Car “Platooning”

New Scientist (1/18, Graham-Rowe) reported on a road test of an automatic driving system in Sweden that showed “that a single car could join a platoon, be ‘enslaved’ by a lead truck” and become part of a convoy “and then exit safely.” As a result, “discussions are now under way to carry out tests on public roads in Spain next year.” The system, known as “platooning,” was tested by Volvo, “one of the partners of the Safe Road Trains for the Environment (SARTRE) Project” coordinated by the Cambridge engineering firm Ricardo UK, which has “€6.4 million of European Commission money” for it. The system would theoretically let “drivers read a book, surf the net or possibly even have a snooze while behind the wheel.” The SARTRE project aims to operate “platoons on public highways without having to change the infrastructure.”

Reposted from the 1/19/11 ASEE First Bell

NTIS Newsletter Highlights Civil Engineering and Transportation

The November 15, 2009 issue of the NTIS Technical Reports Newsletter highlights reports dealing with civil engineering and transportation topics.  This newsletter is designed “To bring you a sampling of the latest documents added to the NTIS Database and to help you gain a greater understanding of the wealth of scitech information available from the National Technical Information Service.”  The National Technical Information Service (NTIS), is the nation’s largest and most comprehensive source of government-funded scientific, technical, engineering and business-related information.  You can access this issue of the NTIS Newsletter at http://www.ntis.gov/pdf/ntrnews2-5.pdf or subscribe to receive future issues.

NOTE:  You will not be able to access the full text of reports from the above link.  Please check VIRGO for desired items or request needed items using Interlibrary Loan.  You may also find that searching for NTIS reports from within the Engineering Village suite of databases provides you with more detailed abstracts and other information about the reports.  You will still need to rely on other means to access full text, however.

A Robot for My Co-Pilot

In-Dash Robot Uses Facial Expressions To Communicate With Driver

The Wired (11/17, Squatriglia) “Autopia” blog reported, “Audi and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology envision a future where robots riding shotgun make us happier, safer drivers and create a ‘symbiotic relationship’ between car and driver.”  The robot, called Affective Intelligent Driving Agent, or Aida, “would analyze our driving habits, keeping track of frequent routes and destinations to provide real-time traffic info, and make friendly suggestions along the way,” as well as “give gentle reminders to buckle up, watch our speed or slow down for that school bus up ahead.”  The robot “uses a small laser video projector to convey facial expressions and other information.”  Having “human-like motion” and the ability to express emotions, researchers say, “makes it easier to convey information,” since “reading a facial expression is instantaneous.”  The researchers “plan to build a driving simulator for a controlled study” by next year, and “real-world tests will follow in 2011.”

Reposted from the November 18, 2009 ASEE First Bell briefing.

Database of the Week: Mechanical and Transportation Engineering Abstracts

CSA Mechanical & Transportation Engineering Abstracts provides citations, abstracts, and indexing of the serials literature in mechanical and transportation engineering and their complementary fields, including forensic engineering, management and marketing of engineering services, engineering education, theoretical mechanics and dynamics, and mathematics and computation.  This database provides in depth, comprehensive coverage of the international engineering literature as well as numerous non-serial publications.  Many of the more recent records in the database include fields containing cited references, corresponding authorés e-mail address, and publisher contact information.  Sources covered include over 3,000 periodicals, conference proceedings, technical reports, trade journal/newsletter items, patents, books, and press releases.

For additional information, please see the CSA Mechanical and Transportation Engineering Abstracts database Factsheet or begin searching the database at CSA Illumina.

The CSA Mechanical and Transportation Engineering Abstracts database is one of many information resources brought to you by the Brown Science and Engineering Library!  Ask for a demonstration of this database or about other resources that can help you work faster, smarter and better!

(Use of this database from this address restricted to University of Virginia users only.  Please contact a librarian for assistance, if you are having trouble connecting.)

Sustainable Transportation Seminar

CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING SEMINAR SERIES

Maglev: Sustainable Transport For The 21st Century & Beyond

Kevin C. Coates

Executive Director, North American Maglev Transport Institute (NAMTI)

Friday, October 30, 2009

120 Olsson Hall

2:00 PM 

Abstract

America’s highways and airports are overcrowded. Suburban sprawl continues unabated. Oil, gas and electricity prices spike and then plummet, throwing world economies into uncertainty.  This cycle will continue, and likely intensify as long as political and industry leaders attempt to apply old solutions in the face of continued explosive growth.   The nearly simultaneous convergence of rapidly increasing world demand for energy and increasing demands on transportation systems will eventually force America to reassess its present land development and transportation policies. America must find ways to link any new policy with more sustainable energy and transportation solutions.

Augmenting the existing car/air travel duopoly will not be easy, but without high capacity passenger (rail or maglev) modes between cities, intercity travel will continue to become more and more difficult. For many cities in the U.S., traffic levels are already unacceptable and the situation continues to deteriorate. If America is to regain its competitive edge, an important step must be to adopt more workable and sustainable transportation solutions.

High-speed magnetic levitation transportation is the first logical step industrialized countries can take to free themselves from short haul air travel between city pairs and reliance on oil for intercity travel.  Non-contact maglev technology is a faster, safer, and more cost effective alternative to steel wheel rail technology. The technology lasts longer, costs less, and has much lower environmental impact than traditional high-speed rail or short haul air travel.

The CEE seminar series is open to the University community.  CE undergraduate students are especially invited to attend.

Refreshments served at 3:00 PM in THN D204 (CEE Lounge)

Smart Speed Bumps

Smart Speed Bumps Address Environmental, Safety Concerns.

USA Today (10/6, Hawley) reports that “concerns over the environment – and the utter annoyance of having to brake and accelerate frequently – have prompted one Mexican state government to embrace a ‘smart’ speed bump that could make driving smoother, without sacrificing safety.”  The smart bump, “being developed by Mexico-based Decano Industries, automatically lowers into the ground when drivers go the speed limit or slower.  Drive too fast, and the bump stays up.”  With this speed bump, said Decano Industries President Carlos Cano, “people will feel rewarded for obeying the law.”  USA Today notes, “The technology is relatively basic:  The speed bump is formed by two steel plates that form a triangle sticking out of the pavement.  When a car tire touches the plate, a patented device under the triangle measures the force of the impact.”

Reposted from the October 6, 2009 ASEE First Bell briefing.

Database of the Week: CSA / ASCE Civil Engineering Abstracts

CSA / ASCE Civil Engineering Abstracts provides citations, abstracts, and indexing of the serials literature in civil engineering and its complementary fields, including forensic engineering, management and marketing of engineering services, engineering education, theoretical mechanics and dynamics, and mathematics and computation.  This database provides comprehensive international coverage as well as numerous non-serial publications.  Sources covered include over 3,000 periodicals, conference proceedings, technical reports, trade journal/newsletter items, patents, books, and press releases.  You can learn more about this database from its Factsheet or begin searching the database at CSA Illumina.

The CSA / ASCE Civil Engineering Abstracts Database is one of many information resources brought to you by the Brown Science and Engineering Library!  Ask for a demonstration of this database or about other resources that can help you work faster, smarter and better!

(Use of this database from this address restricted to University of Virginia users only.  Please contact a librarian for assistance, if you are having trouble connecting.)

On a Roll

The Knovel Library contains hundreds of full-text online resources in a wide variety of science and engineering disciplines, as well as innovative research and analysis tools for using them. Here is one of the latest items to appear in the Knovel Library:

Handbook of Transportation Engineering
Edited by: Kutz, Myer
McGraw – Hill

Description:  Covering all varieties of transportation systems, including freight, passenger, mass transit air, rail, road and water systems, this handbook provides problem-solving engineering tools, planning and design techniques with examples of successful applications and strategems.  This title has been recently updated with 52 digitized graphs covering many aspects of transportation.