Status Videos, 5/27/2006

Luce - Lightweight Unmanned Computing Environment (affectionately Lucy)

These demonstration videos are of a 1995 Nissan Altima modified with an beta Pronto4™ autonomous ground vehicle retrofit kit. The host vehicle is a 2004 Avalanche with a 115kbaud (900mhz) command and control channel, a 2.4ghz video link and a 900mhz E-stop radio link between the vehicles. Military grade Ku band radios are also under test. An operator is sitting in the Avalanche driving Luce using a 3D headset and a host control station. The position of the 3D headset controls a fast pan 3D camera in the vehicle that is dynamically positioned based upon the position of the operator's head.

Video1 - View through the 3D stereo camera located in the vehicle that is controlled by a remote operator. This has heads-up information showing vehicle status - speed, direction, steering angle, etc. The video frames appear combined but are actually frame sequential - left eye, right eye, left eye... Note that the speed of the vehicle reaches above 60mph while the car follows proper road rules. All driving is performed through the 3D remote headset and on-board processing. A safety passenger is in the drivers seat for this run, but was not needed.

Video2 - View from an outside camera on the driver side of the vehicle. This is an unmanned 20-30mph run (no-one in the car, not even a safety guy). Note that about half way through the video,  a 3-point turn is executed , turning the vehicle around and then Luce returns to park in front of the trailer. We'll drive it up on the trailer next time. All driving is performed through the 3D remote headset and on-board processing. (during the 3-point turn you may notice, in the side mirror, the safety drag rope being placed on the rear of the car)

Video3 - View from inside the vehicle through the 3D stereo camera. This is through a long, left hand, 20mph turn. Note the traffic sign at the beginning and the fact that the vehicle performs on the road in the proper lane. All driving is performed through the 3D remote headset and on-board processing. A safety passenger is in the drivers seat for this run, but was not needed.

The significance of these videos is that the Pronto4™ retrofit kit can easily perform at 60+mph which is the upper range of its specification. Control latency is non-perceptible and the system is easy to use. This is the operators first field test with Luce.

Testing was performed during during daylight hours, with intermittent light rain at the Bonneville Salt Flats on an easily controllable access road near Wendover, Utah. We most likely set the land speed record for this class of vehicle at Bonneville.

For additional information contact:

Troy Takach
Senior Managing Partner
DesignJug
Tel: 801-947-5729
troy_takach@designjug.com