Q. How does it detect the intentions of the driver?
A. While a traditional camera could have picked up the driver’s head movements, there would be too much noise in the signal for it to be easily used for controlling the actuators. The SAM comes with infrared cameras facing the driver, who himself is wearing a racing cap outfitted with infrared sensors. Together, these cameras and sensors form the essential motion-tracking system.
When the driver wants to accelerate, he tilts his head back. This movement is detected by the Arrow Computer which then sends a signal to the actuator causing it to accelerate the vehicle. The vehicle can be stopped by the driver by manipulating a pressure-sensitive sensor placed in the driver’s mouth. The pressure sensitivity allows the driver to control how hard he wants to brake the vehicle.
Q. How is the design process of this project shared among the collaborators – who handles what technology?
A. It is a collaborative venture between Arrow, Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Schmidt Peterson Motor Sports and Falci Adaptive Motorsports, a nonprofit. Arrow is leading the development of the SAM car and the systems integration, as well as the engineering of specific systems for the car. Ball is leading the modification of the human-to-machine interface and driver- guidance system. The Air Force Research Laboratory is monitoring the driver’s biometrics during laps, as well as collecting data in how the driver interacts with the guidance systems. Dr. Scott Falci is serving as the project’s medical director.
