Tuesday, July 12, 2011

'Talking' cars to reduce pile-ups

"Talking" cars may soon be a reality - even without the need for human-like facial features, claim researchers.

Scientists from the University of Bologna in Italy have developed software that lets cars "communicate" with one another on the road.

Similar technology had been used before but this time, said the team, cars would be able to "know" what had happened kilometres ahead.

Tests suggest it could reduce motorway pile-ups by 40%.

The reduction in accidents emerged during computer simulations of the safety system which were detailed in a paper published in the journal Computer Networks.

Road tests of the software are imminent and will be carried out in August 2011 on the streets and motorways of Los Angeles in conjunction with car maker Toyota.

"Start Quote

The furthest car could have a truck behind it which limits its transmitting capacity, or could be fitted with a less powerful communication system than the one in front of it"

End Quote Dr Marco Roccetti University of Bologna

Although telematics, which unites telecommunications and informatics in cars, has been used for some time, the Italian research adds one more player.

It unites telematics with the notion of the Internet of Things in which everyday objects have a presence online so they can be communciated with.

The ultimate aim is to connect all cars on the road through wi-fi - either by installing a wi-fi-enabled sensor into a car, or by downloading software on to a smartphone.

Team leader Professor Marco Roccetti told BBC News that the study could have a major impact on society - particularly "in terms of human lives and societal costs".

Alerting in relay

He said the system the team had developed was different from conventional telematics which sees a radar-type mechanism detect an obstacle on the road in front of a car which then brakes to avoid a crash.

"By letting cars 'talk' to each other, we can see what happens kilometres ahead - whereas current technology, instead, allows cars to perceive an obstacle only when it is physically in front of them," said team member Professor Gustavo Marfia.

The "talking" is done via acceleration sensors built into cars that trigger an alarm message in abnormal conditions such as when a vehicle is involved in a crash.

When a car in an accident experiences a sudden change in acceleration, this change would be captured by the sensor and alert cars and drivers approaching the same spot.

This alarm could spread down the chain of vehicles in a relay so they could safely stop a long way before they reach the accident scene.

"We have developed an optimal algorithm for multi-lane, strip-shaped portions of roads - such as highways," said Professor Roccetti.

Flooding the system

Professor Marfia said the system could work two different ways.

One would see all cars equipped with a device running the alarm software, and integrated directly into the dashboard or in the sat-nav. The cost of integrating such a device would be about �25 per car, he said.

"Otherwise, our application could also run on wi-fi-enabled smartphones," he added.

One problem might be that if a car involved in an accident starts communicating with every single vehicle behind it, and they in turn relay it to those following them, the system could become clogged with messages.

To stop the data jam, the team decided on a scheme that selectively sends a message only to those cars which in turn are able to send the signal as far as possible.

This is achieved by having all the cars constantly swapping data so they know who is in the best position to pass on the crash warning.

"Our app allows cars to stay in constant contact with each other," said Professor Roccetti. "They read each other. They know the direction and speed that all the other cars are travelling, and they also know their transmitting capacity.

"All this information is updated every second or so, and the frequency is optimised so that it doesn't slow the system down."

Simulations of other schemes that simply pass the crash message to the vehicle at the limit of in-car wi-fi's broadcast range were fraught with too many problems, said Professor Roccetti.

"The furthest car could have a truck behind it which limits its transmitting capacity, or could be fitted with a less powerful communication system than the one in front of it.

Such problems are avoided if cars know who can do the best job of passing on messages.

"When the signal is sent out, the car that is in the best condition knows that it has to forward the alarm signal - and so it does," he said.

If the project is a success, it could be a step towards the notion of "smart cities" - when everything is connected and controlled by computers, from traffic lights to intelligent, driverless cars that could bring commuters to work while they relax in the back seat.



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Musical gloves kick off tech show

A pair of musical gloves that allow wearers to manipulate music using just hand gestures have been shown off for the first time by singer Imogen Heap.

The performance kicked off TEDGlobal in Edinburgh, a conference renowned for showcasing cutting-edge technologies.

The gloves were developed to give Ms Heap far more control over the music she creates.

The ultimate aim is to give a performance in which the gloves control all the music being played.

Expressive

The gloves were created by a team at the University of West England, led by Professor Tom Mitchell, a music technology specialist.

He used fibre-optic gloves developed for gaming and added chip boards.

The gloves were programmed based on Ms Heap's movements, so for instance to make a sound louder she opened her arms wide and to quieten it, she closed them.

"We were still programming them up to the last minute," Ms Heap revealed.

She has been keen to gain more freedom on stage and came across a similar project when visiting the Massachusetts Institute of Technology several years ago.

"I wanted to develop ways to be more expressive and spontaneous on stage. I began using wireless lapel microphones on my wrists but the missing element was to be able to wirelessly control the music," she told the BBC.

Chips built into the gloves contained both accelerometers and magnetometers, which created precise data about both the position of her hands and the speed of her movements.

Similar technology is used in health care to help injured people learn to walk again.

The project is ongoing and the team's next job is to add an extra layer which will allow Ms Heap to create different modes of music depending on exactly where she is standing on stage.

"The aim is to connect to the audience and for them to fully understand how the sounds are created and maybe even contribute their own," said Ms Heap.

She is also keen to introduce a visual element with holograms connecting her to other performers around the world.

The technology provided an exciting start to TEDGlobal 2011.

The five-day conference is an invitation-only event eagerly anticipated by the 850 delegates, who all pay a hefty fee to attend.

The programme of speakers includes an eclectic mix of scientists, activists, technologists and artists from around the world.

Actress Thandie Newton, popular science writer Malcolm Gladwell and philosopher Alain de Botton are among the big names due to speak.

The event is being held for the first time this year in Edinburgh.



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Apple takes on HTC in patent war

Apple has accused the smartphone maker HTC of infringing its patents, in the latest phase of the legal battle between phone and tablet PC makers.

Apple has filed a complaint against the US International Trade Commission (ITC) seeking an inquiry by the panel into the matter.

The news comes just weeks after Apple and Samsung accused each other of copying designs and technology.

HTC is the world's third-biggest mobile phone maker, by stock market value.

However, HTC has denied Apple's allegations.

"HTC is dismayed that Apple has resorted to competition in the courts rather than the market place," said Grace Lei, HTC's general counsel.

Growing rivalry

The launch of products like iPhone and iPad saw Apple become the market leader in the smartphone and tablet PC market.

Apple's success in quickly securing a large slice of the market, with fashionable products enjoying good demand from consumers, prompted several rivals to launch their own gadgets hoping to win a share of the fast-growing market.

However, that resulted in relations between Apple and its rivals souring as the competition grew.

Last year the American technology company filed a similar complaint against HTC accusing it of infringing as many as 20 of its patents.

That prompted HTC to launch a counter attack, claiming that Apple was guilty of infringing patents held by the Taiwanese company.

HTC went to the extent of seeking a ban on sales of iPhones, iPads and iPods in the United States.



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