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Roll over prediction device (testers wanted!)


marek916

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I was wondering if anyone here fancied testing our electronic prototype rollover prediction device we have designed?

The system is windscreen mounted and calculates a roll over index and displays it on a set of LED cross hair bar graphs.

It uses internal gyros and accelerometers to calculate how close to roll over a vehicle is.

The system needs to know measurements for vehicle wheel base, track and centre of gravity (height).

We are hoping to find an enthusiast who likes to reguarly roll their vehicle (and doesn't mind demonstrating so) as we want to prove the software is correct.

We are based in Gosport (Hampshire) so anywhere within an hours drive would be preferred.

We don't have a huge budget to pay anyone for testing but reward can be in drivers choice of greasy food sustanance ;-)

Many thanks

Marek

marek1@hotmail.com

02392 987260

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I have a similar device in my truck. In the one I have, you can program the alarm points to your own choosing. It uses an audible alarm system. 10 degrees below the alarm point, it beeps slowly, then switches to fast at 5 degrees and constant at the alarm. This works well. at times when you are steep enough to tip, you will not be looking at a gizmo and the audible warning is needed. Another useful feature is the storing of maximum to look at later.

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There is also an audible alarm!

It's important to point out that this device isn't a tilt alarm. The algorithm also takes in to account acceleration which can sometimes be more important as the other variables change, especially in a dynamic scenario where things are moving.

For this demonstration we won't have a variable CoG but if this gets to production there will be a roof loading adjustment with simple steps (50kg or similar).

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Interested to know the intended application for this, never yet heard of anyone actually working out their truck's CoG, and a roll can happen due to dropping the downhill wheel in a hole or the uphill wheel rolling over a bump, or the truck sliding down the slope even when well inside the acceptable tilt angle.

If it's designed for off-roaders as an extra toy (like the existing inclinometers) then fine, but if you're going to try to apply it to novices / joe public / someone's employees in 4x4's to keep them safe that's a bit of a minefield.

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How would it know whether I'm driving solo, or if I've got a loaded 3.5-ton flatbed on the tow-hook?

"Flying on instruments" or "He flew to the aircraft's programmed safety-envelope not to the local conditions" are standard attributions for catastrophic loss-of-airframe/pilot aviation incidents - I'd much rather trust to the buttock-clenched folds in the driver's seat than any instrument.

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The end application is for guys who drive big vehicles and regularly tip them over (often resulting in injuries). The purpose of this device is to warn them that they are close to the vehicles limit and records how often they exceed this limit and what they did after the alarm in an actual roll over incident.

No volunteers for testing?

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Sorry if I'm teaching the OP to suck eggs, but others on the forum may be interested....

Devices which do this job already exist for cranes and excavators. They are a mandatory requirement for cranes over a certain size and IIRC, they are also required for rail adapted excavators.

Depending on exactly what they do and how they work (e.g. whether they actually intervene to prevent the machine turning over or just provide a warning to the driver, and whether they compute the machine's stability or measure it with some sort of analogue measurement device) they may require independent type approval under the Machinery Directive. Even if they don't require type approval, they still need to comply with some fairly complicated standards for reliability.

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  • 2 months later...

I have the same warning model as Jeff , first a low warning "Ohhhhhh , then as the angle increases a severe pain in my left thigh due to the punch -- this is followed by a loud scream and a warning that if the drop-off doesn't kill me she will :rofl:

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I can see this device used in an off-road situation for someone who is learning the capabilities of their vehicle. Driving on a side slope and hitting a pot hole or a bump would throw the vehicle over, and it would all be too late unless you like the sound of an alarm going off as you go over :) If you are that close to a roll, you can feel the side/front/back start to go light, and if experienced enough, can prevent a roll (though not always ). I don't know about a visible display though - you would only look at it when you don't need to. Studying the terrain you are going over is what you should be doing and therefore avoiding a roll over :)

Les

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If you have time to look at a gauge, you have time to save the roll !

It's the fast, unexpected barrell rolls you need to cure haha !

G

It needs to be audible. I have one of these: http://www.frsport.com/Innovate-Motorsports-3805-RAD-1--Rollover-Avoidance-Device_p_15218.html and it works great. You do not need to look at it and it is programmable for the alarm points.

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  • 4 weeks later...

interesting, i have one of these built in, it went a little hay wire a few years back, 14 rolls in 18mths i think we were, 4 of them not even at a comp!

try Jerry Hunt, hes in Hampshire, just built new truck for KoV type events, we are bound to go over....

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