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We are working hard to install all 8 V2X nodes into their Smart City Boxes today!

This is just the beginning. We're testing the first batch. More V2X nodes will be placed into their Smart City Boxes, soon!

A first batch of V2X nodes is making its way into the field!

Specifically, it is going to our 5GoIng Smart City Boxes [1], which we have already set up at the IN-Campus [2] in Ingolstadt. They form the heart of the system and handle 5G mobile communications, V2X functionality and the control and monitoring of our solar-powered lighting boxes.

The boxes are approx. 1x2x1 m in size and have solar panels and lighting elements that are directed at the nearby roadway. This allows us to trigger various lighting scenarios on command - for example, if two road users are approaching at dangerous speed at the traffic circle.

[1]: techhub.social/@zeroiee/112772

[2]: maps.app.goo.gl/gkEhUYGY2XwZx2

#smartCity#5g#v2x

Sometimes even the software developers at @zeroiee get really sweaty.

For example, when rolling out updates, before presentations to customers - or when it comes to carrying a 12 kg car battery, a V2X radio receiver, GPS antenna and laptop across the nearby terrain to perform a range coverage measurement.

We certainly got a lot of looks during the event. Hopefully we didn't scare anyone.

The results are not yet what we had hoped for. But that's why we do such tests: to ensure that the customer receives a product that not only meets their expectations, but also delights them.

Find out more about our AMPS V2XNode: zero-iee.com//assets/products/

Smart City Boxes in the wild!

In beautiful and sunny weather, we set up the first four SmartCity Boxes on the Digitales Testfeld "ErsteMeile" (test field "FirstMile") in Ingolstadt, 🇩🇪 .

We developed the boxes as part of the project and improved them in several iterations. They are completely energy self-sufficient and designed to visually warn vulnerable road users using a special feature of the 5G technology.

For this to work reliably, tests are still required and planned with the rest of the infrastructure of the test field.

As you might know, our website zero-iee.com is a static web site generated by Hugo.

We want to use symbols such as a check mark on our pages in the future. The easiest way to do this is to use the appropriate UTF-8 character code in our texts.

Unfortunately, however, web browsers display the symbols differently - the Edge browser on Windows, for example, displays them in purple (dark mode) and Firefox onUbuntu in gray. This does not always match our color scheme.

That's why we came up with a workaround for Hugo that simply replaces all UTF-8 checkmarks with an SVG graphic and replaces them in the text of the page ($content).

Hey Mastodon users!
Have you ever seen an Audi e-tron display Mastodon on its main HMI display?

Probably not!
This was enabed by one of our products - the ZERO FPDLinkNode, which is part of our AMPS (Advanced Modular Prototyping System). The FPDLinkNode is plugged in between the native vehicle display-/touch unit and the HMI controller. This way we're able to manipulate display contents and create a visual overlay.

The overlay enables us to display the vehicle's own content and at the same time show new content on the display without disrupting the native functionality. In this example, however, we have set the FPDLinkNode so that the native Audi user interface is completely overlaid.

Weißwurstfrühstück and get-together 🥨 🍺

Compared to English, the German language is infamous for long compound words like "Weißwurstfrühstück". But the latter actually exemplifies that sometimes it is just cumbersome describe something nonexistent in a language/culture.

Weißwurstfrühstück is a Bavarian tradition and can roughly be translated to "veal sausage breakfast with wheat beer, pretzel and sweet mustard"". And we had a great one last Friday!

To this occasion, Johannes Sendtner, whom we supported with his Bachelor thesis, came to visit and proudly showed us his bachelor's certificate. He was evaluated with 1.0 for his work on optical air quality sensors.

Congratulations and good luck with the next steps in your career! 🥳🎉

With and mobile connections, the demands on the voltage sources have also increased: In particular high peak currents of approx. 4 A @ 3.7 V and more can push some circuits and the voltage converters installed in them to their limits.

In the event of stability problems with mobile radio modems, it is therefore particularly worth taking a brief look away from the software and towards the hardware. Can the power supply really meet the high requirements? An examination with an oscilloscope shows even the smallest fluctuations in the millisecond range and can reveal possible problems.

In our specific case, we are investigating stability problems with a new modem, which can only be reproduced unreliably. In the video you can see that even small pings have a visible effect (voltage fluctuations of approx. 800 mV) on the voltage source.

Curious about our ArtNet based light control system?

We've created a web GUI that enables easy access to various typical vehicle lighting scenarios. The operator gets instant feedback about the currently activated scenario.

Our layering concept allows prioritizing lighting animations and stacking them on top of each other.

By the way: Animations are provided as CSV files. You're free in choosing the tool to generate these.

We are making progress with our new ArtNet-based lighting control system!

The most important ArtNet frames are now implemented. We have also successfully tested the implementation of our new layering concept: Multiple animations (for example flashing and a "Welcome" animation) can now be prioritized and stacked on top of each other. In the video, the flashing has a higher priority and thus overlays the "Welcome" animation.

There are still bugs hidden here and there, but we are looking forward to presenting a first complete version soon!

#artNet#dmx#showcar

There's room in the smallest hut!

The Leibniz-Institut für Agrartechnik und Bioökonomie e.V. (ATB) tasked us to build a small, battery-powered water- and dustproof computer system with 5G connectivity. Given our ample expertise, we gladly accepted the challenge. The biggest difficulty turned out to be the size constraints: maximum outline dimensions of 10x10x10cm.

But Felix Hermes did a great job, created a 3D-printed baseplate and went through several iterations to accommodate all pieces incl. 4 small antennas. The resulting end product is a marvel of space efficiency and we are grateful to being given the opportunity to develop it!

If you've followed our recent posts, you already know that we gave Shorewall a try to tidy up our VPN firewall rules and gain full overview about our configuration. Our migration to Shorewall has been successful and we'd like to share some insights in our configuration:

"Keeping the Wireguard VPN firewall clear with Shorewall" - blog.zero-iee.com/en/posts/vpn

Shorewall by Tom Eastep is just perfect for small to mid size firewall deployments that are mostly static and not too complex. One of our developers uses OpnSense and PfSense for more complex scenarios in his private projects.

Which firewall / configuration tool do you use and why?

blog.zero-iee.com · Keeping the Wireguard VPN firewall clear with ShorewallIn our previous article we introduced the iptables firewall for our Wireguard VPN server. The firewall regulates which traffic is permitted between the individual customer VPNs and the management VPN and prevents access that poses a security risk. Although it is possible to manage these rules using the iptables command line tools, it quickly becomes confusing and difficult to understand, especially for outsiders. We have therefore tested the firewall configuration using the “Shorewall” tool and found it to be suitable.

The ZERO Microkiller - Patent narrowly missed

Johannes Sendtner worked on a fascinating piece of technology last year. Today, we would like to share some details with you.

The box depicted is called the "ZERO Microkiller," and its task is to recharge Qi-equipped smartphones wirelessly while simultaneously disinfecting them using UV radiation. To that end, UV LEDs are attached to the sides and the lid so that various items can be cleaned, and mirrors help avoid disinfection shadows.

It is dimensioned so that even larger smartphones can fit inside comfortably, while the outer shell is small enough to be integrated into the center armrest of a car.

While the idea is convincingly simple, and the Microkiller's function was proven in a laboratory, there are several technologically advanced ideas that we wanted to patent. Unfortunately, Ford Motor Company filed a similar application a few months before us.

ZERO Smart City Cube on tour!

In case you could not meet with us at the IAA, there is another chance today. We are presenting our box in the auditorium of the Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt. One of our friendly and knowledgeable team members will be on site between 13:00 and 19:00. Here is the link to the event with more information.

thi.de/hochschule/veranstaltun

www.thi.deTag der Mobilität – Zukunft in BewegungWie sieht die Zukunft der Mobilität aus? Erleben Sie Mobilität in allen Dimensionen und erfahren Sie, wie wir uns in Zukunft bewegen.