Vehicle Dynamics
Our research into vehicle dynamics is channeled by a desire to make our roads and vehicles safer for passengers. Recently we have been working on identifying rollover metrics for vehicles, and finding improved design strategies for highway curves.
Below: On a snowy day at the LTI test track, Dr. Brennan provides a demonstration to students taking his course on vehicle dynamics.
Intelligent Systems
In today's world, our machines and devices have unparalleled access to data made available from new and novel use of sensors. Our algorithms process this data into useful information that may be used by machines or humans to perform a variety of safety-critical tasks, such as localization and collision avoidance.
Below: The Nittany Lion shrine, as recorded digitally by one of our lidar scanning enthusiasts.
Robotics
Each day, hundreds of thousands of robots go to work in our homes, factories and battlefields. Our research aims at making these robots better and smarter by providing them with diagnostic and prognostic skills to improve their performance. Our work currently focuses on the development of physics-based, empirical, and allometric models to determine ground robot capabilities and power requirements as functions of robot size and design.
Below: A tankbot prototype traverses the grounds outside Leonhard Building.
TEST TRACK
The research group has access to the test track at the Thomas D. Larson Pennsylvania Transportation
Institute, one of ten USDOT-designated automated vehicle proving grounds.
DRIVING SIMULATOR
MAPPING VEHICLE
IVSG developed a mapping vehicle instrumented with an IMU, dGPS, LIDARs, cameras, and
wheel encoders to support its mapping and intelligent vehicle research.
LARGE SCALE IMPACT PENDULUM
FRIENDLY ROBOTIC SPECIES
SENSING EQUIPMENT
We have significant inventory of Integrated INS-GPS systems,
low-cost inertial and GPS sensors, Microsoft Kinects, encoders,
cameras, and SICK lidars.
