Dreese Data Systems was tasked by Smart City Columbus to design improvements and prototypes for a project that involves a monorail AEV car that is powered by propellers and is as energy efficient as possible while remaining under budget. Group Q from Dreese designed a car that was lighter and more precise than the competition.
Design Highlights
-Precise: The AEV uses light sensors and reflective tape to identify the total distance traveled and is used in this design to precisely coast to a stop when needed.
-Lightweight: The designed AEV uses fewer parts and is therefore more energy efficient than the standard prototype provided at the beginning of the project.
-Consistent: When the AEV ran the final performance benchmark course, it scored no lower than a 46/50 on three attempts with an average score of 48.
-Complete Autonomy: Throughout the final testing phase, many groups’ AEV required human assistance to achieve the end goal. The design innovated by group Q never needed human assistance at any point during the final testing.