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LAB 1 – Don’t Forget Me Description
Lab 1 - Don’t Forget Me Description
Hernan Gonzales
CS411
UID#:6010
Spring 2008
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Table of Contents
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INTRODUCTION …………………..…………………..……………………………………3
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PRODUCT DESCRIPTION …………………..…………………..………………………....3
2.1 Key Product Features and Capabilities …………..…………………..…………………3
2.2 Major Components (Hardware/Software) ……….…………………..………………....4
2.3 Target Market/Customer Base …………..…………………..…………………………5
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PRODUCT PROTOTYPE DESCRIPTION …………………..……………………………..6
3.1
Prototype Functional Objectives …………..…………………..……………………....6
3.2
Prototype Architecture …………..…………………..………………………………...6
3.3
Innovative Features (of prototype)………………..……………………..…………..…6
3.4
Challenges and Risks …………..…………………..……………………………….…6
PROTOTYPE DEMONSTRATION DESCRIPTION …………………..……………….….6
GLOSSARY …………………..……………………………………..……………………….….7
REFERENCES …………………..……………………………………..………………….…….7
List of Figures
Figure 1. Major Functional Component Diagram ..………………………………………….…..4
Figure 2. Prototype Major functional component diagram …………………………………….. 7
List of Tables
Table 1. Marketing Risk Table ……………………………………………………………..….5
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INTRODUCTION
There were 846 fatalities between 2001 and 2005 that was reported due to non-traffic
incidents involving children less than 15 years old, 23% or 195 cases are children left inside the
car and died due to heat. The incident keeps on increasing every year, and the number of deaths
is even more than the airbags accidents according to Kids and Cars, a nonprofit organization.
Some vehicle manufacturers tried to prevent death of children inside the car, but the problem still
continues. Typically, most of the vehicle manufacturers use only one kind of sensor, which gives
them no option in case the sensor fails. A lot of companies thrive to give their best solution to
the most ignored serious problem nowadays, which is death of children after the driver has left
the vehicle, but they still do not have the right solution.
The Old Dominion University CS410 Blue Team came up with the best idea to save the
children from getting left behind inside the vehicle. The product is called Don’t Forget Me
(DFM), and its primary task is to save lives. DFM is made up of multiple sensors that interact
with each other to reach its goal. The DFM system is more accurate than what most vehicle
manufacturers are currently using. Large vehicle manufacturers are the main marketing targets
of DFM. The vehicle consumers will surely benefit from the cutting edge vehicle child safety
system that designed by the DFM group.
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PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
DFM is a system that the ODU CS410 Blue Team believes is the best solution to the
most ignored serious problem nowadays, like what mentioned above, which is death of children
after the driver has left the vehicle. This type of system is more accurate than what most vehicle
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manufacturers are currently using. The system combines all the security features to make it more
accurate when it comes to saving lives.
2.1 Key Product Features and Capabilities
The DFM system has two basic approaches. First, it detects if there is life inside the
vehicle. Second, it informs the vehicle owner and the people within the vehicle’s perimeter that
someone is left inside the vehicle in a hostile condition. DFM system is automatically activated
once the driver with the receiver (embedded inside the key fob) is within the transmitter
perimeter (located inside the vehicle) and the sensors detect the child in the passenger’s side. The
system will remain in the waiting stage until the driver with the key fob walks away from the
vehicle. Once the driver goes beyond the set limit and at the same time the sensors still detecting
the child in the vehicle, the alarm goes off. There are two ways to stop or prevent the alarm from
going off: First is to remove the child from the vehicle, and second is to manually switch off the
system that is located near the passenger seat.
2.2
Major Components (Hardware/Software)
The Major Functional Component Diagram is mainly composed of sensors, a controller, a
transmitter, and a receiver. In addition to the temperature sensor, there are three sensors that
detect if there is a child inside the vehicle: heartbeat, pressure, and motion sensors. The
temperature sensor is a digital device that determines the temperature inside the vehicle.
Temperature reading from the sensor can run from 0-130 degrees Fahrenheit. The heartbeat
sensor is located near the child’s usual location for a precise reading, and it basically measures
the vibrations over time and matches them to the known human heartbeat pattern. The pressure
sensor is placed underneath the seat’s upholstery where the child seats. It recognizes the average
weight of a child when the child is sitting on the car seat, and it filters out the rest of the
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unknown weights. The motion sensor detects any movements inside the vehicle. It ignores the
vibrations outside the vehicle.
All of the sensors are attached to the main controller. The main controller analyzes all the
inputs from the sensors and determines the logical result. In short, the controller is the brain of
the entire system that distinctly decides what actions to consider. If the all the input data match
the emergency signal, then the controller activates the car alarm and it uses the transmitter to
send a signal to the key fob to beep.
Figure 1. Major functional component diagram
2.3
Target Market/Customer Base
For marketing strategy, DFM is targeting the vehicle manufacturers. Instead of selling
the actual finished product, DFM rather sell the license to a vehicle manufacturer. Security is
very important to each individual, so DFM believes that vehicle manufacturers will not ignore
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the offer. The idea of licensing will cut the initial budget of DFM into almost half and will
eliminate the production maintenance. The license includes the disclaimer, rights, and policy.
DFM will also supply the algorithm, instructions, and specifications of the entire system.
License is limited only to one company; once obtained, DFM should receive a reasonable
amount of money per vehicle sold by the manufacturer that has the DFM system installed. To
keep up with the technology, DFM will keep on updating and researching for the improvement
of the prior idea. Other vehicle manufacturers who are interested of the DFM system also have a
chance of owning the license once the previous license has expired.
Table 1 provides a summary for the risk and mitigation of DFM.
Item
Risk
A
Competitor could beat us to
market with a better product
B
C
D
If a competitor beat us to the
market with a similar product our
return on investment diminishes
or evaporates.
Cost prohibitive for the
customer
Mitigation
Hold team to timelines and through effective
project management keep team focused on
tasks at hand and do not get caught up in over
designing initially, thus ensure product gets to
market quickly. Knowing who are your
competitors what they have to offer will help
provide knowledge to mitigate the risk.
Ensure that we find the best price for hardware
needed and to keep labor cost down to
minimum. Labor is the biggest cost and can be
mitigated by having well thought out design
plan and leveraging off of existing technology.
If the device is too expensive for
the customer, sales will suffer.
The customer needs a low cost
device to be negligible to the cost
of the vehicle.
Product malfunctions and baby Implement vigorous test procedures and have
the device perform self diagnostic test when
dies
engine is started.
If the product malfunctions and
results in the death of the vehicle
occupant, the loss of confidence
will diminish sales and increase
liability.
Complacency is the hardest risk to reduce. To
Caregivers becomes
mitigate this risk, the device regularly
complacent
communicates with caregiver at specific time
The caregiver becomes
intervals.
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complacent and less observant of
the occupant because of the
autonomy of the device
monitoring the presence of the
child.
Table 1. Marketing Risk Table
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3.1
PRODUCT PROTOTYPE DESCRIPTION
Prototype Functional Objectives
The first objective of this functional prototype is to successfully demonstrate that the
after market sensors work in a different environmental conditions. DFM entire system depends
on the input of the sensors, so it is necessary to check the input before proceeding further. The
early stage of prototyping will also help DFM to test and decides what exact specific sensors to
use. The second objective is to show the integration and coordination of all sensors using the
DFM algorithm. All sensors are connected to the Data Acquisition (DAQ) device called USB6008. The real system will use different kind DAQ device. Unlike the DAQ device for the
prototype, the real DAQ will be a stand alone, means no desktop/laptop computer attached to it.
For the prototype, the USB-6008 with all the sensors attached to it will be connected to a laptop.
The laptop will have the algorithm coded in C++. The last objective is to show the outcome after
receiving the logical result from the algorithm. The outcome will be on a form of an alarm just to
indicate the action. The desired result is to determine whether or not there is a child inside the
vehicle in a very hot condition.
3.2
Prototype Architecture
The prototype primarily includes an after market temperature sensor, a pulse sensor, a
motion sensor, and a pressure sensor. The tools DFM uses for data analysis: DAQ device, laptop
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computer, labView application software, and C++ program. The result can only be positive or
negative. Positive means that assumingly there is a child left inside the vehicle in an extremely
hot condition. Otherwise, the result is negative. An alarm might also be used to stress out the
result. All the sensors are attached to the DAQ, and the DAQ is connected to a laptop computer.
The computer has the labView program that acts as the GUI of the system. All the data input of
the sensors will be analyzed by the algorithm in the laptop. The results from the algorithm will
be stored in a variable, and then a C++ program will gather up the data, analyze them, and then
generate the final result.
Figure 2. Prototype Major functional component diagram
3.3
Innovative Features (of prototype)
The most innovative feature of the DFM system is the integration of different kinds of
sensors and the effective algorithm that generates the result. DFM found a way on how to let
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different sensors work together effectively. Unlike other products, the DFM system is more
accurate when it comes to detecting a child inside the vehicle. The reason DFM system has four
sensors is to make sure that if one sensor is uncertain about its detection, other sensors will help
balance out to determine the right decision. Competitors, like what Volvo use (Volvo Cars
Corporation) and others, use only one sensor. Unfortunately this approach to the problem does
not succeed due to lack of accuracy.
3.4
Challenges and Risks
Building the prototype is a big challenge for DFM because it involves a lot of aspects like
testing the sensors. The most challenging part of building the prototype is finding the real vehicle
heartbeat sensor. Heartbeat sensor, especially for vehicles, is a new technology, so it is hard to
find one out in the market. So, instead of using the actual vehicle heartbeat sensor, DFM will use
a pulse sensor for the prototype. Like the real heartbeat sensor, the pulse sensor is also hard to
play around with because of its complicated data reading. DFM consider using pulse sensor for
prototyping as their biggest risk because pulse sensor is different from the real heartbeat sensor
that is used in vehicles. One short explanation to that is there are much more noise disturbances
involved in gathering data for the real sensor than for the pulse sensor.
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PROTOTYPE DEMONSTRATION DESCRIPTION
The prototype demonstration is located in Engineering & Computer Science building (E
& CS). DFM have four sensors, a DAQ device, and a laptop with LabView software. The
temperature sensor will have a wide range of data input from 0-130 degrees Fahrenheit. One of
the group members will volunteer as the subject dummy for the demonstration. The subject will
have the pulse sensor attached on the subject’s fingertip. Also, the subject will be sitting on the
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pressure sensor. The motion sensor will be located anywhere around the subject. The LabView
program on the laptop will analyze all the inputs and determines the output.
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GLOSSARY
DFM – Don’t Forget Me. Refer to the group.
DFM system – Vehicle security system created by DFM.
DAQ – Stands for Data Acquisition. DAQ device is used for data acquisition or sensors control.
USB – Stands for Universal Serial Bus. Usually used for connecting computers/devices
USB-6008 – A Data Acquisition device with USB ports.
C++ - Popular computer language that is used to build application program
GUI – Stands for Graphical User Interface.
ODU – Old Dominion University, Norfolk Virginia
E & CS - Engineering & Computer Science building at ODU.
LabView – Stands for Laboratory Virtual Instrumentation Engineering Workbench. It is a
graphical computer software that is used for data acquisition.
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REFRENCES
Kids and Cars Org. Kids and Cars Org. Retrieved December 10, 2007, from Kids and Cars Org
Web site: http://www.kidsandcars.org/
Volvo Car Corporation. Volvo Cars. Retrieved December 10, 2007, from Volvo Cars
Corporation Web site: http://www.volvocars.com/corporation/Safety/yourfuture/
GettingPersonalWithYourVolvo.htm