Volvo Human Monitoring (VHM) is an ongoing project at Volvo Cars where they measure, amongst other parameters, inhalation and exhalation through a device called Respiratory Inductance Plethysmograph (RIP), on drivers. RIP measures changes in the cross-sectional area of the chest and abdomen. When the driver is in motion, such as when she is turning the vehicle, the cross-sectional area changes and noise in the RIP signal may arise.The noise results in a large number of manual adjustments in the analysis of the RIP signal, which is very time consuming and the validity of the device for measuring inhalation and exhalation is questioned.The purpose of this study was to improve the efficiency of the analysis of the RIP signal. The goal was to create a new data processing tool in Matlab that automatically detects inhalation and exhalation from a RIP signal with higher validity compared to the previous data processing tool.In this study, nine tests were performed on drivers while they were driving in different scenarios such as highway, country road and in city traffic. Inhalation and exhalation was measured using a RIP, a pneumotachograph with a tightly sealed facemask and a thermocouple placed between the nose and mouth, which was used as reference to the RIP.The result of this study was a data processing tool that automatically detects inhalation and exhalation with higher validity compared to the previous data processing tool. The tool marks the sequences where the risk is high that the RIP measures inhalation and exhalation in a faulty way or removes inhalations and exhalations during these sequences, depending on the user’s preference.This study has also contributed new knowledge about an alternative device, thermocouple, for detecting inhalation and exhalation with higher validity than with the RIP while driving. / VHM

En viktig del hos företag som tillverkar diverse industrimaskiner är att utbilda den personal som förväntas använda och underhålla maskinerna. Detta är för att ge användaren en god förståelse för hur maskinen i fråga fungerar och är uppbyggd. Vid sådana utbildningar är det viktigt att tillhandahålla användarvänligt utbildnings-material. Målet med detta examensarbete är att förbättra användarvänligheten för utbildningsmaterialet hos en viss utbildning för projektets uppdragsgivare. Den utbildning som skall förbättras går i dagsläget ut på att manuellt simulera processer hos en specifik maskin via en hårdvarubaserad simuleringsmiljö. Resultatet blev en lösning i form av en mjukvarubaserad simulator med tillhörande grafiskt användargränssnitt. Användaren kan därigenom på ett säkert sätt simulera maskinens beteende genom ett PC-program och då t.ex. skapa nödsituationer utan att användarens säkerhet sätts i fara. / An important part at companies that’s manufacturing industrial machines is to provide training for the machines end-users such as daily machine operators and technicians, in order to give them a good understanding about how the concerned machine works. At these kinds of trainings it’s very important that the training material used to train the users provides a high user-friendliness. The goal with this thesis is to improve the user-friendliness of an existing training tool for a specific training course from the projects client. The training course that’s going to be improved is currently using a hardware-based simulator that’s used to manually simulate processes at a certain machine. The result was a solution in shape of a software-based simulator with associated graphical user interface. The user can thus within safe circumstances simulate the concerned machines behavior through a PC-program and e.g. create emergency situations without putting the users safety in danger.

Möjligheternas värld är en utställning som ska presenteras på olika mässor. Hjärtat i utställningen är automationsfabriken som är en automatiserad anläggning som ska tillverka leksaksbilar. Automationsfabriken ska invigas på mässan Scanautomatic och ProcessTeknikden 9-11 oktober 2012. Då möjligheternas värld är ett samarbete mellan näringsliv och skola bidrar företag och skolor med hjälp och samarbetar för att projektet ska bli lyckat. Prevas del i projektet är att ta fram ett styrsystem i form av ett MES och SCADA system till fabriken samtatt göra hemsidan där bilar kan beställas och integrera den med styrsystemet. Målet med examensarbetet är att utveckla styrsystemet och ta fram ett HMI genom att använda programvaror från Wonderware. Slutprodukten är i form av kod och objekt, och den funktionalitet de skapar tillsammans. Styrsystemet ska kunna kopplas upp mot fabriken och styra produktionen, förutsatt att övriga delar i projektet levererar det de ska. Arbetet började med att studera fabriken och etablera ett gränssnitt mellan styrsystemet ochPLCn som styr produktionsutrustningen, samt att ta fram ett grundläggande HMI. Sedan har ett simuleringsläge tagits fram med utgångspunk från gränssnittet för att simulera produktionsmiljön. Utifrån den här simuleringsmiljön och ett HMI har sedan funktioner tagits fram en i taget och testats, för att tillsammans senare utgöra den helhet som är styrsystemet. Här finns funktioner som beslutsprocesser för skapandet av nya produktions- och leveransordrar, hämtning av kundordrar, styrning av pick´n place enheten, informationshantering av innehållet i bufferten, samt registrering av alla ordrar och operationer i ett manufacturing execution system (MES). Styrsystemet har slutsligen kopplats samman med databasen där nya kundordrar registreras och genom att använda simuleringsmiljön och det HMI som utvecklats för fabriken har styrsystemet testats med goda resultat där styrsystemet klarar av att hantera hela produktionen från orderingång till leverans. / Möjligheternas värld is an exhibition that will be presented at various fairs. The heart of the exhibition is Automationsfabriken which is an automated facility that will manufacture toy cars. Automationsfabriken will be introduced at the fair Scanautomatic & ProcessTeknik, which takes place 9-11 October 2012. As Möjligheternas värld is a collaboration between industry and school, both businesses and schools are included in the project and work towards the success of the project. Prevas part of the project is to develop a control system in the form of a MES and SCADA system for the factory, to create the website where cars can be ordered, and to integrate the website with the control system. The goal of my thesis job is to develop the control system and to create an HMI using software from Wonderware. The final product is in the form of code and objects, and the functionality they create together. The control system should be able to connect to the factory and manage the production, provided that the other parts of the project are delivered according to the plan. The work began with a study of the factory, and to establish an interface between the control system and the PLC that controls the production equipment, as well as developing a basic HMI. After this was done a simulation environment was developed from the established interface in order to simulate the production environment. Based on this simulation environment and the HMI, functions has been developed one by one and tested in order to later become the whole which is the control system. It features functions such as decision-making for the creation of new production- and delivery orders, retrieval of customer orders, control of the pick´n placeunit, information handling of the content of the buffer, as well as registration of all orders and operations in the manufacturing execution system (MES). Finally the control system was connected to the database containing new customer order, and by using the simulation environment and the developed HMI for the factory the control system could be tested in order to confirm that the control system could handle the entire production from the intake of customer orders to delivery.

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The goal of the project is to evaluate a new setup for the company Iberobot Svenska AB, using HMI and PLC, for resistance spot welding equipment controller. The purpose of the controller is to control the weld process; weld power and time. One of the question raised is if this setup could be used as an RWE controller and thereby be able to re-place an old proprietary controller called TEC6000. A prototype is built compatible with current single phase RWE and literature study is conducted to answer this question.  The new setup is based on Beijer iX T7B Softmotion which includes an HMI and a PLC with EtherCAT support. EtherCAT input and output modules from Beckhoff are chosen because they can handle the speed required by the weld process. The controller is implemented using theory for RMS value, timing diagram and state diagram based on weld process. The prototype is revised three times. A zero crossing detector is implemented. A control element driver using opto-triac is implemented. Measurements using oscillo-scope are conducted which shows that the controller is able to start a weld, but zero crossing detection is unstable and further research into this and current regulation is needed before an end user product can be made.

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As autonomous vehicles become more prevalent in urban traffic settings, the safety of vulnerable road users, predominantly pedestrians, must be placed in high regard relative to the design of the autonomous vehicle's (AV's) external human machine interface (HMI). Traditionally, there exist communication methods between drivers and pedestrians, such as hand gestures, eye contact, and verbal cues that convey the driver's awareness of the pedestrian's presence. However, with autonomous vehicles, there is a shift in communicative responsibility from the driver to the vehicle itself. It is the vehicle's responsibility to intuitively and clearly indicate its actions to the pedestrian. This research analyzes the factors contributing to AV skepticism and the ways in which the visual aspect of an AV's external HMI can be improved from traditional vehicle designs to accommodate visually impaired pedestrians. This was achieved by performing a study on 27 participants varying in age, gender, and vision impairment type. The study includes a survey and interview portion. Findings indicate that yellow and blue colors are viewed as most welcoming and memorable. It is suggested that these colors be used in the projected light system of the external HMI design. Quantitative results indicate that there is a moderate degree of correlation between the following: the use of cruise control and vision impairment severity (negative correlation), a participant's willingness to ride in an AV and vision impairment levels (positive correlation). The study also found a low degree of correlation in a participants willingness to ride in an AV and their trust in AVs. Based on these findings and under the assumption than an external HMI is needed on the AV, it is recommended that the external HMI contain a light projection system on the vehicle's front body. Based on qualitative results, the light projection system should use a teal color light and project a directional arrow onto the ground when identifying a pedestrian in its path while turning. Intuitive signals such as these help ensure pedestrian safety and promote trust and acceptance of the use of autonomous vehicles on public roads.

Ingeniero Civil Eléctrico / El lenguaje corporal es importante para comunicarse fluidamente con las personas. En el ámbito de la interacción con máquinas, existen sistemas para reconocer automáticamente gestos, pero confunden cuerpos de color similar y sus capacidades son muy inferiores a las de los seres humanos. Para contribuir a la solución de este problema, se presenta una plataforma que sigue una esquina e identifica pulsaciones utilizando una webcam, independientemente del tono del objeto y del fondo, lo que se efectúa analizando variaciones luminosas. El sistema registra imágenes con una cámara y las preprocesa para disminuir el ruido. Posteriormente, obtiene las zonas con cambios luminosos y reconstruye los objetos móviles. Luego, identifica las esquinas de los cuerpos, sigue la trayectoria de una de ellas y verifica si hay oscilaciones. La plataforma es complementada con módulos para configurar su funcionamiento, dibujar trayectorias y controlar un cursor. La programación se realiza en C++ y utiliza las librerías OpenCV para procesar imágenes y Qt para mostrar la interfaz de usuario. El desempeño se evalúa con videos en que un dedo recorre trayectorias predefinidas. En las pruebas se utilizan varios tipos de iluminación, fondos, distancias a la cámara, posturas y velocidades de movimiento. Los resultados muestran que el algoritmo ubica el dedo con error promedio de 10 píxeles y detecta pulsaciones en el 82% de los intentos. Se producen fallas cuando hay fuentes de luz frente a la cámara, oscuridad o movimiento detrás de la mano. El programa se ejecuta a 30fps y utiliza el 16% de un procesador Intel Core i5-3337u. La plataforma es capaz de distinguir objetos de tono similar, pero es poco tolerante a movimientos en el fondo. Una combinación de los métodos basados en variaciones luminosas y color puede corregir sus deficiencias mutuamente y habilitar aplicaciones que utilicen señales hechas con las manos para ordenadores personales y robots.