Electrophoretic Displays for Urban Traffic Information and Control

用于城市交通信息和控制的电泳显示器

• 批准号: 0626183
• 负责人: David Lovell
• 金额: $ 21.28万
• 依托单位: University of Maryland, College Park
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2006
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2006-09-01 至 2010-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0626183&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Electrophoretic; Displays; Urban; Traffic; Information

The project "Electrophoretic Displays for Urban Traffic Information and Control" is concerned with the development of new display media exploiting the technologies of electrophoresis and dynamic retroreflectivity. The investigators seek to develop bi-stable display technology that uses electrophoresis (the movement of particles under influence of an electric field) that is suitable for large-scale outdoor applications, and that is switchably retroreflective. This will result in displays that act like static traffic signs when that is desirable, but which are seemingly invisible otherwise. The project requires the development of colored retroreflective particles that can be embedded in a transparent colloidal medium, and then made to react to the presence of an electric field with both translational and rotational movements. This will enable both color changes and the activiation/de-activation of retroreflectivity. The particles must be partially silvered, and then "blackened" via various deposition processes. The protective container must consist on one side of a transparent electrode, allowing for both the generation of an electric field but also the visibility of the particles. Some samples have been constructed with indium tin oxide, and more research along these lines will be conducted as part of the current project. The initial planned application is a set of pavement markers that alternate with the setting of the traffic signal controller, and which appear to be bright and reflective to that movement with the green light, but dark and nearly invisible to any other vehicles. This will greatly improve guidance while reducing visible clutter and confusion at complicated intersections, particularly at night.The project "Electrophoretic Displays for Urban Traffic Information and Control" is a very nice blend of information technology and civil infrastructure development. By exploiting physical phenomena that allow tiny particles to move and rotate under the influence of electric fields, signs and other forms of displays can be constructed that are dynamic, use very little power, require no form of direct illumination, and can be used in harsh environments such as embedded in pavement, yet they are visible at night and look much more "natural" than traditional garish highway signs. They do not require external illumination because they use a technology called switchable retroreflectivity to reflect light from vehicle headlamps back to drivers when it is desired to do so. As a result, they do not add to visual clutter, confusion, and the poor aesthetics typical of most highway-related nighttime illuminated signs. The basic electrophoretic technology is derived from methods used currently to produce small-scale electronic displays, wrist watches, and various forms of "electronic paper." Initially, investigators are focusing on highway-related applications such as dynamic pavement markers at complicated intersections, variable message signs, and variable pavement markings. In the future, other applications such as airfield and taxiway signage, curb paint that can change color, and messages on tunnel walls can be considered.

“用于城市交通信息和控制的电泳显示器”项目涉及利用电泳和动态逆反射技术开发新的显示媒体。 研究人员试图开发双稳态显示技术，该技术使用电泳（电场影响下的粒子运动），适用于大规模的户外应用，并且是可切换的逆反射。 这将导致显示器在需要时表现得像静态交通标志，但在其他情况下似乎看不见。 该项目需要开发可以嵌入透明胶体介质中的彩色逆向反射颗粒，然后使其对电场的存在做出平移和旋转运动的反应。 这将实现颜色变化和回射性的激活/去激活。 颗粒必须部分镀银，然后通过各种沉积工艺“变黑”。 保护性容器必须位于透明电极的一侧，既能产生电场，又能看到颗粒。 一些样品已经用氧化铟锡制成，沿着这些路线将进行更多的研究，作为当前项目的一部分。 最初计划的应用是一组路面标记，其与交通信号控制器的设置交替，并且其看起来是明亮的并且反射具有绿色光的运动，但是黑暗并且几乎不可见任何其他车辆。 这将极大地改善在复杂十字路口的引导，同时减少可见的混乱和混乱，特别是在夜间。“用于城市交通信息和控制的电泳显示器”项目是信息技术和民用基础设施发展的一个很好的结合。 通过利用允许微小颗粒在电场的影响下移动和旋转的物理现象，可以构造动态的、使用很少功率的、不需要任何形式的直接照明的标志和其他形式的显示器，并且可以在诸如嵌入路面的恶劣环境中使用，然而它们在夜间可见，并且看起来比传统的花哨的高速公路标志更“自然”。 它们不需要外部照明，因为它们使用一种称为可切换回射性的技术，在需要时将车辆前照灯的光线反射回驾驶员。 因此，它们不会增加视觉混乱、混乱和大多数与高速公路相关的夜间照明标志典型的不良美学效果。 基本的电泳技术是从目前用于生产小规模电子显示器、手表和各种形式的“电子纸”的方法中衍生出来的。“最初，调查人员专注于与公路相关的应用，如复杂交叉口的动态路面标记，可变信息标志和可变路面标记。 未来，可以考虑其他应用，如机场和滑行道标志，可以改变颜色的路缘漆，以及隧道墙壁上的信息。