Tag Archives: artificial intelligence

Future cars may listen for motorbikes

There may be no need for a loud exhaust so drivers can hear riders with future technology allowing cars to listen for vital noises as quiet as a nail puncturing a tyre.

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology (IDMT) in Oldenburg, Germany, have developed a prototype system capable of recognising important external noises.

The system could very well find its way into many modern cars to alert drivers to all sorts of other road users including motorcycles.

Even more importantly, it may be able to listen for the coming wave of near-silent electric motorcycles.

Listen to the trafficRide Vision road safety automated vehicle autonomous riderless dirverless

The European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers report says much of the current automated technology is untested in the real world and questions its ability to detect motorcycles.

This new auditory technology is designed to fill in the gaps left by lidar sensors that fail to detect small objects such as motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians as well as stray livestock and wildlife.

Fraunhofer IDMT Acoustic Event Recognition group chief Danilo Hollosi says no autonomous vehicle has yet been equipped with a system capable of perceiving external noises.

“Such systems would be able to immediately recognise the siren of an approaching emergency vehicle, for example, so that the autonomous vehicle would then know to move over to one side of the highway and form an access lane for the rescue services,” Danilo says.

“There are numerous other scenarios in which an acoustic early-warning system can play a vital role – when an autonomous vehicle is turning into a pedestrian area or residential road where children are playing, for example, or for recognising defects or dangerous situations such as a nail in a tyre.”

“In addition, such systems could also be used to monitor the condition of the vehicle or even double as an emergency telephone equipped with voice-recognition technology.”

Artificial intelligenceFuture cars may listen for motorbikes

The Fraunhofer IDMT acoustic sensor system consists of microphones mounted on the outside of the car to listen to traffic, plus a control unit and software stored inside.

Their project uses artificial intelligence to recognise the acoustic signature of each relevant sound event.

This is done by machine-learning methods that use acoustic libraries compiled by Fraunhofer IDMT.

“Beamforming algorithms” enable the system to dynamically locate and identify moving sound sources.

The technology is expected to reach the market by the middle of the coming decade.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Honda patents artificial intelligence suspension

Several motorcycles have electronic suspension that adjusts to the terrain, but Honda has applied for a patent on suspension that works via artificial intelligence to predict and adjust damping.

Their patent application shows a CRF450R trail bike, so it is obviously designed for trail and adventure riding where the terrain can vary substantially.

Some BMW adventure bikes have accelerometers to scan the road surface and electronically adjustable the suspension to suit.

Artificial intelligence Honda patents artificial intelligence suspension

Honda’s patent is similar, but it also anticipates what will happen.

For example if the front wheel comes off the ground, it will compensate for the landing.

We are not sure how the artificial intelligence interprets the terrain, but it does include reference to time, so it can predict what is about to happen.

Maybe it softens the suspension to ease your sore back after you’ve been hitting the trails for several hours!

It uses sensors to measure the fork movement and automatically adjust compression and rebound.

Honda patents

honda patent drum brakes variable riding position emotions
Honda patent for variable riding position

This is one of many patents Honda has lodged in the past year.

While some of the others are fairly wild ideas, this seems much more sensible and should come to market in the future.

This new patent join the following from Honda over the past year:

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Damon electric bike transforms for rider

The Damon X electric motorcycle not only scans its surroundings to warn the rider of hazards, but also transforms to suit the rider’s style with handlebars and footpegs that move.

Damon Motorcycles CEO and founder Jay Giraud will demonstrate their patented collision avoidance system at TechCrunch Sessions: Mobility in San Jose, California, on 10 July 2019.

Their Advanced Warning System for Motorcycles (AWSM) uses sensors to locks on to dozens of objects in 360º around the motorcycle.Damon X electric motorcycle transforms

It send alerts via 5G to the rider of oncoming threats via visual cues on the instrument panel that looks more like a tablet.

Damon X electric motorcycle transformsAlerts are also sent via their patented haptic vibration in the handlebars.

The sensor array tracks the speed, direction and velocity of up to 64 objects at once to anticipate an accident.

There are also temperature and moisture sensors to detect changing road conditions. 

Damon X transforms

Another interesting feature is how it transforms via electronically powered adjustable ergonomics to match road conditions.

At the touch of a button the handlebars move up or down and the footpegs can adjust to rear set pegs.

“We built what every rider dreams of: a motorcycle that can adapt to the changing road conditions, perfectly suited for inner city commutes, winding back roads and everything in between,” Jay says.

“Having a Damon motorcycle means having an upright commuter bike, a forgiving touring bike and an exhilarating sport bike, all-in-one.”

Test ridesautonomous automated Damon X safe motorcycle industry

Damon Motorcycles will follow its unveiling with a public tour of North America.

Major police forces are also scheduled to test ride and pre-order Damon’s 360º Advanced Warning System for Motorcycles (AWSM) for their fleets.

There is no word yet on whether the bike will be available for sale to the public or how much it would cost.

However, Damon recently raised $US2.5m in seed funding for their technology which may find its way into other motorcycles.

The company has scheduled test rides for motorcycle manufacturers to consider factory integration on their next generation of motorcycles.autonomous automated Damon X safe motorcycle industry

Safer future

Jay says the inherent danger of motorcycles was hampering its future and safer bikes like the Damon X may save motorcycling.

He predicts a future “where the idea of rider accidents being inevitable and unavoidable will be a thing of the past, along with external valve gear and pulley transmissions”.

“Such unheard of levels of safety brings with it a potential for cataclysmic change within the entire motorcycling community, from manufacturer to commuter,” Jay says.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com