Assessment of Active Wheelset Steering System Using Computer Simulations and Roller Rig Tests

The paper is created within a project which aims to design a system of active wheelset steering for an electric four-axle locomotive. The wheelset steering system enables reduction in forces acting in the wheel-rail contacts in a curved track and consequently a reduction in wear and maintenance costs of both vehicles and rails is achieved. The project consists of three main parts: computer simulations, scaled roller rig experiments, and field tests. The paper is focused on the fundamental aspects of the first and the second part on the project. Track curvature estimation based on the rotation of the bogies towards the car body is proposed and assessed by computer simulations across varying track radiuses, vehicle speeds, and friction conditions. The scaled roller rig has been innovated in order to simulate bogie run in a curved track with uncompensated value of lateral acceleration and instrumented with a system of measurement of lateral wheel-rail forces. The experimental bogie has been equipped with systems of active wheelset steering and measurement of axle-box forces. The experiment setup, newly developed and applied systems of forces measurement and wireless signal transmission, and results of the first experiments are described in detail. Performed computer simulations and scaled roller rig experiments show that active wheelset steering is effective and practically implementable method of reducing guiding forces acting between railway vehicle wheels and rails in a curved track.

Public Opinion Analysis of Road Accidents & Review of Conventional and Combinational Driver Safety Methodologies with SelfLearning Algorithms

Advanced driver assistance and accident detection system is significantlyneeded to ensure safety for drivers. Drowsiness detection, collision detection and various driver alert systems have penetrated into market with an aim to provide higher security for driver but due to population of vehicle and modification in structure of roads these system fails to answer safety problems that results in severe accidents.In this paper we provide accurate analysis of past recorded accidents in Tamil Nadu state and analysis of public opinion on Accident detection system is carried out using 1004 licensed persons under different ages in three cities (Coimbatore, Erode and Nilgiris) by focusing the major 10 parameters carrying 48 Questions. Findings and implications of this analysis is also discussed in this article. A thorough analysis of recent techniques that are used for AAD (Automatic Accident Detection) and road safety programmes that resolve the pre and post cautionary concerns of accidents in developing countries is addressed with the review of most 4 influencing algorithms in ITS for AAD.. 1 Vehicle Detection using Wheel arc Counter Detection Algorithm, 2 Enhancement of V2X Communication using Multi-RAT,3Road Curvature Estimation using Circle Fitting Algorithm and4Driver Safety Systemis discussed in this paper. To understand recent computational challenges and extended areas of research in ITS, anhybrid approach of CNN with VANETs for accident detection has been suggested to enumerate the obtained accidental information.

A sexual dimorphism in the spatial vision of North American band-winged grasshoppers

Visual acuity (VA) — a measurement of the fineness or coarseness of vision — may vary within a species including between the biological sexes. Although numerous studies have found males with finer VA than females, relatively few have shown the opposite with females having finer vision. This is surprising because our understanding of between species differences in VA suggests that females may have finer vision than males if they 1) are larger than males, or 2) need finer vision to detect and/or discriminate between males. Here, we estimate the interommatidial angle (ΔΦ, an anatomical measurement of VA) in three species of band-winged grasshoppers in which females are both the larger sex and likely interpret visual signals (Arphia pseudonietana, Dissosteira carolina, and Spharagemon equale; total n = 98). Using a radius of curvature estimation method, we find that females have ∼19% finer estimated ΔΦ than males in the most acute region and axis of the eye, but that this dimorphism varies between species. Further visual explorations of the species showing the greatest body size dimorphism (D. carolina) suggest that this ΔΦ dimorphism is driven by females having larger eyes with more ommatidia. In contrast to many diurnal flying insects where males have finer vision to acquire mates, our study is one of the first to demonstrate a female-biased sexual dimorphism in acuity. Given 1) the number of species in which females are larger than males, and 2) the variability of mating behaviors across taxa, our results suggest that differences in VA between the sexes may be more common than currently appreciated.

Computerized image understanding system for reliable estimation of spinal curvature in idiopathic scoliosis

Analysis of scoliosis requires thorough radiographic evaluation by spinal curvature estimation to completely assess the spinal deformity. Spinal curvature estimation gives orthopaedic surgeons an idea of severity of spinal deformity for therapeutic purposes. Manual intervention has always been an issue to ensure accuracy and repeatability. Computer assisted systems are semi-automatic and is still influenced by surgeon’s expertise. Spinal curvature estimation completely relies on accurate identification of required end vertebrae like superior end-vertebra, inferior end-vertebra and apical vertebra. In the present work, automatic extraction of spinal information central sacral line and medial axis by computerized image understanding system has been proposed. The inter-observer variability in the anatomical landmark identification is quantified using Kappa statistic. The resultant Kappa value computed between proposed algorithm and observer lies in the range 0.7 and 0.9, which shows good accuracy. Identification of the required end vertebra is automated by the extracted spinal information. Difference in inter and intra-observer variability for the state of the art computer assisted and proposed system are quantified in terms of mean absolute difference for the various types (Type-I, Type-II, Type-III, Type-IV, and Type-V) of scoliosis.