Abstract: Systems, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to monitoring a vehicle user's reaction to an advertisement. In one embodiment, a method includes, responsive to determining commencement of an advertisement, request a user place a user's hand on an electrodermal activity (EDA) sensor. The EDA sensor is fixed to a dual-sided transparent display. The method includes acquiring EDA data relating to the user via the EDA sensor, determining a reaction of the user to the advertisement based on the EDA data, and transmitting the reaction of the user and at least one characteristic of the advertisement to a third party.

Abstract: An example operation includes one or more of exchanging data collected from sensors on a vehicle with data collected from sensors on another vehicle based on a severity of an event between the vehicles, sending the vehicle data to an entity associated with the other vehicle and sending the other vehicle data to an entity associated with the vehicle, and sending by the entities an action to take by each of the vehicles based on the sent vehicle data and the other vehicle data.

Abstract: Methods, systems, devices and apparatuses for a sound enhancement system. The sound enhancement system includes a trailer brake control unit placed on the vehicle and an electronic control unit coupled to the trailer brake control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to determine the vehicle is operating in a tow mode based on the trailer brake status, determine a magnitude of an audio signal that mimics or enhances engine sound based on the tow mode, and generate the audio signal. The sound enhancement system further includes an audio device configured to output the audio signal based at the determined magnitude.

Abstract: A multilayer thin film that reflects an omnidirectional structural color having a reflective core layer; an amorphous-phase TiO2 dielectric layer extending across the reflective core layer; a metallic absorbing layer extending across the dielectric layer; and a dielectric outer layer extending across the metallic absorbing layer. The multilayer thin film reflects a single narrow band of visible light when exposed to broadband electromagnetic radiation, and a color shift of the single narrow band of visible light is less than 30° measured in Lab color space when the multilayer thin film is exposed to broadband electromagnetic radiation and viewed from angles between 0° and 45° relative to a direction normal to an outer surface of the multilayer thin film.

Abstract: A truck includes a passenger cabin and a truck bed located rearward of the passenger cabin in a vehicle longitudinal direction. The truck bed includes a deck floor. The deck floor includes ridges that extend outward on an underside of the deck floor and extend lengthwise in a vehicle longitudinal direction. The deck floor further includes reinforcing ribs that extend outward from the ridges and along lengths of the ridges at the underside of the deck floor.

Abstract: A sound absorbing device includes an acoustic resonator with an opening and at least one fabric layer extending across the opening. The at least one fabric layer includes reversible actuatable liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) fibers such that an average pore size of the at least one fabric layer increases with decreasing temperature and decreases with increasing temperature. The sound absorbing device also includes at least one of a heater configured to heat the at least one fabric layer such that the average pore size of the at least one fabric decreases and a cooler configured to cool the at least one fabric layer such that the average pore size of the at least one fabric increases. And in some variations a controller configured to command the heater to heat to the at least one fabric layer and command the cooler to cool the at least one fabric layer is included.

Abstract: A method is provided including receiving a planned route of a vehicle and a request to download content from a cloud server, the planned route traveling through an area covered by a plurality of edge servers, determining a state comprising possible connections between the vehicle and each of the plurality of edge servers at a plurality of time steps during the planned route, inputting the state to a trained model, the model being trained to output an action comprising a partition of the content across the plurality of edge servers that minimizes latency of transmission of the content from the cloud server to the vehicle via the plurality of edge servers, based on the state, and partitioning the content across the plurality of edge servers based on the action out by the trained mode.

Abstract: Systems and methods for improving the brightness of a transparent display are disclosed herein. One embodiment collects ambient light using an array of Fresnel lenses disposed on an external surface of a vehicle; collects internal light from the vehicle's headlights; filters the ambient light and the internal light to produce filtered ambient light and filtered internal light; generates primary-source light using a light-emitting-diode (LED) light source; and injects, into a transparent edge-lit liquid crystal waveguide display deployed in at least a portion of a window of the vehicle, the primary-source light, the filtered ambient light, and the filtered internal light in a color-synchronized manner. The filtered ambient light and the filtered internal light improve the brightness of the transparent edge-lit liquid crystal waveguide display.

Abstract: A navigation system for generating turn segments includes a processor, a memory module communicatively coupled to the processor, a segment list stored in the memory module that includes a plurality of known segments, and machine readable instructions stored in the memory module. The machine readable instructions cause the navigation system to identify a current location of the navigation system, search the segment list for at least one known segment candidate that is within a threshold distance of the current location, determine whether at least one known segment candidate from the segment list includes the current location, track turn movements of the navigation system to form an unknown segment in response to determining at least one known segment candidate does not include the current location, and to link the unknown segment to the plurality of known segments from the segment list.

Abstract: A kinetic seat cushion assembly that rotates based on a force applied on an occupant seated therein is provided. The kinetic seat cushion assembly includes a primary seat cushion frame, a secondary seat cushion frame, a seat cushion tilt mechanism coupling the secondary seat cushion frame to the primary seat cushion frame such that the secondary seat cushion frame is movable with respect to the primary seat cushion frame, and a front pivot mechanism that pivotally couples a front portion of the primary seat cushion frame to a front portion of the secondary seat cushion frame.

Abstract: A vehicle seat can be configured to provide support to a vehicle occupant in conditions when lateral acceleration is experienced. Shape memory material members can be operatively positioned with respect to a seat portion of the vehicle seat. The shape memory material members can be selectively activated by an activation input. When activated, the shape memory material members can engage a seat pan so as to cause the seat pan to tilt in a respective lateral direction. As a result, a seat cushion supported by the seat pan can also tilt in the respective lateral direction. The seat cushion can be tilted in a lateral direction that is opposite to the direction of the lateral acceleration. Thus, the effects of lateral acceleration felt by a seat occupant can be reduced. The shape memory material members can be selectively activated based on vehicle speed, steering angle, and/or lateral acceleration.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for cooling an electric aircraft. The system comprises an electronic device, a casing, at least one fin, and at least one PHP. The electronic device can generate heat. The electronic device can be housed within the casing. The fin can be attached to the outer wall of the casing. The PHP can be embedded within the fin, such that an evaporator section of the PHP is closest to the heat source and the condenser section of the PHP is furthest from the heat source. The PHP can also be placed within the casing. In some embodiments, the casing can have a plurality of slots. The fin can be shaped such that a single fin may slide into a pair of slots and come to rest adjacent to the casing, wherein a PHP can be embedded within the fin.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a seat assembly includes a seat portion and a back portion connected to the seat portion. The back portion has an opening sized to receive a backpack that extends through both a front-facing surface and a rear-facing surface. A backpack is located in the opening in a stowed configuration. The backpack is accessible at the front-facing surface and the rear-facing surface and is removable from the opening.

Abstract: A back door assembly includes a door; a pair of hinges that rotatably couple the door to a frame of the vehicle, the pair of hinges define an axis of rotation about which the door is rotatable; and a pair of latching mechanisms configured to secure the door to the frame, the pair of latching mechanisms are spaced apart from the pair of hinges in a vehicle vertical direction when the door is in a closed position, the pair of latching mechanisms are aligned with the pair of hinges in the vehicle vertical direction when the door is in the closed position such that an axis extending through the pair of latching mechanisms is substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the pair of hinges.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing panel assemblies is provided. The method includes, placing an outer surface of a panel on a mold. The panel includes a carbon fiber. The method further includes placing a channel on an inner surface of the panel. The channel includes a resin. The inner surface opposes the outer surface. The method further includes welding the channel onto the panel by heating the carbon fiber of the panel and placing a rib in the channel. The rib includes a carbon fiber. The method further include welding the rib onto the channel by heating the carbon fiber of the rib.

Abstract: A vehicle tailgate assembly includes a tailgate and a switch assembly operably connected to the tailgate. The switch assembly includes a switch structured to be actuatable by application of a load exceeding a predetermined threshold to the tailgate. The switch assembly is operably connected to a tailgate automatic opening/closing mechanism such that actuation of the switch controls operation of the mechanism to prevent execution of a command to automatically open the tailgate when the tailgate is in a fully closed condition.

Abstract: An artificial muscle device includes a plurality of intermuscular boards and a plurality of artificial muscles disposed between the intermuscular boards in an alternating pattern and communicatively coupled to a controller. Each of the one or more artificial muscles includes a housing comprising an electrode region and an expandable fluid region, a dielectric fluid housed within the housing, and an electrode pair positioned in the electrode region of the housing, the electrode pair including a first electrode and a second electrode. The electrode pair is actuatable between a non-actuated state and an actuated state such that actuation from the non-actuated state to the actuated state directs the dielectric fluid into the expandable fluid region, expanding the expandable fluid region, thereby applying pressure to the intermuscular boards.

Abstract: A system for controlling a trailer brake output circuit includes an electronic control unit having one or more processors and one or more memory modules. The trailer brake output circuit is configured to output a trailer brake output signal. Machine readable instructions cause the electronic control unit to: receive a signal from a vehicle stability control system indicating that a vehicle stability control flag is set, generate the trailer brake output signal in response to the vehicle stability control flag being set such that the trailer brake output signal ramps up to a target value over a predefined period of time, maintain the trailer brake output signal at the target value while the vehicle stability control flag is set, and output the trailer brake output signal such that the trailer brake output signal ramps down from the target value when the vehicle stability control flag changes from set to not set.

Abstract: A dual side view display includes a waveguide with an inside transparent layer and an outside transparent layer spaced apart from and parallel to the inside transparent layer, and a plurality of inside view liquid crystal (LC) pixels and a plurality of outside view LC pixels disposed within the waveguide. The plurality of outside view LC pixels are disposed within the waveguide parallel to and in-plane with the plurality of inside view LC pixels. The plurality of inside LC pixels includes a plurality of outside blocking layers configured to block light scattered in the plurality of inside view LC pixels from propagating through the outside transparent layer. Also, the plurality of outside view LC pixels includes a plurality of inside blocking layers configured to block light scattered in the plurality of outside view LC pixels from propagating through the inside transparent layer.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a first fuel cell; a second fuel cell; a cathode configured to receive a positive charge from the first fuel cell and the second fuel cell; an anode disposed apart from the cathode and configured to receive a negative charge from the first fuel cell and the second fuel cell; a manifold enclosing the anode and the cathode; coolant disposed within the manifold and surrounding the cathode and the anode; and a seal disposed between the cathode and the anode so as to prevent the coolant from leaking into the first fuel cell, wherein the cathode includes a seal portion disposed adjacent to the seal and a remaining portion separated from the seal by the seal portion, and wherein the remaining portion of the cathode is configured to be non-parallel with the anode so as to reduce shunt current at the seal portion.