Browsing by Author "Zeeman, Adriaan Siebrits"
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- ItemCapacitive seat sensors for multiple occupancy detection using a low-cost setup(IEEE -- Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 2013-02) Zeeman, Adriaan Siebrits; Booysen, Marthinus J.; Ruggeri, Giuseppe; Lagana, BrunoThe Minibus public transportation sector and road safety remains a significant challenge in Africa. We propose a low cost system to monitor the taxi industry and encourage safe driving. A low cost capacitive proximity sensor for seat occupancy detection based on the loading mode capacitive sensing technique is designed. The capacitive sensor uses a single electrode to detect an occupant. We use ZigBee modules for a dynamic wireless system integration where sensors can be added or removed without modifications. A mathematical model of the capacitive sensor is developed and we determine the capacitance on the sensor’s electrode. The occupied capacitance is double the unoccupied capacitance. Our results show that the proposed capacitive sensor can distinguish clearly between an unoccupied and occupied seat.
- ItemPublic transport sector driver behaviour : measuring recklessness using speed and acceleration(Southern African Transport Conference, 2014-07) Zeeman, Adriaan Siebrits; Booysen, Marthinus J.The informal transport industry in Sub-Saharan Africa is notoriously dangerous, leading to many fatalities annually. This paper presents an innovative way of monitoring driver behaviour, in real-time, by taking into account road design standards and vehicle dynamics. A theoretical model is presented that combines acceleration and speed data into an erratic driving detection algorithm. The model presents a novel use of commonly used civil engineering principles, used in road design. Evaluation of the models, using actual minibus taxi data, demonstrates that it successfully detect reckless driving. An online platform is presented to visualise the tracked vehicle and the driving behaviour.
- ItemSimple capacitive seat sensing for occupancy detection and passenger counting in minibus taxis(Southern African Transport Conference, 2014-07) Zeeman, Adriaan Siebrits; Booysen, Marthinus J.The informal public transportation sector in Sub-Saharan Africa contributes significantly to public transport, and yet little is known about passenger mobility patterns. We propose a low cost system to measure occupancy in a minibus taxi, and to improve understanding of passenger mobility in the taxi industry. A low cost capacitive proximity sensor for seat occupancy detection based on the loading mode capacitive sensing technique is designed and integrated with cellular communications to provide real-time information. The capacitive sensor uses a single electrode to detect an occupant. We use modules for a dynamic wireless system integration where sensors can be added or removed without modifications. A mathematical model of the capacitive sensor is developed to determine the capacitance on the sensor’s electrode. The occupied capacitance is double the unoccupied capacitance. Our results show that the proposed capacitive sensor can distinguish clearly between an unoccupied and occupied seat for multiple seats.
- ItemTowards understanding and improving the safety of informal public transport in Sub-Saharan Africa : a real-time sensing and reporting system for minibus taxis(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2013-12) Zeeman, Adriaan Siebrits; Booysen, M. J.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Electrical and Electronic Engineering.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Developed countries have led the way in the implementation of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), with the main objectives of improving road safety and efficiency. Current ITS solutions are heavily dependent on advanced and expensive technologies, and do not necessarily meet the unique requirements of public transportation in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The informal minibus taxi sector dominates public transport in SSA in general, and in South Africa in particular, and is notoriously dangerous – leading to many fatalities annually. This work presents the design and testing of a sensing and reporting system for public transport in SSA. The system contributes to improving the safety and efficiency of minibus taxis in SSA. The system provides three core functions, namely, reckless driving detection, multiple occupancy detection, and wireless reporting to a visualised online platform. The reckless driving detection system implements a novel model that augments inertial vehicle acceleration data with GPS speed information. The model is based on standards used in road design, and takes into account the relationship between a vehicle’s tyres and the road surface. A lateral acceleration threshold, which is speed dependant, and a longitudinal acceleration threshold are suggested to detect reckless driving. Acceleration data is filtered to remove both high-frequency noise and zero-frequency offset, and compared to the thresholds to detect reckless driving events. The occupancy detection system detects multiple occupants in the minibus taxi using low-cost capacitive sensor electrodes, which utilise the electrical field properties of a human body for presence detection. A simplified mathematical model was created to calculate the expected capacitance on the occupancy sensor electrode, and was compared to the measured capacitance in the minibus taxi. The theoretical and empirical results demonstrate that the capacitance of an occupied seat is more than double that of an unoccupied seat. Occupants were clearly detected in various scenarios, such as different occupant sizes, water on seat, various seated positions on the sensor, etc. The wireless reporting inside the vehicle is implemented using a ZigBee network on an Arduino platform. The extra-vehicle wireless reporting uses the existing SSA cellular network, and the online data visualisation is implemented on Trinity Telecoms’ SMART platform. The complete sensing and reporting system is implemented as a prototype, and tested in South African and Ugandan minibus taxis. The results demonstrate that the system achieves the set goals, and could be used to make transport in SSA safer and more efficient.