Autonomous Brake Light Communication

Phil Osteen

Robot Name: Traffic Flobot

EML 5666C, IMDL

November 25, 2008

Outline

• Motivation– Practical theory behind the project– Ideal implementation

• Project Description– Impractical implementation of theory– Logical Diagram, description– Sensor package

• Conclusion

Motivation

• Dangerous high traffic driving scenarios– High Speed driving, Driving at night, Driving

on wet road– Depending on driver, brake lights mean

• A) Get ready to slow down• B) Stop!

• Possible Solution– Automate “brake light” system to detect brake

lights ahead of vehicle and apply brake lights– Basic form of vehicle communication

Traffic Flobot Project

• Drives autonomously until object is detected– Classifies object as a vehicle or an obstacle– Driving vehicle emits blue light– Stopping vehicle emits red brake light

• If lead vehicle is stopping, robot waits behind it– If lead starts driving again, robot follows– If not, timeout causes passing behavior

Stop Behind Vehicle

Pass Obstacle

Independent Navigation

Vehicle?

Object Detected

YN

N Y

Pass

Moving?

Follow Vehicle

Brake Lights Detected

Timeout

Vehicle Motion Detected

Moving/Stopping LED Array

Component Setup – LCD– 3 Servo Motors– CMU Cam– 2 Sonars– 2 Infrared

detectors– Infrared

emitters/Red LED Array (not shown)

Sensor Package

• Lead vehicle – Red LED brake light array– Blue LED drive light array

• Follow vehicle – 2 synchronized LV-MaxSonar EZ1 sonars

• Obstacle Detection/Avoidance

– CMU camera• Vehicle recognition• Stopping, moving classification

Conclusion

• Vehicle communication can be achieved using LED arrays and cameras

• Camera detection and following is possible in controlled environment– But not robust in natural environments

• Intelligent and functional robot cannot be built for less than $150

Future Work

• Use other sensor for brake light detection– IR detector possibly less sensitive to

environment

• Use DC motors to drive vehicle– Servos work, but are slow

• Try to apply practical theory in a more practical way– Test outside, on a larger scale

Questions?

• http://plaza.ufl.edu/prosteen/IMDL/IMDL.htm