Automated Consensus-based Data Verification in the Caltrans Detector Testbed
A practical need to assess the accuracy and attributes of each of the many types of roadway sensors and detectors motivated the California Department of Transportation to construct a traffic detector testbed on I-405 in Southern California.
LIDAR utilizing SGDBR Lasers
LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) system architectures and applications that are enabled by single-chip wavelength tunable sampled grating distributed Bragg Reflector (SGDBR) lasers are being developed in this project.
Sustainable Power for Electrical Resources (SuPER)
The proposed activity is the development of a low-cost, sustainable source of electrical power with a 20 year life cycle that can be financially owned by a family unit.
Antenna Anechoic Chamber
In response to the call for wireless engineers, the Cal Poly Antenna Anechoic Chamber was developed on-campus to provide students entering the wireless area with a practical working knowledge of RF, microwave, and antenna systems.
RF/Antenna Projects
Current EE department projects in the RF/Antenna area include:
- Development of HFSS computer models for metamaterial structures
- Development of physical metamaterial prototypes verified through measurements taken in the Cal Poly Anechoic Chamber
- Development of an Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) radiated emissions chamber and establish testing capabilities
- Characterization of the EMC chamber and accompanying instrumentation; carry out radiated emissions testing on actual systems
Evaluation of Commercial Video-based Intersection Signal Actuation Systems
Video cameras and computer image processors have come into widespread use for the detection of vehicles for signal actuation at controlled intersections. Manufacturers’ accuracy and robustness claims vary in the metrics used and data reported, and are selective and inconsistent between competing products. The lack of common testing standards and procedures has left Caltrans and local jurisdictions that may be interested in deploying video intersection detection reliant upon manufacturer claims and non-rigorous perceptions from other deployments. The true performance of these systems is difficult to ascertain by simple observation of signal actuation. The study builds upon work conducted under the 1995-97 PATH-sponsored Anaheim Field Operational Test (FOT), Task C: VTDS Evaluation , in which, in consultation with an extensive advisory board including the FHWA, Caltrans, Anaheim and system manufacturers, a standardized approach for the evaluation of intersection detection systems was developed and applied to one such system deployed as part of the FOT. The project updates and applies these standards and procedures to the testing and comparative evaluation of examples of all currently-manufactured video-based intersection signal actuation systems which have significant deployments in California. The ultimate deliverable is a comprehensive evaluation report on the absolute and relative performance of each system, as well as improved insight into both the advantages and limitations of this class of detectors.
Automated Consensus-based Data Verification in the Caltrans Detector Testbed
A practical need to assess the accuracy and attributes of each of the many types of roadway sensors and detectors motivated the California Department of Transportation to construct a traffic detector test bed on I-405 in Southern California. With up to ten detectors of different types under concurrent test in each of six lanes, a means for automating the testing process became imperative, since traditional human verification methods were not practical. This paper describes an automated data acquisition and verification system that utilizes a consensus of the results from all detectors under test, along with those of a reference image processing system, to create a preliminary ground truth record requiring manual verification for only a small percentage of ambiguous cases. Individual detector performance is then assessed by comparison with this verified dataset. The test bed architecture, data fusion methodology, computer vision methods, operator interface and performance results are discussed.
New Topologies Promise Improved Performance for Powering Future Microprocessors
There are several new VRM topologies currently being developed in the Power Electronics Lab at Cal Poly. Cal Poly, through the Graduate and Research Office, has applied for the US Patent for the two new topologies. The rest of the new topologies are currently being studied and developed.