A snow blower that provides operational guidance
Guidance allows a beginner to operate the snow blower as skillfully as an experienced operator can. The voice guidance and monitor display let operators know the location of the road shoulder, the locations of obstacles, and places where snow-shooting is prohibited. The guidance monitor shows the distance from the snow blower to the shoulder at the top right of the display. Flashing arrows alert the operator when the distance is less than 10 cm. Voice alerts are also given. So, the operator can drive the snow blower very close to the roadside.
The monitor shows a plan that displays sections where snow-shooting is prohibited. Such sections are shown in red. When the snow blower approaches such a section, the distance from the snow blower to the section is indicated on the monitor, and when the snow blower has reached such a section, the distance from the snow blower to the end of the section is indicted.
A salt spreader that provides operational guidance
Verbal guidance and the monitor display indicate the start and end of each section where salting is planned, such as intersections and bridges, as well as indicating the salting rate and salting width. The system allows salting to be done at the necessary sections and at the necessary rate.
A snow blower with operation guidance
A system provides guidance to a small snow remover on sidewalk locations that require special care.The sounds and the monitor display give cautions on obstacles and on sections where snow-shooting is prohibited.
The safety of one-person operation is improved by vehicle detection sensors.
Snow graders that were introduced before 2015 have a cabin for two personnel: an operator, and an assistant operator. But snow graders that were introduced since 2015 accommodate only one operator.
We’ve developed a system that plays the role of the assistant operation in terms of confirming safety. It checks for vehicles around the grader. It recognizes the traffic situation. And it reports these to the operator.
There were two development objectives for the system; 1) To be inexpensive, for easy introduction. 2) To be an all in one device from measuring data to providing guidance. Microwave radar sensors detect vehicles that are approaching the snow remover from behind and warn the operator with sounds and flashing lights.
Tests proved that the system can detect 92% of approaching vehicles, thus ensuring safety without the need for the assistant operator.