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NOVATEL – Avviso di EOL per i sistemi FLEXG2-STAR-XXX-XXX NOVATEL

External Notice: NovAtel Announces End of Life for FLEXG2-STAR-XXX-XXX

NovAtel Inc. is announcing the End of Life of the:

FLEXG2-STAR-XXX
FLEXG2-STAR-XXX-X
FLEXG2-STAR-XXX-X-X
FLEXG2-STAR-XXX-XXX
FLEXG2-STAR-XXX-XXX-X
01018525 (ASSY FLEXPAK GEN II HEADING KIT)

These products will be available for order until:
June 28, 2019 (or until inventory has been depleted)

Shipments may be scheduled for no later than:
October 30, 2019

NovAtel will continue to support and repair these products until:
March 31, 2022

For a complete list of affected part numbers and the associated replacement part numbers, please refer
to the table below:

Discontinued Part Number Replacement Part Number
FLEXG2-STAR-XXX Contact Lunitek
FLEXG2-STAR-XXX-X Contact Lunitek
FLEXG2-STAR-XXX-X-X Contact Lunitek
FLEXG2-STAR-XXX-XXX Contact Lunitek
FLEXG2-STAR-XXX-XXX-X Contact Lunitek
01018525 (ASSY FLEXPAK GEN II HEADING KIT) Contact Lunitek

Notes:
For a complete listing of NovAtel products at end of life, including the expiration of support and repair for
those products, please refer to the discontinued products list on the NovAtel website at
http://www.novatel.com/support/discontinued_products.htm

Per maggiori informazioni contattaci: https://www.lunitek.it/contatta-sensoristica-e-acquisizione-dati/

 

Aprile 12, 2019 / by / in
TEXENSE – 8xMPS Nuovo sensore di pressione Micro Aero

Mod. 8xMPS Nuovo sensore di pressione Micro Aero

Texense ha realizzato questo sensore construendolo su misura intorno ad un elemento piezoelettrico. Il mod. 8xMPS è un sensore differenziale e/o di pressione assoluta a 8 canali che offre un’elevata precisione in un contenitore molto compatto. Un’attenta progettazione ha permesso di ottenere livelli di rumore molto bassi e una compensazione della temperatura ottimale.

  • Misura differenziale e/o assoluta della pressione a 8 canali
  • Range differenziale da -400 a +400 mbar
  • Range assoluto da 600 a 1200 mbar
  • Precisione massima: <± 1mBar
  • Tempo di risposta ultraveloce di 200 Hz
  • Basso rumore
  • Filtri personalizzati su richiesta
  • Uscita CAN configurabile dall’utente
  • Involucro miniaturizzato, leggero e robusto applicazioni in ambienti difficili

 

Per maggiori informazioni contattaci: https://www.lunitek.it/contatta-sensoristica-e-acquisizione-dati/

 

Aprile 11, 2019 / by / in
TEXENSE – THA Nuovo Amplificatore Termocoppia ad alta frequenza di campionamento

Mod. THA – Nuovo Amplificatore Termocoppia ad alta frequenza di campionamento

Questa nuova versione aggiornata del nostro amplificatore termocoppia brevettato modello THA è ora in grado di campionare a 5 o 10 KHz. L’elettronica di amplificazione è incorporata nella parte posteriore del connettore della termocoppia, controllando la compensazione del giunto freddo e la linearizzazione.

  • Elevata frequenza di campionamento a 5 o 10 KHz
  • Compatibilità con termocoppie K, J, T e C
  • Dimensioni molto contenute che facilitano l’installazione e il cablaggio eliminando anche la necessità di un cavo di compensazione
  • Facile integrazione
  • Il condizionamento del segnale in prossimità al giunto freddo migliora la precisione

Per maggiori informazioni contattaci: https://www.lunitek.it/contatta-sensoristica-e-acquisizione-dati/

 

Aprile 11, 2019 / by / in
XSENS – GPS Week Rollover on 6 April 2019

Announcement: GPS Week Rollover on 6 April 2019

Just to inform you, there is an expected issue with the global GPS system<https://base.xsens.com/hc/en-us/articles/360019813434-Does-the-GPS-week-roll-over-April-6-2019-affect-Xsens-MTi-sensor-modules-with-GPS-> that will occur on April 6, 2019.

Basically, the system communicates time as the number of weeks since January 6, 1980. But it stores it in a number that can only go to 1023. So every 20 or so years the number reaches 1023 and must reset to zero. If a GPS receiver is not ready for this, it can get confused and the calculated time will be incorrect.

The good news is that the u-Blox GPS receivers that Xsens uses (G-710, MTi-7 support) will not be affected.

Per maggiori informazioni contattaci:

https://www.lunitek.it/contatta-sensoristica-e-acquisizione-dati/

Aprile 5, 2019 / by / in
OXTS – Multiple Sensor Points for ADAS Test & Validation

 

Cover all angles of sensor validation

A new software feature called Sensor Points looks set to revolutionise the way OxTS’ RT-Range S is used for ADAS development involving radar, ultrasonic and optical sensors. The updated firmware, which will be available from January 2019, allows engineers to define up to 12 sensor points on a test vehicle to represent the fields of vision of the sensors being evaluated.

Once configured to use Sensor Points, the RT-Range S calculates real-time measurements based on the presence of one or more targets in a sensor’s detection area. Measurements include range to target, target visibility percentage and the percentage of the sensor’s field of view that is occupied by each target.

In addition to the new Sensor Points feature, the RT-Range S can still calculate its real-time distance to lane and polygon to polygon measurements, making it one of the most capable and versatile ADAS test and validation systems on the market.

Per maggiori informazioni contattaci: https://www.lunitek.it/contatta-sensoristica-e-acquisizione-dati/

Gennaio 29, 2019 / by / in
XSENS – Annunciato il rilascio del nuovo MT Software Suite 2019

 

Pre-announcement: MT Software Suite 2019 is releasing soon

We will be releasing MT Software Suite 2019 soon. This software update will bring several new features.

  • Open source XDA (Xsens API), allowing users to modify, extend and compile XDA on nearly any platform
  • Extended MT SDK including new Python and ROS examples
  • Improved NMEA support for easy third party equipment integration
  • Upgraded MFM (Magnetic Field Mapper) showing live feedback
  • Updated visual interface of MT Manager software for improved usability

For more on MT Software Suite, please follow this link.

Per maggiori informazioni contattaci:

https://www.lunitek.it/contatta-sensoristica-e-acquisizione-dati/

Gennaio 24, 2019 / by / in
NOVATEL – Avviso di EOL per i sistemi GNSS/INS modello SPAN-CPT e SPAN-CPTNC NOVATEL

External Notice: NovAtel Announces End of Life for SPAN-CPT and SPAN-CPTNC

NovAtel Inc. is announcing the End of Life of the:
SPAN-CPT-XXX-XXX-XXX
SPAN-CPTNC-XXX-XXX-XXX

These products will be available for order until:
February 28, 2019 (or until inventory has been depleted)

Shipments may be scheduled for no later than:
May 31, 2019

NovAtel will continue to support and repair these products until:
May 31, 2022

For a complete list of affected part numbers and the associated replacement part numbers, please refer to the table below:

 

Discontinued Part Number Replacement Part Number
SPAN-CPT-XXX-XXX-XXX SPANCPT7-XXX-XXX-XXX
SPAN-CPTNC-XXX-XXX-XXX SPANCPT7NC-XXX-XXX-XXX

 

Notes:
For a complete listing of NovAtel products at end of life, including the expiration of support and repair for those products, please refer to the discontinued products list on the NovAtel website at: http://www.novatel.com/support/discontinued_products.htm

Per maggiori informazioni contattaci: https://www.lunitek.it/contatta-sensoristica-e-acquisizione-dati/

Dicembre 5, 2018 / by / in
OXTS – Indoor positioning with Locata case study: automated vehicle safety testing in indoor and GNSS-challenged environments

 

Indoor positioning with Locata case study: automated vehicle safety testing in indoor and GNSS-challenged environments

Introduction

Designing and executing the necessary tests to develop, evaluate and compare advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving functions is posing an ever-growing dilemma to the automotive industry. The test setup must be repeatable and as independent as possible of time of day, weather conditions and test driver behaviour.

One such organisation facing up to the challenge is the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), and independent American body conducts which tests to assess how ADAS technology can prevent or lessen the severity of crashes. Several years ago IIHS identified a growing need to expand its test facilities while meeting the requirements for future testing, including all-weather operation and test automation.

In 2015 IIHS completed a $30 million expansion of its Vehicle Research Center (VRC), the centrepiece of which was a five-acre covered track designed to allow testing to continue in all weathers. An existing outdoor track was also expanded, bringing the total area of test track to 15 acres. Given the need to simulate crashes safely, accurately and repeatably, IIHS had also researched robotic equipment to automate some of the driving tasks.

While the covered track offered much needed all-weather testing capability, it introduced a challenge for the high-accuracy GNSS-INS measuring equipment that IIHS uses for testing. IIHS operates a multi-frequency GNSS base station with real-time corrections to provide the position, velocity and time (PVT) parameters that are required for testing and essential for operating robotic test equipment. However, tests on the covered track showed the equipment was not delivering the accuracy and repeatability needed, and it was concluded that the steel trusses of the covered track’s fabric roof were obstructing the GNSS signals. Finding an alternative positioning technology that could deliver the required positioning performance on both the open and covered tracks triggered a global technology search.

Locata

In 1997 Australian company Locata began developing an alternative to GNSS/GPS in order to overcome the limitations of satellite signal-based navigation systems while delivering centimetre-level accuracy. Key to Locata’s system is a time-synchronization capability, called TimeLoc, that allows its ground-based signal transmitters, known as LocataLites (LLs), to synchronize with each other to picosecond precision.

Locata’s hardware uses a number of receivers (top right) and transmitters (bottom right) mounted on a network of ground-based masts (left)

A network of LLs forms a GPS-like constellation that allows signal-based positioning within a serviced area. These networks can cover deep canyons, indoor facilities and other challenging environments where GPS struggles to operate and deliver centimetre-level accuracy with high reliability and guaranteed high repeatability. Locata-based commercial networks can operate as an alternative or an augmentation to GPS.

A Locata network was deployed at IIHS in 2013, with 16 LLs covering both the open and covered test tracks. The network was designed to meet two key requirements: firstly, accuracy of 10 cm or better at 95% confidence, and secondly, a very high degree of repeatability with a service availability (meeting the above accuracy requirement) in excess of 95% of the time. All Locata receivers were expected to time-synchronize with GPS time and use the same coordinate systems as GPS, so any GPS equipment tested, such as built-in navigation systems, can be compared easily.

The IIHS network was designed using Locata tools that simulate network performance for various LL locations and allow the definition of visible/usable areas for each LL. As both IIHS tracks need to be time-synchronized and then to be synchronized with GPS, a single LL was designated as the master for the network. However, the two tracks are separated by a significant height difference, so a chain of LLs was used to bring the TimeLoc from the open track to the lower, covered track. The site topology did not allow good height distribution of LLs, so the optional digital terrain model feature was utilised. The network infrastructure was built and is maintained by IIHS with support from Locata.

The Locata network at IIHS’s Vehicle Research Centre uses 16 LocataLite transmitters. LL1 was designated as the master for the network. Shading denotes HDOP quality in the serviced area

AB Dynamics

AB Dynamics is the world’s leading supplier of the driving robots used in automotive testing. Driving robots precisely and accurately control vehicle control inputs with a level of repeatability that vastly exceeds that of human test drivers. Historically, driving robots have been used for vehicle dynamics, durability and even crash testing, but when coupled with an accurate position measurement sensor they can execute centimetre-accurate path-following tasks. When developing ADAS the ability to accurately and precisely control vehicle position is key to recreating real-life scenarios.

AB Dynamics’ path-following software is an established and proven technology. Motion data is collected from an inertial measurement unit (IMU) at 100 Hz and fed back to the robot’s path-following controller. This controller employs a speed-dependent look-ahead algorithm that not only maintains the vehicle heading but also allows centimetre accurate path control.

OxTS

OxTS specialises in the design and manufacture of GNSS-aided inertial navigation systems (GNSS/INS) for automotive testing. OxTS systems offer not only centimetre-level position accuracy but also movement data in all vehicle-axes at up to 250 Hz. OxTS’ RT-series of products are used by many of the world’s automotive manufacturers for everything from vehicle dynamics testing to multi-vehicle ADAS testing and validation.

Unlike standalone GNSS automotive systems, which are unable to output data during GNSS blackouts, or are affected by multipath errors, OxTS products are still able to compute position, orientation and velocity measurements because they are built around an inertial measurement unit (IMU) that does not rely on external signals.

However, systems that rely on inertial measurements only are also prone to accumulated position estimate errors, or drift, with time. In OxTS’ products these errors are mitigated by the GNSS input, and several other inputs can be used alongside the IMU platform to create a hybrid system where each technology addresses weaknesses in others. The end result is an accurate and reliable measurement system that works in challenging real-world conditions. This makes it particularly suitable for robotic applications where a sudden loss of position information, or sudden jumps in location or heading, can have serious implications.

When the OxTS system is configured to work with the Locata system, the built-in GNSS information is replaced by measurement input from the Locata receiver to produce accurate and reliable measurements while maintaining excellent position accuracy. Data is output via Ethernet and CAN to be used by other equipment, such as driving robots, or logged. Raw measurements are also logged internally to be downloaded for post-processing in order to test different scenarios or make other changes.

Automated platform demonstration

In October and November of 2017 IIHS, in partnership with Locata, OxTS and AB Dynamics, conducted a demonstration of its all-weather test facility. For this demonstration, an RT1003 GNSS-INS was used to receive PVT data from the LL receiver instead of the RT’s GNSS receiver. No specific configuration was needed to interface the RT with the Locata receiver and the setup could be run interchangeably with either a GNSS or a Locata receiver. Both the RT1003 and the Locata receiver were mounted on one of the vehicle’s rear seats.

Test vehicle’s manual controls remained accessible to the driver despite AB Dynamics’ driving robot. OxTS RT1003 GNSS-INS and Locata receiver were mounted on the rear seat (not shown)

AB Dynamics provided a flexible driving robot drop-in kit that was quickly installed without modifications to the vehicle. Even with the robot installed, the steering wheel, throttle and brakes remain accessible to the driver. At the heart of the driving robot is a dedicated real-time controller, which coordinates the steering and pedal robots and captures data at speeds of up to 1000 Hz.

The Locata antenna was fixed to a roof rack-mounted ground plane, approximately aligned with the centreline of the vehicle. A second Locata antenna was connected to a second Locata receiver to be used for post-processing accuracy analysis of the fixed baseline between the two antennas. This baseline was then used as the truth for Locata-only post-processing accuracy analysis.

Test Procedure

The test vehicle was driven in various driving patterns on both test tracks. Double lane changes (DLCs), conducted on both tracks, resemble the driving pattern needed for testing most collision-avoidance and lane-change features, while an S-curve driving pattern was used to simulate IIHS’s headlight evaluations.

Double lane changes, S-curves and laps were performed on IIHS’s open track. Double lane changes alone were carried out on the covered track

Analysis and results

Data analysis from two full days of testing focused on the accuracy and repeatability of the automated test setup as a complete system first and then Locata alone.

The foundation for a highly repeatable control system with positioning accuracy is a highly reliable Locata network that delivers repeatable DOPs and a number of ranging signals at any given track location. Repeatability of the numbers of LLs seen and the HDOPs were investigated for this purpose.

During the five repeats of the DLCs conducted at 45 km/h on the covered track the number of LLs seen remained constant at seven, as expected.

Double lane change data analysis showed that the number of visible LLs remained constant at seven (top). Bottom data trace shows HDOP count

 

For the 20 km/h lap scenario on the open track, the number of LLs varied between eight and nine, with the drop occurring at one end of the lap.

Variations in timings of the LL visibility drop on the open track were due to varying vehicle speed in turns; bottom data trace shows the HDOP count

 

Analysis of the 48 DLC repetitions from the covered track, carried out at a range of speeds from 10 to 45 km/h, revealed a high level of repeatability. In straight segments the control system was able to repeat all the runs with less than 4 cm of mean deviation. A mean deviation of 5 cm was seen in the turns due to the range of speeds and the increasing lateral acceleration at higher speeds. The standard deviation also followed the same pattern, remaining below 3 cm during the straight-line segments and increasing up to 5 cm during the turns. A standard deviation of less than 2.5 cm was seen throughout all parts of the scenario, demonstrating that the Locata/OxTS/AB Dynamics automated control system maintained a run-to-run mean deviation of 5 cm or better and a standard deviation of 2 cm during straight-line driving.

Top subplot shows best-fit path from data average of 48 DLC repetitions on the covered track; Middle subplot shows mean and standard deviation of cross-track error of all repetitions compared with best-fit path; bottom subplot shows mean and standard deviation of baseline error measured between the two Locarta antennas mounted on the vehicle

 

Locata baseline error from repetitions of all scenarios was then used to estimate a probability distribution function (PDF) to assess the Locata positioning system performance alone. This included close to 180,000 data points from around five hours of automated driving. This baseline error PDF gives a Locata positioning accuracy of 2.8 cm at 95% and 5.6 cm at 99.7%, which is far in excess of the IIHS requirement of 10 cm at 95%.

Probability distribution function of baseline error was far in excess of IIHS requirements

Conclusion

With the addition of a covered test track, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety needed an accurate and repeatable measurement system. Locata was able to install a local network of LocataLites to form a GPS-like constellation of transmitters to provide centimetre-level accuracy. With the positioning solution from Locata and an inertial measurement solution from OxTS, AB Dynamics was able to demonstrate accurate and repeatable testing with an automated driving robot.

 

Per maggiori informazioni contattaci: https://www.lunitek.it/contatta-sensoristica-e-acquisizione-dati/

Novembre 28, 2018 / by / in
PPM TEST – Airbus in Germania opta per il sistema a fibra ottica Sentinel 3 RF

Airbus in Germany chooses Sentinel 3 RF over fibre system

PPM are pleased to announce the that another European Airbus site has chosen Sentinel 3. Airbus Defence and Spaceheadquarters in Ottobrunn, near Munich. have chosen to integrate the Sentinel 3 RF over fibre system to their data acquisition platform.

About Airbus Munich

Airbus are a partner in the Eurofighter Typhoon consortium which also includes BAe Systems and Leonardo. Other activities at the site include development and manufacture of Arian 5 rocket engines and production of solar panels for satellites. NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope was built in the Ottobrunn site which also houses some of Airbus’ support functions such as Airbus cyber security, information management and finance.

Saving time and improving accuracy.

Sentinel 3 is the worlds most advanced RF over fibre system for EMC testing. The system was designed for rapid and flexible deployment, from remote transmitters through to the controller and receiver chassis. Upgrading to a Sentinel 3 system is anticipated to save a significant amount of setup time. Furthermore, features such as automatic thermal temperature compensation and 0.25dB accuracy specification are designed to improve measurement results.

PPM-supported Integration

The Sentinel 3 system has been very well received by companies involved in the Eurofighter programme,” says Dr Martin Ryan – managing director of PPM. “We are very pleased to be supporting with another Airbus site with Sentinel 3. As always, our software team are ready to help with integration of Sentinel 3 into an existing data acquisition platform which typically might include current probes, E-field probes and RF amplifiers.

About PPM Test

PPM Test is a division of pulse power and measurement Ltd. which has been manufacturing RF over fibre systems since 1995. PPM have supplied RF over fibre to some of the world’s largest manufacturers of aircraft, military and civilian vehicles. The company develops and manufactures in Swindon, UK.

 

Per maggiori informazioni contattaci: https://www.lunitek.it/contatta-sensoristica-e-acquisizione-dati/

Novembre 23, 2018 / by / in
PPM TEST – Aircraft EMC testing (part 2)

HIRF Test Methodology

The final stage of aircraft clearance may involve limited illumination of the aircraft with threat level RF fields, typically over the range 10 kHz – 18 GHz.  As an alternative approach, with lower facility costs than for testing the total aircraft with threat simulators, the following methodology is being increasingly used

Measure the coupling of EM energy (transfer function)

Measure the coupling of EM energy (transfer function) into the interior of the aircraft over the total frequency band of all the environments by illuminating the aircraft with low level swept continuous wave (CW) radiated fields. These measurements are normally made in “free field” conditions. Where the transfer function is in terms of the external field to the internally induced cable bundle currents it is known as the Low Level Swept Current (LLSC) test (Figure 1) and when it is in terms of the external field to the internally induced fields it is known as the Low Level Swept Field (LLSF) test (Figure 2).

FIG.1 – Test Arrangement for the LLSC Test (nose antenna omitted)

 

FIG.2 – Test arrangement for the LLSF test

STEP 1 – Compute currents or internal fields from coupling measurements

Use suitable signal processing algorithms and compute from the coupling measurements the currents (100 MHz) at the equipment’s location, that would be induced by the HIRF environments on the wiring systems.

STEP 2 – Directly inject predicted threat currents or irradiate the equipment and its wiring

Directly inject the predicted threat currents on the wiring systems, or at higher frequencies (>400MHz), irradiate the equipment and its wiring being assessed with predicted threat fields. Appropriate modulation is applied to simulate emitter parameters. This testing can be applied at system rig level (alternatively termed the systems integration facility), providing the rig is an accurate representation of the aircraft system.

STEP 3 – Use current probes and broadband antennas

Cable bundle currents can be measured using small ferrite current transformers or probes.  The internal fields can be measured using small broadband antennas, such as the “Top Hat” biconical 1- 18 GHz receive antenna shown in Figure 2. Signals from the current probes/antennas are coupled back to the remote instrumentation using analogue FOLs to as high a frequency as possible.  Multi-channel FOLs, such as the PPM Sentinel 3 cover frequencies up to 3GHz. Above this frequency, cables are used with great care to ensure they don’t compromise the integrity of the airframe shielding being assessed.

The future of HIRF testing with FOLs

Future fibre optic technology will likely permit reliable FOLs to be developed to cover the full low level swept coupling range of 10kHz to 18GHz. This would dramatically improve the measurement dynamic range as such high frequency FOLs would remove the cable losses which become large above 1GHz due to the cable lengths involved. As an example, even low-loss microwave signal cables have loss figures of typically 1 dB/metre at 18GHz.

 

Per maggiori informazioni contattaci: https://www.lunitek.it/contatta-sensoristica-e-acquisizione-dati/

Novembre 22, 2018 / by / in