December 15, 2000

Vehicle Research and Design Laboratory Established in Troxler Design Center

James Branigan, an engineering student at the NC State University, works with a dashboard mockup and a car radio user interface implemented with IBM VisualAge Micro Edition and running in an embedded computer.

(RELEASED FROM IBM)

North Carolina State University (NC State) and IBM have established the university’s first design and research center focused on developing advanced driver information systems.

The Vehicle Research and Design (VRAD) laboratory, located in the Troxler Design Center in the College of Engineering at NC State, will address the automotive industry’s need for basic and applied research, development of new technology and design integration for in-vehicle applications such as entertainment, navigation assistance, safety diagnostics, and vehicle command and control. James J. Brickley, Jr., associate head of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, will lead this effort for NC State.

"Thanks to IBM’s donation of software development tools and equipment, and North Carolina State University’s experienced engineering and computer science teams, we’re establishing the ideal environment for defining, creating and evaluating tomorrow’s enhanced automotive technology," said Nino A. Masnari, dean of the College of Engineering. "It’s a place where our students, faculty and researchers can hone their skills by working with industry leaders and using state-of-the-art computing systems."

IBM, through its Object Technology International (OTI) subsidiary, is making an initial donation valued at $245,000 to help establish the VRAD Laboratory. The donation includes software, hardware, automotive components and dedicated access to IBM engineering and technical staff.

Consistent with the goals of the College of Engineering and its Troxler Design Center, the Vehicle Research and Design Laboratory will provide a hands-on environment for research and student projects. The lab will comprise three sections: a vehicle cockpit laboratory for prototyping, testing and human factors studies; a simulation laboratory for hardware and software emulation of vehicle systems; and a programming laboratory for embedded software development. The sections will be interconnected with high-speed networks, allowing seamless development, simulation and testing.

Technical Contact: James J. Brickley (919) 515-5089 jjb@eos.ncsu.edu

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