A1258690553xisPp

1
Highway Deer Identification System
May07-11
Abstract
Proposed Approach
Collisions between deer and motor vehicles cause
millions of dollars in damage and hundreds of
injuries every year. The problem is especially
prevalent on rural highways where deer are common
and can appear on the roadway with little or no
warning. Signs warning of deer crossings are very
common, but are largely ineffective at preventing
collisions. A system that detects deer on or near
the roadway and warns approaching motorists may
be more effective especially if it warns
motorists of imminent danger rather than the
possibility of deer in the next several miles.
The approach will be to use buried geophones to
detect deer and warn motorists when they are
present. The expected result is a design for a
system capable of alerting motorists in remote,
rural areas to the presence of deer, which should
reduce the number of collisions, injuries, and
fatalities.

• Geophones detect ground vibrations caused by
  deer movement
• Signal conditioning to amplify and filter noise
• Comparator circuitry to decide whether deer is
  present
• High-intensity LEDs warn motorists
• Photovoltaic power supply

Problem Statement

• General Problem Statement
• Present strategies for reducing deer-vehicle
  collisions
• Can be too expensive for large scale deployment
• Are static motorists become accustomed to them
• Dont work because deer are everywhere
• General Solution Approach
• The proposed solution
• Detects deer by sensing ground vibrations
• Warns motorists only when deer are present

Block Diagram of Proposed Approach
Concept for Proposed Solution
Operating Environment
Intended Users and Uses
Personnel Efforts
Temperature -10º to 100ºF Humidity 0 to
100 Precipitation Rain, snow,
sleet Hazards Snowplows, mowing, utility and
road work

• Intended Users
• Motorists
• Installation/maintenance personnel
• Intended Use
• Warn motorists of deer on/near road

Assumptions and Limitations

• Assumptions
• Should be less expensive and at least as
  effective as best current strategy
• Should function year-round in remote locations
  with minimum maintenance
• System actuation by people, wildlife, or
  road/shoulder/right-of-work is acceptable
• Limitations
• Must function independent of electric grid
• Must detect deer within 25 feet of roadway
• Should not be susceptible to excessive nuisance
  alarms

Financial Resources
Other Resources
Item Item Cost
Labor Labor  7,927.50
  Matthew Bonneau 1,942.50
  Tony DeLouis 1,785.00
  Nathan Schoening 2,205.00
  Steve Schreiber 1,995.00
Other Resources Other Resources   49.10
Total Total 7,976.60
Item Cost
Circuit Board 3.29
MOSFET 3.98
Output OPAMP 1.49
Input OPAMP 7.82
LED's 8.36
Terminal Block 4.16
Poster 20.00
Total 49.10
End Product and Deliverables

• Detailed Design for Highway Deer Identification
  System
• Component specifications
• Wiring diagrams and installation guidelines
• Prototype of detection/warning systems

Design Objectives

• Low Maintenance
• Rugged
• Differentiates between animals and vehicles

Functional Requirements

• Detects deer on and within 25 feet of road
• Functions without a utility power connection
• Must monitor 1 mile of road
• Ignore crossroads and driveways

Design Constraints

• Competitive with respect to cost and
  effectiveness
• Ruggedly build and low maintenance
• Actuation by people and non-deer wildlife is
  acceptable
• Actuation by vehicles is unacceptable
• Compliant with applicable codes

Deer-vehicle collisions cause millions of dollars
of damage every year. Clearly, the current
strategies for managing such accidents are not
adequate. The proposed approach should address
the major shortcomings of present practices
namely the costs associated with installing
fencing and desensitization of motorists to
normal passive warning signs. The end product
should significantly reduce the number of
deer-vehicle collisions, and therefore also the
costs associated with them. More importantly, it
should also reduce the number of resulting
injuries and fatalities.
Measurable Milestones

• Technology selection
• System design
• Prototyping
• Operational testing

Faculty Advisor
Team Members
Client Information
Matthew Bonneau EE Tony DeLouis EE mbonneau_at_i
astate.edu valkure_at_iastate.edu Nathan
Schoening EE Steve Schreiber EE nschoeni_at_iasta
te.edu steve83_at_iastate.edu
Dr. Degang Chen djchen_at_iastate.edu
ECpE Senior Design Dr. John W. Lamont Prof.
Ralph E. Patterson III jwlamont_at_iastate.edu repiii
_at_iastate.edu
Project Website
http//seniord.ece.iastate.edu/may0711/