Bose Suspension System

[MikeWaggoner at UW]

Anyone seen the new Bose active suspension system? Pretty nifty, and they claim it'll be on expensive cars (not prohibitively so, though) in a few years.

In case my link doesn't work, go to bose.com, click on Automotive Systems, click on new technology.

If my link does work:
http://www.bose.com/controller;jsessionid=BZQ418iKujOsIE0603btPVqey0cC qEO0mSyBN5esXGGUU6APtxqM!719771355!-1318345393?event=VIEW_STATIC_PAGE_EVENT&url=/learning/project_sound/bose_suspension.jsp&pageName=/automotive/index.jsp

[MikeWaggoner at UW]

Anyone seen the new Bose active suspension system? Pretty nifty, and they claim it'll be on expensive cars (not prohibitively so, though) in a few years.

In case my link doesn't work, go to bose.com, click on Automotive Systems, click on new technology.

If my link does work:
http://www.bose.com/controller;jsessionid=BZQ418iKujOsIE0603btPVqey0cC qEO0mSyBN5esXGGUU6APtxqM!719771355!-1318345393?event=VIEW_STATIC_PAGE_EVENT&url=/learning/project_sound/bose_suspension.jsp&pageName=/automotive/index.jsp

[John Bucknell]

I wonder if it'll do all they claim. Not much technical data on the site...

Few points that I didn't catch until going and looking:

1. Uses helper springs and dampers in line with the linear actuator to support axle load, so more active damping than full active (although saw a pic of the car jumping!).
2. Claims computation power was one of the big breakthroughs. Why?

[Denny Trimble]

Right, I'm amazed F1 was able to do fully active (hydraulic) suspension with the mobile computational power of the late 80's. Surely computational power shouldn't be holding up such a system today.

I like the springs and dampers in-line with the active components, at least it would be driveable if the control system fails or shuts down.

[madman]

My thought is that the extreme computation speed is needed to allow the suspension to react to sudden unexpected changes in wheel force (potholes, speed bumps).

I'm no electronics whiz, but I imagine being able to achieve this in real time and get the results back to the suspension fast enough required the computing improvements. It's a slightly different concept from what F1 was doing in the 80's.

There's been some work done in this area previously with hydraulic suspension. Also the ZF Magneto-resistive dampers found on BMW'S (and I think Cadillacs among others) adjust the damping on the fly to react to changes in input force. The Bimmers also have a neat active anti-roll bar.

It sounds like something to watch anyhow. Now, where did I put those linear motors from the gear shift project...?

[Hammock]

Just wanted to bring this one back. Check out this link, it is in French, but the video is great:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lyf4rfT7bHU

[drivetrainUW-Platt]

Doesnt the Vette use some sort of electro-magnetic shocks?

[rjwoods77]

Herbie the Love Lexus

[John Valerio]

yep, you will find a set of magneto-rheological shocks on the current model vette, ferrari 599, audi tt, and also the 2007 Queen's Formula SAE entry. These are all, however, semi-active systems as the dampers can only oppose movements, not create them like an fully active system can. Yeah i love watching the pre-1994 F1 cars sitting in the paddock running through suspension diagnostics with the cars pitching and rolling around on their own. Apparantly the systems were nightmares when they messed up but glorious when all was well. The dominance of Mansell/Williams in the 92 season is a tribute to how much the active systems put the top tier teams above the low budget ones, with the race winner usually lapping the whole field up to fourth or third place.

[Greg 08]

John, How are you powering your dampers, off of an ecu/computer or with a self powered by some sort of inductor? Without giving away more than you would like to (as I am sure you have some great solutions from a lot of work), are you using a linear pot to measure and control things on the damper or just letting some sort of velocity measure increase the damper for low frequency cornering type inputs?

If I could find someone that wanted to pay for research, I would play around with the little buggers in grad school.

Greg Ehlert

[Dr Claw]

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=F1+active+suspension

haha, dancing race cars. that stuff's just mind bottling http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

[John Valerio]

greg,

we're powering the dampers with a micro controller, which takes inputs from a handful of accelerometers around the car, inboard and outboard.

as far as cost goes, our system costs around the same as our last year's fox damper setup. we're also helped by having a shock dyno in house, which is conveniently not used very often by the grad students.