1. ECE 492 Project Research Proposal
By: Stephen Beggs

2. Need For New Project
As electric vehicle approaches completion, we need to look into the next big project for the department
New project should retain positive qualities that the LFEV project had
Enough work to occupy a whole class of ECE’s
Both Digital and Analog Solutions
Be relevant to industry trends
What can we change?
Make the project “mean” something
Collaborative opportunities

3. Criteria Requires both digital and analog solutions
Properly prepare students for post-grad professional life by immersing them in an industry-realistic environment
Reflects the values of Lafayette College
Gives the project a “so what”
Holds relevance to current events/has potential to produce impactful results
Limited search based on large projects aiming to solve large real world problems

4. Final Options Wind Power Facial Recognition Technology
Self-Driving/Autonomous Vehicle Technology
Further Research into Electric Cars
GPS Technology

5. Self-Driving Cars Requires both Digital and Analog Solutions
Relevant to current industry trends
Young technology that our students could potentially contribute to
Has significance to students, school, and Lafayette community as a whole
Opportunity for collaboration
Enough work to occupy ECE senior class for multiple years
Requires team building/communication skills
Project reflects values of Lafayette College

6. Building a Self-Driving Vehicle System
A LOT of work to be done
System can be broken down into several main subsystems
Localization/Mapping
Obstacle Avoidance
Path Planning
Control System team
Interconnect team

7. Localization/Mapping
Vehicle needs to know where it is on the earth, as well as where it is in relation to its surroundings
Laser Rangefinders/Lidar/Radar
Allows car to perceive how far it is away from the objects around it
High definition Camera
Allows car to perceive color and shapes
System combines these perception techniques to create 3D map
Team needed to put localization system Together
Use GPS unit to help car perceive its position on earth

8. Obstacle Avoidance
Once vehicle can perceive its surroundings, it must be able to react to what is around it
Internal Map
Static and predicted locations of objects around it
Objects determined based on cross referencing incoming data with predetermined sets of shape and motion descriptors
Descriptors are used to determine what is what and where is it going in the world around the vehicle
Vehicle must react properly according to what it sees around it

9. Path Planning How to safely direct the vehicle from point A to point B
Avoiding accidents
Following rules of the road
Use of GPS unit in cooperation with localization system to help vehicle plan optimal path
Determine safest path by analyzing path options and current status
What commands need to be given to the car once the path has been chosen?
Series of throttle, brake, and steering commands

10. Control System/Interconnect
In order for a vehicle to perceive its surroundings, know where it is on the earth, react to obstacles, and plan an optimal path, there must be a central control system
Aggregate incoming data from sensors and GPS unit
Receive input from obstacle avoidance system and react accordingly
Receive input from path planning system and react accordingly
Make sure all subsystems can talk to each other as efficiently as possible
Interconnect team needed to physically connect all the systems together

11. Collaborative Opportunity
Serious ethical/policy based implications
Opportunity to work with policy study and/or gov/law majors
Based on potential policy issues and/or new policies what kind of restraints should be put on car?
Rules of the road?
How safe is safe enough?
What kinds of policies should we implement to protect the passengers of self-driving vehicles from being hacked?
Opportunity to combine engineering minds with non-engineering minds to accomplish meaningful and impactful research
Collaboration opportunity provides realistic work setting for students
Collaboration reflects school values/mission

12. Heilmeier’s 9 Critical Questions
What are you trying to do? Articulate your objectives with absolutely no jargon. What is the problem? Why is it hard?
How is it done today, what are the limits of the current practice?
What’s new in your approach and why do you think it will be successful?
Who cares?
If you’re successful what difference will it make? What impact will successes have? How will it be measured?
What are the risks and payoffs?
How much will it cost?
How long will it take?
What are the midterm and final “exams” to check for success? How will progress be measured?

13. Questions?