard legislation?

Although interest in particulate emissions has increased considerably during recent years, the subject of particulate matter (PM) emissions from small two-stroke engines used in road vehicles is still largely unexplored. This paper presents the results of an investigation, which examined the typical emission level and the typical characteristics...

Trade-offs between spatial and temporal resolution in driving unmanned vehicles

Remote vision for steering unmanned vehicles is generally facilitated by on-board cameras. Due to limited bandwidth data-links, a trade-off exists between spatial and temporal image resolution. In the present experiment, objective performance of military driving instructors was measured on a standardized task-battery in a fixed-base driving...

Driving simulator validity: Some considerations

The validity of driving simulators for behavioral research is discussed. The concept of validity is introduced and explained, and a survey of validation studies follows, in the TNO driving simulator and others, comparing field and simulator study results. Results for mid-level driving simulators show that generally absolute validity of route...

6th International TNO conference: organizing for technological innovation, Rotterdam, 1 and 2 March, 1973