Happening @ Michigan https://events.umich.edu/list/rss RSS Feed for Happening @ Michigan Events at the University of Michigan. Human-Centered Design to Improve Inclusiveness of CAVs for Older Adults (December 9, 2022 10:30am) https://events.umich.edu/event/101398 101398-21801301@events.umich.edu Event Begins: Friday, December 9, 2022 10:30am
Location: Transportation Research Institute
Organized By: Center for Connected and Automated Transportation

The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI), in a project sponsored by the Center for Connected and Automated Transportation (CCAT), is helping engineering students explore issues of older adult accessibility, acceptability, and other aspects of inclusion related to CAVs through classroom discussions and implementation of a class project.

In this poster session, project researchers and Michigan Engineering students will present findings from the project on how human-centered design principles can be used to address the needs and preferences of older adults in the design of CAVs. Hors d'oeuvres from The Produce Station will be served. Space is limited so secure your spot today.

CAVs hold promise for reducing traffic crashes and maintaining mobility among older adults. However, challenges remain in ensuring that CAVs are accessible, acceptable, and otherwise inclusive for older adults. Using a framework of experiential learning (exploring, engaging, reflecting, and communicating), students in a human-centered design course taught by Dr. Feng Zhou engaged in a classroom project to identify potential solutions for making CAVs more responsive to older adult needs and preferences. Students and researchers from the larger project will share their findings with CCAT members, UMTRI and other University faculty, staff, students, and industry representatives.

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Presentation Wed, 16 Nov 2022 08:26:21 -0500 2022-12-09T10:30:00-05:00 2022-12-09T12:00:00-05:00 Transportation Research Institute Center for Connected and Automated Transportation Presentation Promotional Image for the CCAT Student Poster Session. It features a picture of a lecture hall, the U-M Transportation Research Institute, and the CCAT logo.
The Pandora's Box of Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) (February 15, 2023 1:00pm) https://events.umich.edu/event/103578 103578-21807510@events.umich.edu Event Begins: Wednesday, February 15, 2023 1:00pm
Location: Transportation Research Institute
Organized By: Center for Connected and Automated Transportation

Professor Cummings will detail lessons learned in her recent role as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Senior Safety Advisor, including an examination of the use (or lack thereof) of systems engineering principles, the need for formalized safety cultures, and what technology and policy mitigations are needed to advance autonomous vehicle (AV) applications.
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About the speaker: Professor Mary (Missy) Cummings received her B.S. in Mathematics from the US Naval Academy in 1988, her M.S. in Space Systems Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1994, and her Ph.D. in Systems Engineering from the University of Virginia in 2004. A naval officer and military pilot from 1988-1999, she was one of the U.S. Navy’s first female fighter pilots. She is a Professor in the George Mason University Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering and Computer Science departments. She is an American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Fellow, and recently served as the senior safety advisor to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Her research interests include embedded artificial intelligence in safety-critical systems, assured autonomy, human-systems engineering, and the ethical and social impact of technology.

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Lecture / Discussion Wed, 18 Jan 2023 09:00:10 -0500 2023-02-15T13:00:00-05:00 2023-02-15T14:00:00-05:00 Transportation Research Institute Center for Connected and Automated Transportation Lecture / Discussion Promotional Image for the CCAT Distinguished Lecture Series with Professor Mary (Missy) Cummings. It features their headshot, the presentation title: "The Pandora's Box of Autonomous Vehicle's (AVs)", and an aerial photograph of cars driving.
PREACT: Motion Sickness Alleviation in Autonomous Vehicles via Preemptive Interventions — CCAT Research Review (May 9, 2023 1:00pm) https://events.umich.edu/event/101400 101400-21803710@events.umich.edu Event Begins: Tuesday, May 9, 2023 1:00pm
Location: Transportation Research Institute
Organized By: Center for Connected and Automated Transportation

While autonomous vehicles (AVs) promise a transportation future with several benefits, a high incidence of motion sickness among passengers remains a major impediment to the widespread adoption of this promising technology.

Motion sickness in a moving vehicle is the consequence of frequent acceleration and resulting inertial forces associated with driving actions such as speeding, braking, and turning. In a traditional vehicle, the driver anticipates the inertial consequences of their own driving actions, and accordingly makes subtle preemptive corrections. The passenger ends ups passively reacting to the inertial forces, which leads to a far greater incidence of motion sickness. In a future world of AVs, every occupant will be a passive passenger, resulting in a greater likelihood and severity of motion sickness.

In this talk, Professor Awtar will present the development and experimental validation of a novel motion sickness mitigation technology, PREACT. The key idea behind the PREACT technology is to employ predictive algorithms that anticipate impending inertial events associated with driving and accordingly makes preemptive corrections via mechatronic hardware such as tip/tilt active seats, active restraints, and passenger stimuli before the inertial events happen. Instead of reacting to an inertial event that can produce motion sickness, the PREACT system “pre-acts” ahead of time to avert motion sickness before it even happens.

More on this research: https://myumi.ch/kyxdD
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About the speaker: Shorya Awtar is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. His research interests include mechanical design, human-centric design, mechatronic systems, and robotics. He has developed affordable medical devices for minimally invasive surgery, precision motion stages for semiconductor metrology, motion sickness mitigation solutions for autonomous vehicles, and micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) actuators. Prior to joining U of M, he worked at the General Electric Global Research Center and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. He earned his Mechanical Engineering degrees from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He has published more than 80 peer-reviewed conferences and journal articles and has three dozen inventions that are either patented or patent-pending. Professor Awtar has started two companies to commercialize the technologies developed in his research lab. He has received the Leonardo daVinci Award and Thomas A. Edison Patent Award from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the Goel Award for Translational Research from the American Society of Biomechanics, multiple R&D100 Awards, and several Best Paper awards for his research, innovations, technology transfer, and societal impact. He is a Fellow of the ASME and teaches graduate and undergraduate courses as well as professional tutorials in machine design, mechanism design, and mechatronic systems. He has also worked with the Ann Arbor Hands-on Museum to create educational exhibits for K-12 children.

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Presentation Thu, 13 Apr 2023 09:39:20 -0400 2023-05-09T13:00:00-04:00 2023-05-09T14:00:00-04:00 Transportation Research Institute Center for Connected and Automated Transportation Presentation Promotional Image for the CCAT Research Review with Professor Shorya Awtar. It includes the presentation title, Professor Awtar's headshot, and a photo of a transit van.
Investigating Factors Influencing Automated Vehicles Overtaking Bicycles: Perspectives from Drivers and Bicyclists (July 27, 2023 1:00pm) https://events.umich.edu/event/108987 108987-21820687@events.umich.edu Event Begins: Thursday, July 27, 2023 1:00pm
Location: Transportation Research Institute
Organized By: Center for Connected and Automated Transportation

Bicyclists and motor vehicles share the same roads, yet there is currently no reliable technology available that assists drivers in safely overtaking bicyclists while also being acceptable to bicyclists themselves. Additionally, there is a lack of clarity regarding the critical factors involved in overtaking, as perceived by the various stakeholders.

To address these issues, this study aimed to develop computational decision-making models for car-to-bike overtaking and assess relevant factors influencing this overtaking behavior. The models considered the presence of oncoming traffic and designated bike lanes. An experiment was conducted using simulation technology, gathering subjective assessments from both drivers and bicyclists. The findings revealed disparities in satisfaction and perception of different overtaking scenarios between drivers and bicyclists.

Furthermore, the study identified significant factors influencing their subjective ratings and investigated the reasons behind these inconsistencies. The research emphasizes the importance of considering the perspectives of both drivers and bicyclists when developing car-to-bike overtaking features. The insights gained from this study will contribute to the establishment of guidelines aimed at protecting vulnerable bicyclists on the road.

About this research: https://ccat.umtri.umich.edu/research/u-m/a-data-driven-autonomous-driving-system-for-overtaking-bicyclists/
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Speaker Bios:
Dr. Brian Dr. Lin earned his BS, MS, and Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan. Dr. Lin has 11 years of experience in automotive human factors research at UMTRI after his Ph.D. His current research is focused on mining naturalistic driving data using statistical and machine-learning methods, driver-assist-system evaluation, driver performance and behavior assessment, and driver distraction and workload mitigation. His most recent work includes human driver’s lane-change maneuvers, drivers’ decisions at intersections, and passengers’ motion discomfort in moving vehicles. Dr. Lin has much experience in conducting experiments to evaluate advanced automotive systems, including auto-braking, lane departure, driver-state monitoring, electronic head units, car-following and curve-assist systems on L2 automation, and lane-change and intersection assist on L3 automation on public roads, test tracks, or simulation. He is familiar with the methods to investigate driver distraction, workload, and human-machine interaction with in-vehicle technologies and safety features. He serves as a peer reviewer for Applied Ergonomics, IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems, IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Vehicles, Transportation Research Part F, and Transportation Research Record.

Dr. Shan Bao earned her Ph.D. in mechanical and industrial engineering from the University of Iowa in 2009. Dr. Bao has led multiple, large, simulator and naturalistic-driving studies for industry and government sponsors. Her areas of expertise include the statistical analysis of crash datasets and naturalistic data, vulnerable road user safety, experimental design, algorithm development to identify driver states and movement, evaluation of driving-safety technologies, measurement of driver performance, driver decision-making, and statistical and stochastic modeling techniques. She has given multiple keynote speeches and served on expert panels at different conferences or meetings. She has also made technical presentations on scientific project results at many international conferences with a wide range of audiences. Dr. Bao is the author of recent IEEE e-learning course of “Human Factors in Automated Vehicles”.

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Presentation Wed, 05 Jul 2023 13:39:40 -0400 2023-07-27T13:00:00-04:00 2023-07-27T14:00:00-04:00 Transportation Research Institute Center for Connected and Automated Transportation Presentation Banner for CCAT Research Review with Brian Lin and Shan Bao. It features their headshots.
U-M Transportation Research Institute and Mcity Student Open House (September 12, 2023 4:00pm) https://events.umich.edu/event/112096 112096-21828434@events.umich.edu Event Begins: Tuesday, September 12, 2023 4:00pm
Location: Transportation Research Institute
Organized By: University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute

Join the UMTRI and Mcity Student Open House, scheduled for September 12th from 4:00 - 6:00 PM. Food, giveaways, and tours of the two facilities will be provided.

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Reception / Open House Tue, 12 Sep 2023 10:40:55 -0400 2023-09-12T16:00:00-04:00 2023-09-12T18:30:00-04:00 Transportation Research Institute University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute Reception / Open House Exterior of the U-M Transportation Research Institute
Various Aspects of Vehicle-Pedestrian Interaction — CCAT Research Review (November 7, 2023 1:00pm) https://events.umich.edu/event/113781 113781-21831672@events.umich.edu Event Begins: Tuesday, November 7, 2023 1:00pm
Location: Transportation Research Institute
Organized By: Center for Connected and Automated Transportation

We are all pedestrians at some point in our daily lives. Whether it is walking to work or strolling through a park, pedestrian safety should be a vital concern. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 7,388 pedestrians were killed and more than 60,000 were injured in 2021. As automated vehicle technology proliferates, the safety of all road users must be at the forefront.

This talk, led by Professor Sridhar Lakshmanan, will focus on a variety of enabling technologies for vehicle-pedestrian interactions such as Automated Pedestrian Proxies, Prediction of Vehicle Conflicts, and Use of Projection Light to Increase Pedestrian Safety. In particular, Professor Lakshmanan will highlight his xBOT platform which behaves and is perceived as a free-moving pedestrian, scooter, bicycle, motorbike, or full-sized vehicle to test the safety performance of AV systems.
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About the speaker: Sridhar Lakshmanan is an Educator, Researcher, Mentor and Entrepreneur. He is on the faculty of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the University of Michigan – Dearborn. His expertise lies in intelligent systems: autonomous-connected vehicles, robots, intelligent transportation systems, and smart cities. He was won many awards for his work at the University. His publications on automotive radar won the 2001 Best Paper Award from the IEEE Vehicular Electronics Society, on semi-truck platooning won the 2019 GVSETS Conference Best Paper Award from NDIA, and on lightweight transport robot the 2021 GVSETS Conference Best Paper Award from NDIA. He has served as a Project Director and Principal Investigator on a number of grants and contracts from various U.S. Government agencies: Defense, Transportation, Energy, and NSF; Defense Contractors: SAIC and General Dynamics; and Commercial Automotive Companies: Ford, GM, Delphi/Aptiv, ZF, Hella, Osram, and GAA. Sridhar has been a mentor and advisor to more than ten startups. Finally, Sridhar’s estimates on transmission and distribution assets have been used in the City of Detroit’s historic bankruptcy filings in federal courts, and he has been instrumental in the system-wide LED replacements of the City of Detroit’s and City of Memphis’ streetlights. Sridhar got his Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Massachusetts – Amherst in 1991.

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Presentation Tue, 10 Oct 2023 09:41:23 -0400 2023-11-07T13:00:00-05:00 2023-11-07T14:00:00-05:00 Transportation Research Institute Center for Connected and Automated Transportation Presentation Banner for CCAT Research Review with Sridhar Lakshmanan. It features their headshot and the title of their lecture.
Creating a Culture of Innovation While Advancing Safety and Operations — CCAT Distinguished Lecture Series (December 5, 2023 1:00pm) https://events.umich.edu/event/115190 115190-21834159@events.umich.edu Event Begins: Tuesday, December 5, 2023 1:00pm
Location: Transportation Research Institute
Organized By: Center for Connected and Automated Transportation

In January 2022, the United States Department of Transportation launched its National Roadway Safety Strategy, which outlines the Department’s comprehensive plan to significantly reduce severe injuries and fatalities on the nation’s roadways, highways, and streets. This represents the initial step towards achieving the ambitious, long-term goal of attaining zero roadway fatalities. This presentation will delve into how the United States Department of Transportation is influencing transportation system safety by developing short-term, low-cost roadway enhancements, creating innovative infrastructure designs, and leveraging new speed management strategies and countermeasures. Additionally, Mr. Cronin will discuss how the Department of Transportation is pioneering long-term solutions in technology innovation, including leveraging vehicle-to-everything communications to facilitate interoperable connectivity, influencing the future of autonomous driving with Cooperative Driving Automation, and developing tools to advance research and adoption of these technologies. All efforts are aimed at reaching the ultimate goal of zero roadway fatalities, and how you can actively engage in shaping the future of transportation.
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About the speaker: Brian Cronin is the Acting Director of the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Joint Program Office. Prior to this role, Brian served as Director, Office of Safety and Operations Research and Development, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for 5 years, and two years as the Director Office of Operations Research and Development. In his most recent role, he provided executive leadership and guidance for improving and advancing transportation safety and operations-related technologies and innovations through research, development, and testing. Brian is providing executive leadership in FHWA’s involvement in the Intersection Safety Challenge, development of a Vulnerable Road User Research Plan Report to Congress, and establishing a new Center of Excellence for New Mobility and Automated Vehicles. Brian guided the development of the Cooperative Driving Automation research program and V2X research efforts.

Prior to his appointment into the SES, Brian served for 11 years in the ITS JPO, with the last 8 years as the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Research Team Leader. In this position, he provided strategic leadership and direction in the development of ITS solutions to improve transportation mobility, safety, and the environment. Brian provided technical leadership for the development of the connected vehicle research program and the Secretary’s Smart City Challenge.

Prior to joining FHWA in 2003, Brian served as the Advanced Public Transportation Systems Team Leader with the Federal Transit Administration where he oversaw research and deployment of transit-related ITS technologies to improve transit operations. Brian holds a Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech. Brian is also a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Maryland.

Brian recently celebrated his 25th wedding anniversary to his wife Lisa LaCourse, and has two girls, Lucy and Julia. Brian enjoys camping, kayaking, hiking, swimming, biking, and golf.

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Presentation Mon, 13 Nov 2023 13:33:39 -0500 2023-12-05T13:00:00-05:00 2023-12-05T14:00:00-05:00 Transportation Research Institute Center for Connected and Automated Transportation Presentation Promotional Image for the CCAT Distinguished Lecture Series with Brian Cronin. It features their headshot and presentation title.