Device helps autonomous vehicles avoid danger

Claimed to be a world first, the STARTLE system works by emulating a mammal’s conditioned fear-response mechanism to help autonomous vehicles avoid danger.

In the natural world, an animal will execute a primary task — such as foraging for food — while being attuned to what is going on around it, taking action if it senses an anomaly such as a predator.

In this way, the animal can make best use of its stored energy and energy it takes on board through feeding but can take evasive action if required.

Similarly, STARTLE, which has been tested in ground vehicle simulations, uses a combination of artificial neural network and diagnostic expert systems to continually monitor and assess potential threats.

‘What we’re emulating is the mechanism that allows mammals to have focus of attention, concentrating on what their primary task is,’ said Mike Hook, principal consultant at Roke.

Making use of existing hardware, STARTLE processes information from multiple on-board sensors, cueing systems to assess and confirm potential threats.