Lexus Introduces Car With Human Heartbeat

     While cars are moving towards automation and Google’s self-driving cars and flying cars are in making, Lexus Australia in collaboration with M&C Saatchi has come up with an automobile that restores the lost connection between man and machine. The project is aimed at visualizing the physical and emotional connection between driver and his vehicle by reflecting driver’s heartbeat on car’s exterior.

Described by Lexus as “the heartbeat car”, in this new design a Lexus RC-F coupe is equipped with biometric technology and covered with electro-luminescent paint full of phosphorescent substances that glows when electrical charge runs through it.
Electric pulses from driver’s heart are sent to the control board in car using wireless heart monitor and sensors. The control board (containing an Arduino micro-controller) takes the electric pulses and transfers them to car’s side panels, and displays the heartbeat information in a pulsating pattern. The system is powered by a 13-V battery which recharges itself when engine is on.

When the car is parked during day time or when system is shut down, the car has a standard silver finish and its heart pulsing potential is hidden from sight.

Unfortunately, this car is a one-time collaboration and there are no plans to add this feature to every Lexus vehicle. But it can be used in future cars to visualize driver’s emotional and physical state. From sleepiness after a long day at work to anger while stuck in bad traffic, the car can reveal endless emotions. The car’s paint can also be used to show things like turn signals, breaking, or acceleration. There are endless possibilities for this new technology in wearables and architecture. 

Lexus Introduces Car With Human Heartbeat

21:46 Cars, Human, Human Heartbeat, Lexus, Technology

Car-to-Car Communication

CAR-TO-CAR COMMUNICATION SYSTEM:

Casualties due to car accidents have increased in great amount during last couple of years. Millions of people are dying on roads in the hands of inexperienced drivers and poor technology. Consider yourself in a situation where you are driving on a curved path and suddenly realize you have a flat tire and needs to park the car on right side of the lane. Unaware of the fact that a high speeding car is approaching you from behind, you start your car and suddenly a light flashes on the dashboard, there is a beeping sound and seats start vibrating. This is a warning that you should stop right where you are and let the other car pass, which is currently blinded from your sight. So you hit the brakes and save yourself from a horrible accident.

This technology that hoarded the lives of two innocent drivers is called car-to-car or vehicle-to-vehicle communication and will be available for common use within two years. Its main purpose is to share data like speed, position of a car, its brake status, steering wheel information etc. among other surrounding cars within hundred meters .It will prepare the drivers to handle any incoming situation. This technology is better from the preexisting radars and instruments in a way that they are short ranged and cannot see past the nearest obstruction.

               

Creating such an advanced system is still a challenge. The computers onboard each car process the readings from other vehicles ten times every second and each time they calculate the time of any future collision.  Transmitters use a dedicated portion of wireless spectrum as well as a new wireless standard, 802.11p, to validate each warning.

Car-to-Car communication has numerous advantages in road safety .it will prevent you from parking in pre occupied parking space, taking a dangerous turn without having a clear view of what lies ahead and most importantly from attempting a risky overtake. Some of its applications regarding safety issues are: Warnings on entering intersections, warnings on departing the highways, obstacle discovery, sudden halts warnings, reporting accidents, lane change warnings.

Considering its usability and significance US department of transportation proclaimed that it will shortly make the use of car-to-car communication mandatory in new cars, most probably by the year 2017.

General Motors are currently working on its development, they demonstrated the system in 2006 using Cadillac vehicles. Other automakers interested in V2V communication are Toyota, Daimler, BMW, Honda, Audi, and Volvo.

But there is still a long way to go and many obstacles to overcome before car-to-car communication can become common in our vehicles.

Car-to-Car Communication

08:30 Cars, Communication, Techology