Monthly Archives: November 2014

Blog #10 Self-Parking Cars Revisited

Self Park Tech

http://gsmserver.com/item/car-camera/intelligent-parking-assist-system/

Many consider parallel parking to be one of the most difficult tasks to do while driving a car. However, thanks to new technology, cars are becoming smart enough that they can park themselves. By using a variety of sensors, these self-parking cars first search for a suitable parallel parking space (2,3). Then, while the driver still continues to regulate the speed of the car by pressing and releasing the brake, the computer system on the car automatically controls the steering wheel until it says the park job is complete (1,2).

A variety of car companies are attempting to implement the idea of a self parking car. Although they all have the same ultimate goal, they all have slight differences in design. First of all, each self parking system could have different ways of sensing objects around the car. Some use cameras and computer screens on the dashboard, others use transmitters and receivers on the bumpers, and others could use radar to detect objects (1). Newer design plans hope to implement many of these features in one car including radar units, ultrasonic sensors, and a camera (3). Another difference in design is the way that the car finds a targeted parking spot. Depending on the brand of the car, it may require targeting a spot via a back up camera and touchscreen, hitting an “OK” button to confirm a selection, or it may be automatic when the system is turned on (2). In addition to multiple sensing devices, newer designs also vary in the fact that they plan to be completely autonomous, automatically switching gears, accelerating, braking, and steering (3).

Despite the obvious benefits of a self parking system, there are a few drawbacks. Some designs will get you into the general parking spot but will not completely finish the job. It may get you to where you are roughly supposed to be, but then you must straighten the wheels and finish own your own (2). Secondly, sometimes people receive conflicting signals when they use a system. For example, it may tell you to keep backing up while loudly beeping that you are too close to the car behind you (2). Lastly, many people enjoy driving a car and may not wish to give up control of their vehicle to a computer (1). Automated parking systems are designed to help people parallel park, but they should not be expected to use the same level of detail that an experienced driver would have (2).

self-parking-car-2

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/car-driving-safety/safety-regulatory-devices/self-parking-car.htm

Even more advanced than a self parking car would be the possibility of a self driving car. Although some people may be reluctant to give up their control of the wheel to a computer, there are a number of advantages to using a car that can drive itself. According to Jim Dalrymple II  (4), one of the largest shifts that would result from self-driving cars is that taxis would replace widespread car ownership. This idea is based on the fact that the main expense of a taxi is the driver’s wage. Without a driver, taxis could become cheap and ultimately more cost effective than owning a car. In addition, the self- driving taxis would run almost all of the time, unlike an owned car that just sits in a parking space for a large portion of time. If this were the case, the number of parking lots could be greatly reduced, opening more space for other uses such as green expansion (parks, fields, etc.) or housing. Lastly, if the entire transportation system could become “hyper-optimized”,  where all the vehicles on the road interact efficiently, the streets would become safer and less congested.

Opponents of the self-driving car usually either fit into one or two categories. The first is if they do not want to relinquish their control of the wheel. The second is a group that believes that there are still better alternatives economically and environmentally to the self-driving cars (4). This second group proposes potential problems that self-driving cars would cause and then offers an alternate solution. For example, some people do not agree with the taxi idea listed above and believe that self-driving cars would increase the demand for vehicles and eventually cause more congestion. They think that public transportation expansion would maximize space efficiency as well as reduce emissions, and is therefore the best option. The following clip clearly shows the space efficiency of public transport:

Although the self-driving car may seem like an excellent idea in principle, I believe that due to the challengers of the design, it will be decades until the self-parking car has a chance to be implemented in the world.

Sources:

  1. http://auto.howstuffworks.com/car-driving-safety/safety-regulatory-devices/self-parking-car1.htm
  2. http://www.edmunds.com/car-reviews/features/self-parking-systems-comparison-test.html
  3. http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/168194-fords-amazing-new-tech-park-your-car-from-outside-the-car
  4. http://www.buzzfeed.com/jimdalrympleii/self-driving-cars-will-transform-cities-but-they-could-make

Blog #9: Battery Improvements

http://e2af.com/review/091111.shtml

http://e2af.com/review/091111.shtml

As technology advances, the power output and lifespan of batteries will be expected to advance as well in order to accommodate. Almost every standard lithium ion battery that is currently in existence and use consists of a graphite electrode. While graphite is relatively cheap and durable, silicon, which is now being explored for use in batteries, would offer a much greater power capacity. While it takes six graphite (carbon) atoms to bind to a single lithium ion, a single silicon atom can bind to four lithium ions. Current batteries can be recharged over 500 times and still retain 80 percent of their original capacity; but with the next-generation of silicon batteries, they are expected to last from 700 to 1,000 cycles. From a power output perspective, prototypes of the silicon batteries can store up to 750 watt-hours per liter, a noticeable increase from the 400 to 620 watt-hours per liter for conventional batteries.

http://www.clipartpanda.com/categories/battery-20clipart

http://www.clipartpanda.com/categories/battery-20clipart

Despite the obvious improvements from the graphite battery to the silicon one, there are some significant drawbacks to using this new type of battery. The largest concern for silicon batteries is that the silicon anodes often suffer from structural failure. Because silicon absorbs so many ions, it physically expands to four times its original size. As the batteries are used and recharged, they tend to swell and shrink, causing the battery to fall apart. This obstacle was overcome by making silicon nanowires that do not fall apart. However, this new material brought a challenge of its own. The nanowires proved difficult to bring to market because the new material required custom manufacturing equipment, making it very difficult to produce.

A variety of designs of the silicon-based battery are being explored and experimented with in order to minimize their shortcomings and bring them to the market. One possible solution is to implement the use of nanoparticles, which have silicon at the core and are surrounded by a layer of carbon. Although these nanoparticles store less energy than silicon nanowires, they do not require custom manufacturing equipment and can be used in existing factories. In addition, they seem to help solve the problems associated with silicon’s volume expansion. Another possibility is the mesoporous silicon sponge, which is basically a piece of silicon that’s riddled with holes. This fabricated silicon electrode only expands by 30% rather than 400%, a huge reduction that greatly improves the physical strength of the silicon battery. As more and more designs are formed which improve the functionality of the silicon battery, the closer this more powerful battery gets to making its mark on the world.

http://www.extremetech.com/computing/185999-us-department-of-energy-doubles-lithium-ion-battery-capacity-with-spongy-silicon

http://www.extremetech.com/computing/185999-us-department-of-energy-doubles-lithium-ion-battery-capacity-with-spongy-silicon

Sources:

  1. http://www.technologyreview.com/news/523296/startup-gets-30-million-to-bring-high-energy-silicon-batteries-to-market/
  2. http://forumblog.org/2014/09/top-ten-emerging-technologies-2014/#nanowire
  3. http://www.extremetech.com/computing/185999-us-department-of-energy-doubles-lithium-ion-battery-capacity-with-spongy-silicon

Blog #8: Agricultural Drones

http://diydrones.com/profiles/blogs/agricultural-drones-for-weed-control

http://diydrones.com/profiles/blogs/agricultural-drones-for-weed-control

Agricultural drones are definitely going to allow producers to become much more efficient when growing their crops. They fall under the category of precision agriculture, which is the process of using high-tech systems to help farmers increase yields and cut costs. These drones provide images that highlight differences between the plants that are healthy and those that are not in a way that would not be able to be seen with the naked eye. Soil variations, pest and fungal infestations, and irrigation problems can all be tracked by these drones in order to increase crop production efficiency. Data collected by these drones can help reduce water and chemical usage, as well as help farmers decide which areas to harvest first by revealing high nutrient levels. These drones are relatively easy to use as they are equipped with autopilot with software that plans the flight path and are being developed with a fail-safe mechanism that automatically returns the drone to its takeoff position at the touch of a button.

As with all designs, there are alternatives to using drones in order to accomplish the same task. Satellite imagery, using traditional piloted aircraft, or simply walking the fields are all ways of collecting data in order to produce crop yields. However, each of these alternatives are at a disadvantage in some way when compared to drones. When compared to using satellites or piloted aircraft, using drones is much cheaper and can provide images of much higher resolution. While a drone may cost about $1000 each, hiring a manned aircraft can cost the same amount to run for only an hour. In addition, drones fly below the clouds, offering clearer pictures than those from a satellite. Lastly, drones obviously have a time advantage over walking the fields. Flying a drone over hundreds of acres would definitely take only a fraction of the time that it would in order to walk the same distance.

Despite the benefits to using a drone to improve agricultural yields, it is not without its drawbacks. The largest issue with using drones is that they have become the subject of political debates and public paranoia. After the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, drones became largely associated with military strikes and surveillance operations, leading to worries over any sight of a drone, even if it was only being used for agricultural purposes. The Federal Aviation Administration rules have restricted civilian use of drones in all but a few cases. The FAA has said that a rule making exceptions to small, low flying drones will be introduced shortly, but some people believe that this change will not take effect until 2016. Overcoming fears and laws against drones may be a challenge, but I believe that their positive impact on the world will allow them to eventually be implemented in farms all around the world.

AgricultureDrone2

http://www.compositesworld.com/articles/beyond-the-battlefield-uas-technology-2012-2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sources:

  1. http://www.technologyreview.com/featuredstory/526491/agricultural-drones/
  2. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-drones-agriculture-20140913-story.html#page=1
  3. http://precisiondrone.com/drones-for-agriculture.html