I-Corps: Icing Detection System

积冰在全球范围内造成交通事故和交通中断。道路结冰的方式往往是司机难以察觉的。同样，空中结冰情况也很危险，而且发生的方式对飞行员来说很难察觉。目前的机动车辆和通用航空的结冰探测系统只是简单地通知空气温度接近或低于水的冰点温度。不幸的是，仅仅测量温度并不能探测到危险结冰情况的存在。商用飞机有更复杂的结冰检测系统，但不幸的是，它们在远离结冰可能造成危险飞行条件的区域的探测器上测量结冰。这个I-Corps团队开发了一种简单的光学系统，能够探测道路上的危险结冰，并能够探测飞机前方的危险结冰。该项目的一个主要目标是将密歇根大学开发的结冰检测技术应用到现有的摄像头中，并研究采用该技术的最佳途径。一个简单系统的概念验证原型将被开发出来，该系统能够探测道路、桥梁和离家出走的人身上光滑的黑冰。利用现有的摄像头和光学探测器，可以制造出一种能够警告司机道路上有滑黑冰的系统。在夜间，覆盖感兴趣的光谱范围的光源可以用来照亮桥梁、道路和跑道。一旦检测到结冰，警报可以显示在监视器上或通过警示灯。作为该项目的一部分，将向潜在客户展示概念验证原型。所提出的技术已经在实验室和户外进行了成功的测试。它可以在现有的机动车辆摄像头、目前用于监控道路的网络摄像头和现有飞机的摄像头系统中实现。

Ice accumulation causes accidents and disruptions in transportation activities around the globe. Roadway ice often occurs in ways that are difficult for drivers to detect. Similarly, airborne icing conditions are hazardous and occur in ways that are difficult for pilots to detect. Current motor vehicles and general aviation ice detection systems are merely simple notifications that the air temperature is near or below the freezing temperature of water. Unfortunately, measurements of temperature alone are not capable of detecting the presence of hazardous icing conditions. Commercial airplanes have more complex icing detection systems, but unfortunately they measure ice accumulation on probes away from the areas in which ice accumulation can create hazardous flight conditions. This I-Corps team has developed a simple optical system capable of detecting hazardous icing on roads, and capable of detecting icing hazardous ahead of aircrafts.A major goal of this project is to implement the icing detection technology developed at the University of Michigan into existing cameras and investigate what the best adoption pathway for it is. A proof-of-concept prototype of a simple system capable of detecting slippery black ice on roads, bridges, and runaways will be developed. A system capable of warning drivers about the presence ofslippery black ice on roads can be fabricated using existing cameras and optical detectors. At night, light sources covering the spectral range of interest can be used to illuminate bridges, roads and runways. Once icing is detected, alerts can be displayed on monitors or via warning lights. As part of this project, a proof-of-concept prototype will be demonstrated to potential customers.The proposed technology has been tested successfully in the laboratory and outdoors. It can be implemented in existing motor vehicle cameras, web cameras currently used to monitor roads, and in existing aircrafts' camera systems.