CHAPTER1

INTRODUCTION
Roadside reflector lights, also known as cat's eyes or road studs, are safety
devices used on roads to enhance visibility and guide drivers, particularly at
night or during adverse weather conditions. These reflectors are typically
embedded into the road surface or attached to barriers and delineators, reflecting
the headlights of vehicles to mark lanes, edges, and other critical points on the
road. They are crucial for preventing accidents by improving lane discipline and
aiding navigation. Modern variations may include solar-powered LEDs for
increased visibility and functionality. An automatic roadside reflector light,
often known as a cat's eye or road stud, is an essential safety device designed to
improve road visibility, especially during nighttime or adverse weather
conditions. These reflectors can be either passive, made of materials like glass
beads or plastic that reflect vehicle headlights back towards drivers, or active,
powered by solar panels, batteries, or the electrical grid, and equipped with
LEDs that emit light independently. Active models often include sensors to turn
on automatically at dusk or in low-visibility situations, and some can change
colour to indicate different traffic conditions or hazards. By enhancing driver
awareness of road edges, lanes, and curves, these reflectors significantly reduce
accidents and improve overall road safety. They are particularly useful on
highways, main roads, curved roads, pedestrian crossings, tunnels, and bridges,
providing durable and reliable visibility under heavy traffic and harsh weather
conditions. Proper installation and regular maintenance are crucial to ensure
their effectiveness, making them a vital component in modern road
infrastructure.

Automatic roadside reflector lights are advanced safety devices designed to

enhance nighttime and adverse weather visibility on roads and highways. These
lights, often solar-powered, activate automatically through light sensors that
detect darkness or reduced visibility conditions, such as fog or heavy rain. By
illuminating the road edges, they provide clear visual guidance to drivers,
significantly reducing the risk of accidents. Featuring energy-efficient LED
technology, these durable and weather-resistant lights operate with minimal
maintenance, offering an eco-friendly solution to improve road safety. The
implementation of automatic roadside reflector lights is a crucial step
towardssafer and more reliable transportation infrastructure.
Reflector lights are crucial safety devices that improve visibility on roads,
particularly at night or during adverse weather conditions. These lights, often
embedded in the road surface or positioned along the edges, reflect vehicle
headlights to clearly delineate lanes and road boundaries. Available in a variety
of colors, each with specific meanings—such as white for lane markings, red
for the left edge of the road, amber for central reservations, green for entry and
exit points, and blue for emergency access—they provide essential guidance to
drivers. Made from durable materials like plastic, glass, or metal, reflector lights
are designed to withstand heavy traffic and harsh weather, significantly
contributing to road safety and accident prevention. Automatic roadside
reflector lights are innovative devices designed to enhance road safety by
improving visibility, particularly at night or during adverse weather conditions.
These lights are typically installed along the edges of roads, highways, and other
thoroughfares. They operate automatically, usually powered by solar energy,
and are equipped with sensors that activate the lights when it becomes dark or
when visibility drops due to fog, rain, or snow.

Key features of automatic roadside reflector lights include:

1. *Solar-Powered*: Many of these lights are solar-powered, making them

environmentally friendly and reducing the need for external power sources.

2. *Automatic Operation*: They are equipped with light sensors that

automatically turn the lights on at dusk and off at dawn, ensuring they operate
only when needed.

3. *Durability*: Designed to withstand harsh environmental conditions, these

lights are typically robust and weather-resistant.

4. *Energy Efficiency*: Utilizing LED technology, they consume very little

power while providing bright illumination.

5. *Enhanced Safety*: By clearly marking the edges of the road, these lights
help drivers navigate safely, reducing the risk of accidents, especially in areas
with poor lighting or challenging driving conditions.

The use of automatic roadside reflector lights is a practical and effective

measure to improve road safety, contributing to reduced accident rates and better
traffic management.
 CHAPTER2

LITERATURE SURVEY

Paper1:

Verification of a Lane Detection Method with Automotive Radar

based on a New Type of Road Marking:

Author: Minisolos; Zhifei Feng

This paper shows a verification test result of a novel approach in lane

boundary detection with an automotive radar and a specific kind of reflectors. A
new approach of road course prediction and vehicle localization by utilizing its
Range-Doppler characteristics is also presented in this paper. An advanced
driver-assistance system (ADAS), based on lane detection technology, detects
dangerous situations through various sensors and either warns the driver or takes
over direct control of the vehicle. At present, cameras are commonly used for
lane detection; however, their performance varies widely depending on the
lighting conditions. Consequently, many studies have focused on using radar for
lane detection. However, when using radar, it is difficult to distinguish between
the plain road surface and painted lane markers, necessitating the use of radar
reflectors for guidance. Previous studies have used long-range radars which may
receive interference signals from various objects, including other vehicles,
pedestrians, and buildings, thereby hampering lane detection. Therefore, we
propose a lane detection method that uses an impulse radio ultra-wideband radar
with high-range resolution and metal lane markers installed at regular intervals
on the road. Lane detection and departure is realized upon using the periodically
reflected signals as well as vehicle speed data as inputs. For verification, a field
test was conducted by attaching radar to a vehicle and installing metal lane
markers on the road. Experimental scenarios were established by varying the
position and movement of the vehicle, and it was demonstrated that the proposed
method enables lane detection based on the data measured.

Paper2:

Silver Reflector-Driven Light Harvesting Enhancement in Large

Area Dye Sensitized Solar Cells:

Author: Faizan Syed,Navdeep Kaur

Efficient light harvesting by absorber materials in large active area photovoltaic

(PV) devices has always been a major challenge as some of the materials have
smaller light absorption coefficients and their properties are impacted by
scalability attempts. In addition, defects are more difficult to control when active
area increases. In the present work, we demonstrated the positive impact of a
silver reflecting surface consisting of a micrometer-thick, silver nanoparticles
(Ag Nps)-based film on the glass side of platinum (Pt) counter electrode (CE).
The films aimed to improve the light-harvesting ability of mesoporous TiO2
photoanodes on large-area dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Although the
power conversion efficiency (PCE) of large-area DSSC is lower in comparison
to small-area DSSC, the PCE of the large-area Ag reflector based DSSC showed
significant PCE improvement relative to reference DSSC. The enhancement is
attributable to the improved light harvesting ability of photoanodes
demonstrated from the increased short circuit current density (JSC) values of
large-area Ag reflector based DSSC, as most of the unused incident light is
reflected again due to the improved reflectivity of Pt CE via Ag reflecting film
towards the photoanodes and is being reabsorbed by the dye sensitizers. This
effect has been further confirmed by the electrochemical impedance
spectroscopy (EIS) measurement, where resistances at different interfacial
layers in DSSCs have been estimated. Hence, we report on a simple and efficient
method of using Ag reflector films to enhance light harvesting in large-area
DSSCs and paving the road towards improving performance of other large-area
PV devices as well. Keywords: Large area DSSCs, DSSCs, Dye-sensitized solar
cells, enhanced light harvesting, silver nanoparticles film.

Paper3:

3D detection of automobile scattering centers using UWB radar

sensors at 24/77 GHz:

Author:J. Dickmann, P. Feil

Scattering centers of two different vehicles have been evaluated using SAR,
and the combination of SAR and DBF. The results show that main scattering
centers are located at the wheels, the regions around the license plate, door outer
panel, windshield pillar, center pillar, rear pillar, and light units. Furthermore, it
has been shown that multipath propagation enables an indirect detection of
scattering centers. The analysis shows no significant differences between the
scattering center locations at 24 GHz and 77 GHz. However, the increased
bandwidth at 77 GHz allows resolving merged scattering centers and improves
the contour determination. The comparison between the measurement results of
the SAR processing and the mechanical scanning radar confirmed similar main
scattering centers. Furthermore, the measurement results show that the contour
and orientation of a vehicle can be determined at a distance of 10 m with a
bandwidth of 2 GHz and an angular resolution of approximately.
Paper4:

Automatic headlight system based on road contour and beam

from other headlights:

Author: Vembi Noverli and fadhil Muhammad

Accidents often occur at night due to a lack of light. With the low-light
conditions, a lot of drivers who use high beam headlight forgot to switch to low
beam headlight. That action can cause temporary blindness to the driver in front
of him because of the glare. Automatic Headlight can change the mode of lights
and reflector lights when passing move uphill or downhill roads using the
accelerometer sensor MPU6050. The automatic headlight can also change the
mode of light based on the light in front of him using the BH1750 lux meter
sensor so that the path illuminated by the headlight to be quite and do not
endanger other drivers. Laboratory testing has a success rate of 97%, with 260
trials in 13 conditions. And on real testing, the automatic headlight can switch
modes automatically when going uphill and downhill. The headlight can change
modes automatically when passing through roads with adequate lighting or
when passing other vehicles.

Paper5:

A two-frequency radar for vehicle automatic lateral control:

Author: R.J. Mayhan ,R.A. Bishel

The use of a side-looking radar in conjunction with a sidewall

reflector is one means of obtaining lateral position information for
use in vehicle automatic lateral control. The principle of operation of
a two-frequency radar for such use is presented along with a
discussion of the reflector design and construction difficulties. Some
results of the full-scale testing of this radar using two different types
of reflecting surfaces are included. The performance of this radar
system is compared with that of the highly accurate wire follower. In
general, tracking errors on the order of twice those obtained with the
wire follower were achieved. It appears that with some redesign of
the radar, performance equal to or better than that of the wire
follower should eventually result.
 CHAPTER3

Existing system
Roadside reflector lights, also known as retroreflectors or cat's eyes, are an
essential component of modern road safety systems. These devices are
designed to improve nighttime and low-visibility driving conditions by
reflecting vehicle headlights back to the driver. Typically made from materials
such as plastic, glass beads, or prismatic reflectors, they are embedded in or
attached to the road surface. These reflectors are strategically placed along
road edges, lane markings, and other critical points to delineate the road
layout. By enhancing the visibility of road boundaries and markings, roadside
reflectors help prevent accidents and guide drivers safely, especially in adverse
weather conditions such as fog, rain, or snow. The effectiveness and durability
of these reflectors are continually being improved through advancements in
materials and design, ensuring that they remain a vital part of road safety
infrastructure.

The existing system of reflector lights on roadways is a well-established safety

feature designed to enhance visibility and guidance for drivers, especially
during nighttime or adverse weather conditions. These reflector lights,
commonly known as retroreflectors or cat's eyes, function by reflecting the
light from vehicle headlights back to the driver, thereby illuminating the road's
contours and boundaries. These reflectors are typically made from durable
materials such as plastic, glass beads, or prismatic reflectors that can withstand
harsh environmental conditions and the constant impact of traffic. They are
installed in various configurations, including being embedded into the road
surface, mounted on posts along the roadside, or integrated into lane markings.

Reflector lights are strategically placed to mark lane divisions, road edges,
curves, and other critical points on the road. This strategic placement aids in
guiding drivers, helping to prevent accidents by making the road layout more
apparent. In addition to their use on highways and major roads, reflector lights
are also employed in other areas such as pedestrian crossings, roundabouts,
and exit ramps to improve overall road safety.

The technology behind these reflectors continues to evolve, with

advancements aimed at increasing their visibility, durability, and effectiveness.
Innovations include the development of solar-powered LED reflectors, which
provide active lighting in addition to passive reflection, further enhancing road
safety measures.
 CHAPTER4

PROPOSED SYSTEM

4.1Circuit Diagram

Fig 4.1circuit diagram of road side reflector light

Working principle:

The circuit (Fig. 1) consists of a light-dependent resistor (LDR1), timer IC

NE555 (IC1), transistor BC547 (T1) that acts as a buffer and LED driver, and a
bright red LED (LED1). NE555 timer is configured in oscillator mode. When
ambient light is dim, there is a potential drop across the light-dependent resistor
below the level set by the combination of VR1 and R1, and reset terminal (pin
4) of NE555 goes high to enable the oscillator.

Transistor BC547 (T1) then switches LED1 on and off at the oscillation
frequency. Resistor R3 (220-ohm) limits the current through the LED to a safe
value. Sensitivity of light sensor LDR1 can be set using potentiometer VR1.

After construction and testing, house the circuit in an appropriate cabinet with
LDR1, VR1 and LED1 mounted on the front panel. Mount LDR1 such that LED
light does not fall on it. Glue a piece of self-adhesive black sheet marked with a
transparent pedestrian symbol to the front panel (refer Fig. 2). Next, attach a
cloth peg at the rear side of the enclosure using a suitable screw and attach the
reflector to the cloth with the cloth peg clip.

4.2 Description

Hardware Description

The hardware implementation phase divided into seven components

The components are

1. *IC 555 Timer*

2. *Resistors (R1, R2) *

3. *Capacitor (C1) *

4. *LEDs*

5. *Power Source*

6. *Phototransistor or LDR (optional for automatic operation) *

7. *Transistor.
IC555 timer

The IC 555 is a versatile timer IC commonly used in various applications,

including road side reflector lights. Here's how it typically works in such a
scenario

In a road side reflector light application, the 555 timer IC is often used in an
astable mode to create a blinking light, which enhances visibility and safety for
drivers at night or in low-visibility conditions.

In the astable mode, the 555 timer IC generates a continuous square wave at a
frequency determined by two resistors (R1, R2) and a capacitor (C1).
Pin diagram 4.2.1

Now as shown in figure, there are eight pins for a 555 Timer IC namely,

1.Ground.

2.Trigger.

3.Output.

4.Reset.

5.Control

6.Threshold.

7.Discharge

8.Power or Vcc
Pin 1. Ground: This pin has no special function what so ever. It is connected to
ground as usual. For the timer to function, this pin must and should be connected
to ground.

Pin 8. Power or VCC: This pin also has no special function. It is connected to
positive voltage. For the timer to function to work, this pin must be connected
to positive voltage of range +3.6v to +15v.

Pin 4. Reset: As discussed earlier, there is a flip-flop in the timer chip. The output
of flip-flop controls the chip output at pin3 directly.

Reset pin is directly connected to MR (Master Reset) of the flip-flop On

observation we can observe a small circle at the MR of flip-flop. This bubble
represents the MR (Master Reset) pin is active LOW trigger. That means for the
flip-flop to reset the MR pin voltage must go from HIGH to LOW. With this step
down logic the flip-flop gets hardly pulled down to LOW. So the output goes
LOW, irrespective of any pins.This pin is connected to VCC for the flip-flop to
stop from hard resetting.Pin 3. OUTPUT: This pin also has no special function.
This pin is drawn from PUSH-PULL configuration formed by transistors.The
push pull configuration is shown in figure. The bases of two transistors are
connected to flip-flop output. So when logic high appears at the output of flip-
flop, the NPN transistor turns on and +V1 appears at the output. When logic
appeared at the output of flip-flop is LOW, the PNP transistor gets turned on and
the output pulled down to ground or –V1 appears at the output

Well until now we discussed pins that do not alter the condition of output at
any condition. The remaining four pins are special because they determine the
output state of timer chip, we will discuss each of them now.Pin 5. Conrol Pin:
The control pin is connected from the negative input pin of comparator
one.Consider for a case the voltage between VCC and GROUND is 9v. The
voltage at the control pin will be VCC2/3 (for VCC = 9, pin voltage=92/3=6V).

The function of this pin to give the user the directly control over first comparator.
As shown in above figure the output of comparator one is fed to the reset of flip-
flop. At this pin we can put a different voltage, say if we connect it to +8v. Now
what happens is, the THRESHOLD pin voltage must reach +8V to reset the flip-
flop and to drag the output down.For normal case, the V-out will go low once
the capacitor gets charge up to 2/3VCC (+6V for 9V supply). Now since we put
up a different voltage at control pin (comparator one negative or reset
comparator).Capacitor should charge until its voltage reaches the control pin
voltage. Because of this force capacitor charging, the turn on time and turn
offtime of signal changes. So the output experiences a different turn on torn off
ration.Normally this pin is pulled down with a capacitor. To avoid unwanted
noise interference with the workingPin 2. TRIGGER: Trigger pin is dragged
from the negative input of comparator two. The comparator two output is
connected to SET pin of flip-flop. With the comparator two output high we get
high voltage at the timer output. So we can say the trigger pin controls timer
output.

Now here what to observe is, low voltage at the trigger pin forces the output
voltage high, since it is at inverting input of second comparator. The voltage at
the trigger pin must go below VCC1/3 (with VCC 9v as assumed,
VCC(1/3)=9*(1/3)=3V). So the voltage at the trigger pin must go below 3V (for
a 9v supply) for the output of timer to go high.If this pin is connected to ground,
the output will be always high.Pin 6. THRESHOLD: Threshold pin voltage
determines when to reset the flip-flop in the timer. The threshold pin is drawn
from positive input of comparator1.Here the voltage difference between
THRESOLD pin and CONTROL pin determines the comparator 2 output and
so the reset logic. If the voltage difference is positive the flip-flop gets resetted
and output goes low. If the difference in negative, the logic at SET pin
determines the output.

If the control pin is open. Then a voltage equal to or greater than VCC*(2/3)
(i.e.6V for a 9V supply) will reset the flip-flop. So the output goes low.So we
can conclude that THRESHOLD pin voltage determines when the output should
go low, when the control pin is open.Pin 7. DISCHARGE: This pin is drawn
from the open collector of transistor. Since the transistor (on which discharge
pin got taken, Q1) got its base connected to Qbar. Whenever the ouput goes low
or the flip-flop gets resetted, the discharge pin is pulled to ground. Because Qbar
will be high when Q is low, So the transistor Q1 gets turns ON as base of
transistor got power.

Block diagram 4.2.2

The following figure shows the functional diagram of timer IC 555.Timer

As shown in figure IC555 includes two comparators, one RS flip-flop and other
few discrete components like transistors, resistors etc.

The biasing voltage (Vcc) is divided in three parts through voltage divider using
same value of resistors R. from these 1/3 Vcc is given to non inverting terminal
of trigger comparator and 2/3 Vcc is given to inverting terminal of threshold
comparator. The outputs of both comparators are given to R and S inputs of flip-
flop.Q output is actual output of IC and Q' output drives discharging transistor
that provides discharging path to external capacitor whenever it is high.
When negative trigger <1/3 Vcc is applied at trigger input pin, the trigger
comparator gives high output that resets the flip flop and Q output that is the
output of chip goes high.When positive trigger >2/3 Vcc is applied at threshold
input pin, the threshold comparator gives high output that sets the flip flop. The
Q output will become high and the output of chip goes low. At that time
discharging transistor that provides discharging path to external capacitor. The
high reset input keeps flip-flop enable. If it is low, flip-flop disables and output
will be low.

Block Diagram4.2.2

Resisters

Fig4.3resistor
 A resistor is a passive two-terminal electrical component that limits the current flowing
in electrical or electronic circuits. Its property to resist the flow of current is called
resistance, expressed in ohm (Ω), named after German physicist Georg Simon Ohm. are
available in different sizes. Its size is directly proportional to its power rating. The power
rating is the maximum amount of power that a resistor can dissipate without being
damaged by excessive heat build-up. The larger the surface area covered by a resistor,
the more power it can dissipate. In a roadside reflector light project, resistors play several
key roles to ensure the proper functioning and safety of the circuit. Here are the primary
functions of resistors in such a projectIn a roadside reflector light project, resistors play
several key roles to ensure the proper functioning and safety of the circuit. Here are the
primary functions of resistors in such a project:

1. *Current Limitation*: Resistors are used to limit the amount of current flowing through
LEDs or other components in the circuit. This is crucial to prevent damage to the LEDs,
which can only handle a specific amount of current. By choosing the right resistor value,
you can ensure that the LEDs operate within their safe current ratings.

2. *Voltage Division*: In circuits where multiple LEDs are used in series or parallel,
resistors can help divide the voltage appropriately across each LED, ensuring uniform
brightness and preventing overvoltage conditions.

3. *Power Dissipation*: Resistors can help in dissipating excess power in the form of
heat. This is especially important in circuits powered by higher voltage sources, where
dropping the voltage to the desired level for LEDs is necessary.

4. *Signal Conditioning*: In more complex reflector light circuits that might include
sensors (e.g., light sensors to turn on the LEDs only at night), resistors can be used in
voltage dividers or other configurations to condition signals to appropriate levels for
further processing by other components like microcontrollers or transistors.

5. *Protective Elements*: Resistors can act as protective elements in the circuit by

absorbing unexpected surges or spikes in voltage, thus protecting more sensitive
components like LEDs and sensors from damage

If you have an LED with a forward voltage of 2V and a desired forward current of 20mA,
and your power supply is 5V, you can calculate the value of the current-limiting resistor
needed

In summary, resistors in a roadside reflector light project are essential for managing
current and voltage, ensuring component protection, and maintaining the overall
reliability and safety of the circuit.
LDR (Light dependent resistor)