The Racelogic Velocity Box from M-Tech

Non Contact speed and distance measurement using GPS

Hardware Software Accuracy FAQ's Customers News Contacts
VBOX News

VBox111 Released

VB3 has now been released. This is a full 100Hz version of the very successful VBox11 with increased accuracy and other additional features. As is normal, upgrades are available for existing VBox owners.

Test World in Finland are among the first customers to upgrade from VBox11 to the new VB3.

Please click this link to give you a specification sheet.  VB3 spec

Komatsu UK Purchase VBox for brake testing

Komatsu UK have invested in 2 VBox 11's to carry out brake testing of their diggers. With top speeds of just 30kph, they were looking for fine resolution.  VBox software was modified to enable them to compare data at 1kph intervals.

Kalman Filter software module

Another software module has been released for VBox that is a powerful post-processing packaging to allow a Kalman Filter process to be run on existing data.  This filter can be used to remove the noise from data that has been acquired near trees, buildings, bridges etc. to correct the position and velocity information

This Kalman Filtering process is superior to that of the inbuilt VBox Kalman Filter because of the way that it can sample data both forwards and backwards.

An example is shown here where some data was taken at a roundabout surrounded by heavy tree cover. The red trace is the original data and the blue trace is the corrected data.

Frequency Input module

Racelogic have just released a FIM02 n frequency capture module. The FIM02 replaces FIM01 and is equipped with 4 x 24bit frequency inputs, each capable of measuring signals from 1 Hz upto 25KHz. The input channels for FIM02 are designed to work over a wide input voltage range from 1 volt to over 50 volts, allowing them to be connected directly to inductive signals such as ABS, crankshaft sensors and fuel flow meters. The FIM02 features BNC connectors for convenient signal input. - 05/11/2003
New software module

Racelogic have just released a powerful stand alone software module for the VBOX called the "Report Generator".

This software is designed to produce custom table based text reports from VBOX data files or live on a laptop. The table contents are fully configurable and can show any channel reorded by the VBOX.

Up to 34 columns can be configured to show the parameters, and also you can pick to show the maximums, minimums and averages. The scale factors and offsets can be configured, and you can also pick a number of standard parameters like stopping distances, MFDD, lateral accel, longitudinal accel etc.

There is a comprehensive range of trigger conditions for starting, stopping and creating a line, using speed, distance, time, trigger inputs or virtual (position based) gates. (A useful bonus feature allows you to convert a vbox file into a file that can be loaded directly into Autoroute for plotting the vehicle's journey)

Registered users can download this software from the Downloads section of the Racelogic website, so if you haven't bought that second years support yet, here's a very good reason!

Blind Land speed record broken

Billy Baxter smashed the Blind Solo World Land Speed Record on a motorcycle on the 2nd August 2003 at a speed of 164.9 mph.

A VBOX was used to record the record breaking run which was covered by TV, Radio and other media.
 
Ferrari now using VBOX

Racelogic are very proud to announce that Ferrari in Italy are now using the VBOX for acceleration and brake testing.

Ferrari test engineers now prefer to use the VBOX over existing Microwave and Optical speed sensors due to the quick fitting, elimination of calibration routines and accuracy of results.

Less time is now spent fitting and setting up the equipment, which means more testing can be carried out in a shorter time.
Vehicle CAN Interface

By using the new Vehicle CAN Interface module in the VBOX range, information can be directly taken from the Vehicle’s CAN bus (individual wheelspeeds, engine rpm, throttle angle etc) and logged by the VBOX along with all the normal VBOX parameters.

Specific Manufacturer’s CAN sets are also available on request to allow rapid non-intrusive monitoring of many standard vehicle parameters.

The Vehicle CAN Interface is a simple method of extending the logging capabilities of the VBOX, without fitting any extra sensors.

VBOX Lite

We are very pleased to announce a new member of the VBOXII family, the VBOXII Lite. This unit has been designed around a 5Hz GPS engine with on-board interpolation to 20Hz. This has resulted in a drastic reduction in price, but not in performance.

This gives very good results for acceleration and brake testing where you don't need to measure any external signals.

This unit is aimed at Magazines, independent road testers, tuning companies and Track-day enthusiasts. See the VBOXII Lite page for more details.
100Hz VBOX Speed sensor !
For really demanding applications, Racelogic have just released a 100Hz VBOX speed sensor.

This is a true 100Hz sensor, with a latency of just 6.5ms. Each reading is independant of the last, and no interpolation of any kind is performed.

The velocity output is available in a digital form with up to 1000 pulses per meter (user definable, 400 pulses per metre as standard), or an analogue output of 0 to 5v.

This sensor represents the very best technology for measuring the velocity of a moving object, with unparalled accuracy and response time.
Multifunction display updated

There is an update for the Multi-function display firmware which gives a large number of extra facilities, including laptiming, acceleration testing and target screens.  Please contact M-Tech on 01451 822458 for details.
300th VBOX sold
VBOX sales have now gone past the 300 mark, with over 95 units being shipped between October and the middle of December!

Many large companies have now finished doing all of their evaluation and comparison testing and found that the VBOX gives them the accuracy they require, in a small, powerful package.

Many companies are now choosing to update their existing speed testing equipment and are ordering the VBOX in batches of 5 and 10 units. This means  even more resources to keep developing the VBOX, and offering updates to new and existing customers.

Watch this space !
Multi-axis graphing
Racelogic, the VBox designers and manufacturers, have recently carried out a big update of the VBOX software, adding a number of new features. An example being that you can now show multiple axis on the same graph (see graphic opposite).

Most of these changes have been generated from requests from customers who asked for extra features to be added to the software.
Calibration
We will soon be able to provide fully traceable calibration certificates for the VBOX.

A very sophisticated GPS Doppler shift simulator is being purchased from Spirent Communications, which will allow testing of the VBOX under a number of different conditions, and us to provide a calibration certificate for all of the outputs from the VBOX.
It is a large investment (>$35,000) and shows commitment to providing the very best service and product to you, our customers.

(Other users of this test equipment include NASA, The European Space Agency, US Military, and The National Physics Laboratory.)
Multifunction display

The latest add-on for the VBOX has just been launched, the Multifunction Display.

This can show up to four parameters at a time, and has 3 separate screens. When connected to the VBOX, it can be used to carry out braking tests, showing distances, x & y g-forces, velocity, trigger speeds, MFDD, Corrected distance etc. The screen is totally configurable by the user. This unit derives it's data from the CAN bus.
VBOX Logs live train emergency

While in use with WS Atkins and Anglia Rail for train brake testing during the gails on 27/10/02, the train had to perform a "live" emergency stop due to a fallen tree on the track. Some damage was done to the train and overhead power lines were brought down.  The braking event was logged allowing the two companies to get some value from a day fraught with weather problems.
VBOX used on latest top gear

The latest Top Gear program launched on BBC2 on Sundays at 8pm, uses the VBOX to compare the performance of different cars. We have supplied a service for the BBC, whereby we supply the equipment and some custom software to display various pieces of data onto in-car footage of cars being tested.
VBOX used in Goodyear TV commercial

Goodyear recently used the VBOX in a series of commercials for US TV featuring 5 times Le Mans winner Derek Bell driving a number of exotic cars around some famous circuits.

The VBOX provided an overlay of speed, position, g-forces and laptime.

www.eaglef1.com
VBOX article in Car and Driver

A four page feature in the November 2002 edition of the largest selling US car magazine, Car and Driver, goes into detail on how they test cars. Car and Driver have a strong reputation for balanced, highly scientific testing, built up over many years and automotive testing in the US.

Car and Driver have used all types of testing equipment over the years, fifth wheels, optical sensors, and microwave sensors, and now they have taken the next logical step and invested in two VBOX II's using GPS and compact flash storage.

 
Car and Driver magazine spent just over a year carefully evaluating and fine tuning their procedures before purchasing these units. Racelogic in turn helped develop the software to suit their needs, drawing on their many years of testing experience.

This software is available for anybody purchasing a VBOX, and makes testing and evaluating new vehicles an efficient and pleasurable process !

 
VBOX used in 0-100-0 testing

Autocar recently used the VBOX to compare a large number of cars for their 0-100-0 article which appears in the September 25th edition. Cars included Lamborghini Murcielago, Porsche Turbo, Pagani Zonda, TVR Tamora, Caterham R500, Impreza STi, EVO VII RS Sprint, Lotus Elise, Focus RS and many more.

To make the article even more interesting they pitched Irvine's F1 Jaguar R3 against a Gould hillclimb car....

 
Car and Driver article

See the September 2002 edition of the US magazine Car and driver for their "10,000 hp shoot out" article, in which the VBOX was used to compare the performance of a collection of the fastest modified cars in the US.

Click here to link to Car and Driver website article
Automobile magazine

The VBOX is featured in the September 2002 edition of the US magazine Automobile. The VBOX was used in their "Sultans of slide" article in which "Nine hotshoes pit their car-control skills against one another in AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE's first Sideways Challenge."

http://www.automobilemag.com/
Independant tests

Go to the accuracy page to read about a recent report carried out by MIRA, comparing the VBOX with a fifth wheel, optical, radar and microwave sensors.
Tips and tricks page

There is a new page which gives recent tips and tricks found out by ourselves or customers, see Tips and tricks page.
Kumho tyres (UK & Korea)

Kumho tyres are the latest to join a long list of tyre companies who now use VBOX's to speed up their development and test schedules.

Kumho have chosen to upgrade from their existing equipment to the VBOX for it's ease of use, accuracy and adaptability to take their existing sensors.

www.kumhotech.co.uk

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