08-10-2010, 09:36 AM
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BLACK BOX FOR VEHICLES
The project is developed to record informational data, such as: engine / vehicle speed, temperature of the engine (5 seconds before impact), etc to revolutionize the field of motor vehicle accident investigation. It can also use for vehicle mapping and accident alert with the help of GPS and GSM technology.
This project is designed with the help of Embedded Technology. Embedded systems are playing important roles in our lives every day, even though they might not necessarily be visible. An embedded system can be defined as a control system or computer system designed to perform a specific task and also be defined as a single purpose computer. Some of the embedded systems we use every day are control the menu system on television, the timer in a microwave oven, a cell phone, an MP3 player or any other device with some amount of intelligence built-in.
An embedded system contains at least one microprocessor which performs the logic operations for the system. Many embedded systems use one or more microcontrollers, which are a type of microprocessor that emphasizes self-sufficiency and cost-effectiveness, instead of a general-purpose microprocessor. A typical microcontroller contains sufficient memory and interfaces for simple applications, whereas general-purpose microprocessors require additional chips to provide these functions, including at least one ROM (read-only memory) chip to store the software.
Project uses Microchip’s microcontroller IC named Peripheral Interface Controller (PIC) and Microchip’s ‘Integrated Development Environment’, MPLAB, to simulate and assemble the written code.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
This project is designed with microcontroller (PIC), 16X2 LCD, USART protocol, Sensors, GPS receiver, GSM modem, hooter, buzzer, E2PROM card and 4X4 keypad.
The Black box or Event Data Recorder (EDR), records information about your vehicle and you driving habits. It records speed, temperature of the engine, distance travelled, status of fuel level, location information and more. The EDR can provide, for an investigator trained to understand the data, a “snapshot” of what a car and its driver were doing in a crash. It include the ability to collect statistically relevant crash information to improve the safety of cars and trucks, demonstrate the efficacy of traffic laws (like those addressing speed etc), and to allow immediate notification of an accident to emergency personnel.
The EDRs store the information from different sensors on an External EEPROM until recovered from the module. The EDR contains information like fuel level, temperature, speed, distance, location information from GPS etc….We can use this system for emergency accident alert also. When the car crashes the system send the accident alert and the current position of the vehicle to a preprogrammed mobile number via GSM modem. We can change the number with the help of a keypad interface (optional).
With the help of the same microcontroller we can digitalize all the parameters in dashboard. Presently, analog meters are used in vehicles to display the speed, distance traveled, fuel level etc. The main disadvantage of using analog meters is that it is not accurate. The digital dashboard displays speed, distance traveled, mileage of last 100 kilometers, engine temperature and fuel level of the vehicle using 16x2 LCD. The system also alerts the user about the information like low fuel level, over speed, high engine temperature, through led or buzzer indication. An Ultrasonic sensor is also attached to the system for collision avoidance. When an object came very near to the vehicle, the Ultrasonic sensor detects the obstacle and alert the driver via buzzer and display warnings.
Project also implements a vehicle security system with the help of magnetic sensor and GSM modem. When vehicle is trespassed, the system will alert the user by sending sms.
