Pathway measurement devices, systems and methods
A pathway measurement system hereof includes a rigid frame and a mobility system attached to the frame. The mobility system includes at least one movable element which is adapted to contact a surface of a pathway via which the frame may be moved relative to the pathway. The pathway measurement system further includes at least one sensor adapted to measure at least one characteristic of a pathway. The pathway measurement system has a first mode of operation in which the mobility system moves the frame along the pathway to move the at least one sensor relative to the pathway. The at least one sensor is connected to the pathway system such that a distance between the at least one sensor and an axis of rotation of one of the moveable elements remains constant in the first mode of operation. In general, the at least one sensor is isolated from any compliance or suspension system.
1. A pathway measurement system, comprising:
a rigid frame,
a processor system,
a mobility system attached to the frame, the mobility system comprising at least one movable element which is adapted to contact a surface of a pathway via which the frame may be moved relative to the pathway,
and at least one sensor adapted to measure at least one characteristic of a pathway,
the pathway measurement system having a first mode of operation in which the mobility system moves the frame along the pathway to move the at least one sensor relative to the pathway, the at least one sensor being connected to the pathway measurement system such that a distance between the at least one sensor and an axis of rotation of one of the moveable elements remains constant in the first mode of operation, the processor system being configured to determine a roughness index or a surface characterization associated with a particular type of vehicle from data measured by the at least one sensor, the roughness index or surface characterization is determined based upon a wheel diameter or other physical parameters of the particular type of vehicle.
2. The pathway measurement system of claim 1 wherein the at least one sensor measures a variable related to surface roughness of the pathway.
3. The pathway measurement system of claim 1 wherein the at least one sensor measures a distance from the sensor to a surface of the pathway without contacting the pathway.
4. The pathway measurement system of claim 1 wherein the at least one sensor measures a distance from the sensor to a surface of the pathway on the basis of light energy reflected from the surface of the pathway to the sensor.
5. The pathway measurement system of claim 4 wherein the at least one sensor projects light which is in line with the direction of travel of the pathway measurement system, orthogonal to the direction of travel of the pathway measurement system or at any angle within the plane of travel of the pathway measurement system.
6. The pathway measurement system of claim 1 further comprising at least one of a sensor system to measure a distance the pathway measurement system travels along the pathway via the mobility system, a sensor system to measure running slope or a sensor system to measure cross slope.
7. The pathway measurement system of claim 1 wherein a profile of the surface is determined and a path of a wheel having the wheel diameter over the profile is determined.
8. The pathway measurement system of claim 7 wherein the roughness index is calculated as the sum of the vertical deviations of the wheel having the wheel diameter normalized by the distance traveled.
9. The pathway measurement system of claim 1 further comprising a location system to determine the position of the pathway measurement system and associate that position with the at least one characteristic of the pathway.
10. The pathway measurement system of claim 1 wherein the at least one sensor comprises an accelerometer, a gyroscope or an inertial measurement unit.
11. A pathway measurement system, comprising:
a rigid frame,
a mobility system attached to the frame, the mobility system comprising at least one movable element which is adapted to contact a surface of a pathway via which the frame may be moved relative to the pathway,
at least a first sensor adapted to measure at least one characteristic of a pathway, the pathway measurement system having a first mode of operation in which the mobility system moves the frame along the pathway to move the at least a first sensor relative to the pathway, the at least a first sensor being connected to the pathway measurement system such that a distance between the at least a first sensor and an axis of rotation of one of the moveable elements remains constant in the first mode of operation, and
at least a second sensor, wherein data from the at least a second sensor is used to filter or correct data from the at least a first sensor.
12. A pathway measurement system, comprising:
a rigid frame,
a mobility system attached to the frame, the mobility system comprising at least one movable element which is adapted to contact a surface of a pathway via which the frame may be moved relative to the pathway, and
a personal communication device comprising at least one sensor adapted to measure at least one characteristic of a pathway,
the pathway measurement system having a first mode of operation in which the mobility system moves the frame along the pathway to move the at least one sensor relative to the pathway, the at least one sensor being connected to the pathway measurement system such that a distance between the at least one sensor and an axis of rotation of one of the moveable elements remains constant in the first mode of operation.
13. A method of characterizing a pathway, comprising:
providing a pathway measurement system, comprising a frame, a mobility system attached to the frame and comprising at least one moveable element which is adapted to contact a surface of the pathway, via which the frame is moveable relative to a pathway, and at least one sensor adapted to measure at least one characteristic of a pathway, the at least one sensor being connected to the pathway measurement system such that a distance between the at least one sensor and an axis of rotation of the at least one moveable element remains constant, and
operating the pathway measurement system in a first mode of operation in which the mobility system moves the frame along the pathway to move the at least one sensor relative to the pathway, and analyzing data from the pathway measurement system to characterize the pathway, wherein the measurement system further comprises a personal communication device comprising the at least one sensor.
14. A method of characterizing a pathway, comprising:
providing a plurality of pathway measurement systems, each of the pathway measurement systems comprising a frame, a mobility system attached to the frame and comprising at least one moveable element which is adapted to contact a surface of the pathway, via which the frame is moveable relative to a pathway, and at least one sensor adapted to measure at least one characteristic of a pathway, the at least one sensor being connected to the pathway measurement system such that a distance between the at least one sensor and an axis of rotation of the at least one moveable element remains constant in a first mode of operation, and
operating each of the plurality of pathway measurement systems in the first mode of operation in which the mobility system moves the frame along the pathway to move the at least one sensor relative to the pathway analyzing data from each of the plurality of pathway measurement systems to characterize the pathway, wherein each of the plurality of pathway measurement systems further comprises a personal communication device comprising the at least one sensor.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein at least one of the plurality of pathway measurement systems is a personal mobility device, a stroller a cart, or another robotically propelled device.
16. The method of claim 14 wherein the personal communication device comprises a smartphone.