For several years, the headlights technology doesn't develop
as fast as other components in the car. The most notable may be only the bulb
material used, where now the LED has been very common found in headlights.
Nevertheless, there are a number of manufacturers that are
still prioritizing the development of headlights technology. A number of
high-priced cars have been equipped with adaptive headlights, where the
headlights can bend the lights following the road twists or prevent the car's
driver from the opposite direction gets blinded by the lights.
At the same time, a team of researchers from Illumination
and Imaging Laboratory at Carnegie Mellon University Robotics Institute wants
to bring the same technology to a higher level. They assume that the existing
technology on the market today is less flexible - only brings one unique
function.
They offer a car headlights system that can be programmed
for specific needs, adapt to the conditions around the car. Interestingly, all
of them are done only with one hardware configuration.
The system they developed involves three essential
components: a camera, a processor and a spatial light modulator (SLM) that's
modified from a DLP projector. All three work simultaneously, each performing
their duties in a sophisticated car headlights system.
This system will continue to monitor and react to what's
happening around it. The camera will capture whatever exists in front of the
car, which is then analyzed by the processor. The processed information is then
forwarded to the SLM component to break a large beam of light into a million of
tiny spotlights that can be programmed one by one.
Indeed the prototype looks so big, but the developer team is
quite confident to put all the components into a 'room' of the standard car
headlights. The responsitivity can reach up to 1.5 milliseconds; it's enough to
be the 'eye' for a fast-moving car on the highway.
Then what's meant by flexibility in one hardware
configuration?
First, because each small spotlight can be programmed, then
a beam of light that leads into the driver's eyes of the opposite car can be
turned off so as not to dazzle. Its responsivity is believed to be faster and
more precise than ordinary LED lamp system that's equipped with similar
technology. At the same time, there is no difference in the brightness of the
highlighted area.
Secondly, applying this method, which is programming each
small beam of light, can help the driver to see better when it snows or rain
falls. The light will be shone in between the snow particles so that no light
that's reflected back toward the driver's eyes.
Third, the system is also useful when the car passes through
the streets which don't have markings. The beam of light can be programmed to
form a single lane of road, and dimmed in the opposite lane - indirectly
replace the road markings.
Last but not least, the system is able to highlight a number
of objects such as cyclists who are cycling in front of the car. This function
is also useful when there are cyclists or animals that cross the road at a
distance of 5 meters in front, so that the driver can avoid an accident.
Although it's still a prototype, this system will continue
to be developed and tested in order to enhance each part. There is a big
possibility that automotive manufacturers are monitoring this headlights technology developments, and then keen to implement it on their production cars
in the future.