Abstract: In at least one embodiment, a battery is provided comprising an electron beam-treated current collector having an increased surface energy compared to an untreated current collector and an electrode disposed on a treated surface of the current collector. The electrode may include a water-soluble binder uniformly coating a surface of the current collector and the treated current collector may have a contact angle with the water-soluble binder of 70 degrees or less. The electron beam treatment may be applied to a moving current collector foil as part of a battery production process, prior to application of an electrode slurry.

Abstract: A vehicle body panel includes a substrate defining an exterior surface. A detectable layer is positioned on the exterior surface and is configured to interact with a first band of an electromagnetic spectrum. A decorative layer is positioned on the detectable layer and is configured to reflect a portion of a second band of the electromagnetic spectrum and transmit the first portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. A top layer is positioned on the decorative layer and is configured to transmit the first and second band of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Abstract: A sensor apparatus includes a housing, a LIDAR sensor attached to the housing, and a window releasably coupled to the housing. The window may be cylindrical. The housing may be a first housing, and the sensor apparatus may include a second housing. The window may be releasably coupled to the second housing.

Abstract: A sensor apparatus includes a housing, a LIDAR sensor attached to the housing, a window attached to the housing, and a film covering the window and removable from the window. The window may be cylindrical. The film may be a first film, and the sensor apparatus may include a second film covering the first film and removable from the first film.

Abstract: A method comprising scanning a first painted surface of a first vehicle having two or more paint layers with a robotic terahertz radiation instrument to obtain a first painted surface thickness data and map for each of the two or more paint layers, comparing the first thickness map to a control map, and adjusting one or more paint application parameters based on a comparison of the first thickness map with the control map for painting a second surface of a second vehicle different than the first vehicle.

Abstract: A method of assessing cure rate of an adhesive adhering a windshield to a flange includes, by a controller, operating a terahertz beam generator to direct a terahertz beam at a windshield-flange interface, periodically measuring the light from the beam reflected from the adhesive, and outputting a cure rate of the adhesive based on a refractive index associated with the light from the beam reflected from the adhesive.

Abstract: A computer is programmed to modify an electrical property to adjust an opacity of a sensor cover window. The computer is programmed to actuate an excitation source to emit electro-magnetic beams toward the cover window.

Abstract: A system for non-contact color harmony analysis is provided. The system may include an image acquisition system and an image analysis system. One or more cameras may take images of two regions of an object (e.g., a vehicle). The images may be transferred to the image analysis system, which may compare color values from each region and determine a color value difference. The color value difference may be compared to a predetermined threshold value to identify a possible color mismatch. The system may be used to analyze color harmony of adjacent vehicle components, for example, a front fascia and a fender or a rear fascia and a quarter panel.

Abstract: A vehicle body panel includes a substrate defining an exterior surface. A detectable layer is positioned on the exterior surface and is configured to interact with a first band of an electromagnetic spectrum. A decorative layer is positioned on the detectable layer and is configured to reflect a portion of a second band of the electromagnetic spectrum and transmit the first portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. A top layer is positioned on the decorative layer and is configured to transmit the first and second band of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Abstract: A vehicle is provided that includes an external body panel that includes a license plate positioned on the external body panel. A lighting assembly is disposed on the vehicle and a detectable layer is disposed on at least one of the license plate and the lighting assembly. The detectable layer is configured to reflect at least one band of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Abstract: A vehicle system includes a processor programmed to receive sensor signals from a LIDAR sensor. The processor estimates frost accumulation on the LIDAR sensor from the sensor signals and compares the estimated frost accumulation to a predetermined threshold. The processor further prevents a host vehicle from operating in an autonomous mode if the estimated frost accumulation exceeds the predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A vehicle is provided that includes an external body panel that includes a license plate positioned on the external body panel. A lighting assembly is disposed on the vehicle and a detectable layer is disposed on at least one of the license plate and the lighting assembly. The detectable layer is configured to reflect at least one band of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Abstract: A manufacturing control system is arranged to cause an aluminum alloy blank to be heated to at least its solvus temperature, to cause a die set to be sprayed with a lubricant formulation that includes water, lubricant, and a surfactant, to cause the blank to be positioned in the die set while heated such that the blank does not touch the die set, and to cause the die set to close on the blank to form the blank into a part while quenching the part.

Abstract: Novel tools and techniques for monitoring railway track geometry. In one aspect, some such tools and techniques can determine a location of a platform along a railway, capture one or more images of the railway, and/or analyze the rail configuration at that point. In another aspect, some solutions might employ photogrammetric techniques to analyze the rail configuration and thereafter store data about the rail configuration, perhaps correlated with the location of the images, in a data store.

Abstract: A system and methods are provided for providing intersection positioning data. In one embodiment, a method includes detecting one or more objects by a device, wherein the one or more objects are detected relative to at least a portion of a roadway by an integrated radar sensor of the device, and tracking one or more detected objects by the device to determine tracking data, wherein tracking includes determining a number of detected objects, determining speed of the one or more detected objects and determining position of the one or more detected objects. The method may also include outputting the tracking data by the device. The system and methods may advantageously be employed for transmitting one or more of a collision warning, red light warnings, red light violation warnings and operation characteristics of objects during a traffic incident relative to intersection.

Abstract: Systems and methods for augmenting an inertial navigation system (INS) include outputting from the INS position information associated with the implement and adjusting the implement based upon a comparison of the position information of the implement and a desired position of the implement. The INS is periodically re-initialized using error estimates generated by a kalman filter as a function of position information from one or more positioning (or measuring) devices, such as a fan laser, an automatic total station (ATS), a GNSS receiver, or a ground based radio positioning system, to correct a drift of the position information that may be caused by inherent characteristics of the INS.

Abstract: A device and methods are provided for detecting data points using an integrated radar sensor. In one embodiment, a method includes determining position of a device, detecting data points by an integrated radar sensor of the device, wherein the data points are determined for one or more points in space associated with one or more objects, and generating a spatial model of the one or more objects based on the detected data points. The device and methods may advantageously be employed for one or more of mapping, modeling, planning, machine control, navigation and object tracking.

Abstract: A method comprising scanning a first painted surface of a first vehicle having two or more paint layers with a robotic terahertz radiation instrument to obtain a first painted surface thickness data and map for each of the two or more paint layers, comparing the first thickness map to a control map, and adjusting one or more paint application parameters based on a comparison of the first thickness map with the control map for painting a second surface of a second vehicle different than the first vehicle.

Abstract: A wet on wet coating application method. The method includes contacting a polyol-containing layer including a polyol in an amount of 10 to 70 percent by weight and a isocyanate-catalyst-containing layer including an isocyanate and a catalyst to form a boundary layer between the layers being the reaction product of the polyol and isocyanate catalyzed by the catalyst and carried out at 68° F. to 75° F.

Abstract: A device and methods are provided for determining data points with an integrated radar sensor. In one embodiment, a method includes determining position of a device, scanning one or more objects, wherein scanning includes detecting data points by an integrated radar sensor of the device and capturing image data of the one or more objects, and determining data points for one or more objects based on the scanning. The method may also include correlating data points to one or more portions of the image data, assigning correlated data points to one or more portions of the image data, and storing, by the device, image data with data points. The device and methods may advantageously be employed for one or more of mapping, modeling, navigation and object tracking.