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The interface between human body and automotive seat contours is seat upholstery. Seating comfort has a functional correlation to the upholstery. Two seats having different upholstery will give different comfort perception. Even an ergonomically designed seat if fitted with poor quality fabric will subdue the seat comfort drastically. The effect of fabric comfort ranges from initial short term to long term comfort, driven by properties like wick-ability and factors like thermal stress. Beyond material characteristics, fabric fit also plays an important role. This paper analyses the effect of fabric parameters and construction on automotive seat comfort. A comprehensive comparative study is followed by systematic analysis and comfort improvement scope through upholstery. The research is to conclude potential of the seat fabric in enhancing the automotive seating comfort within stipulated constraints of fabric properties and cost.

Automotive start, light, ignition (SLI) lead acid batteries used in tanks are prone to capacity loss due to low temperatures, self-discharge, sulfation and shorting of plates. Monitoring and charge control of these batteries can be improved by using the concept of a smart battery system (SBS). In a SBS, battery data from sensors embedded in the battery package are acquired by a smart battery controller which processes this data, and transmits charge control information, to a central processor for effecting control actions over a controller area network (CAN) bus. Smart battery circuitry has been designed, developed and implemented to monitor the SOC of a 12V automotive lead acid battery used in tanks. The hardware comprises ac impedance measuring hardware interfaced to a Motorola 68HC12 microcontroller with a built-in CAN controller interface. The SOC estimation algorithms are based on a fuzzy logic model that is directly implemented into the Motorola 68HC12 microcontroller.

This paper presents a systematic approach to convert a gasoline engine driven stock car (MINI Cup race car) to an electric stock car. The outer shape of the body remains the same after conversion. Hence care was taken to select an optimal combination of the motor and the battery pack and accommodate them in the chassis. The chassis has been modified to withstand the additional weight resulting from the conversion. The simulation results of the motor and the battery show that sufficient torque can be generated to achieve the required high speed.

MEMS (Microelectromechanical Systems), as a technology, represents a new paradigm for integration of computational functions with elements that interact with the physical world. By combining mechanical moving parts with more traditional integrated circuits, new capabilities exist for sensing/actuating systems not previously possible. In developing MEMS, fundamental issues of packaging and fabrication have required considerable attention. An analogous group of technologies are emerging which combine chemically reacting elements with computational functions. These might be referred to as Microelectrochemical Systems. Examples include chemical sensors and actuators, as well as on-board chemical sources of energy, such as microscopic batteries, fuel cells, energy harvesters. The merger of chemical systems and computational capabilities requires us to address a host of issues such as packaging and fabrication, as was (and is) needed with MEMS.

Battery state of charge meters based on combining fuzzy logic analysis and either Coulomb counting or battery impedance measurements have been designed, fabricated and tested. The Coulomb counting meters have been implemented in digital hardware using Motorola 68HC11 and 68HC12 microcontrollers and in field programmable gate arrays. The impedance meter has been prototyped in analog hardware using discrete components. In this paper, we present the hardware/software designs for these meters and some test results on primary Li/SO2 cells.

As participants in GM Sunrayce 1990, students in Villanova University's College of Engineering were required to design, build, and race a solar powered electric vehicle. Since the car was required to race over an 1800 mile distance, reliability was an important design issue. Other design features of equal importance were driver safety and vehicle stability. GM also imposed additional design constraints such as minimum braking distance and maximum dimensions on solar panel and vehicle size. In this paper we will describe the tradeoffs made in designing our solar electric vehicle. This will include design considerations regarding both the mechanical and electrical subsystems separately as well as overall system integration. Our final design comprised a modified airfoil body made of a lightweight kevlar and nomex honeycomb sandwich supported on an aluminum tube space frame.