A test bench and a method to predict pressure oscillations in a vehicle tire. The tire is rotatably positioned, via a bearing on a test bench rim, the tire is pressurized with fluid, a load is applied on the tire, the tire is accelerated according to pre-determinable speed ramp to a final speed, the fluid in accordance with the tire speed, undergoes an oscillation excitation, and reacts to the oscillation excitation with a pressure oscillation. The method is characterized in that an effective force of the tire, due to the pressure oscillation, at the bearing is continuously detected, and that a descriptive data set is determined for the tire speed over the frequency, a timing signal of the speed ramp undergoes a Fourier transformation and, in an analogous manner, a reference data set is created through the use of a vehicle rim instead of the test bench rim.

An apparatus is provided for detecting vibrational anomalies of a vehicle. The apparatus includes a first device and a second device. The first device is removably attachable to a wheel assembly of the vehicle and includes an inertial measurement unit (IMU) configured to remotely collect acceleration data, and a microcontroller. The second device is also removably attachable to the vehicle, but is not attached to any of the wheel assemblies. The second device is configured to collect vibrational data. The microcontroller is configured to receive the remotely collected acceleration data and the vibrational data from the respective first and second devices, analyze the acceleration data from the first device to determine whether a vibrational anomaly exists in the wheel assembly, analyze the vibrational data from the second device to determine whether a vibrational anomaly exists, and compare the analyzed acceleration data from the first device and the analyzed vibrational data from the second device to identify a potential source of vibrational anomaly in the vehicle. When the analyzed acceleration data from the first device determines that there is negligible vibrational anomaly from the wheel assembly and the analyzed vibrational data from the second device determines the existence of a vibrational anomaly, the comparison identifies that the potential source of vibrational anomaly in the vehicle is in a part of the vehicle other than the wheel assembly.

Sensor modules mountable on a wheel are described. A sensor module mountable adjacent to a rim of a wheel includes a first set of one or more piezoelectric sensors; and a first elastic support with the first set of one or more piezoelectric sensors coupled thereon so that the first set of one or more piezoelectric sensors are spaced apart from the rim of the wheel. A wheel that includes a rim and the sensor module is also disclosed. A method includes receiving a force on a tire mounted on a rim of a wheel. The tire is in contact with an elastic support with one or more piezoelectric sensors coupled thereon so that the force causes strain in the elastic support and the one or more piezoelectrical sensors. The method also includes, in response to receiving the force, generating electrical signals from the one or more piezoelectric sensors.

A method is provided for detecting vibrational anomalies of a vehicle using a plurality of devices that are removably attachable to the vehicle. One of the devices is removably attachable to a wheel assembly and includes an IMU configured to remotely collect data. At least one of the other devices is not attached to any of the wheel assemblies. Acceleration data is collected from the device that is removably attachable to the wheel assembly. Vibrational data is collected from at least one of the other devices that are not attached to any of the wheel assemblies. The acceleration data is analyzed from the device that is removably attachable to the wheel assembly to determine whether a vibrational anomaly exists in the wheel assembly. The vibrational data from the at least one of the other devices that are not attached to any of the wheel assemblies is analyzed to determine whether a vibrational anomaly exists. The acceleration data that was analyzed from the device that is removably attachable to the wheel assembly is compared to the vibrational data analyzed from the at least one of the other devices that are not attached to any of the wheel assemblies to identify a potential source of vibrational anomaly in the vehicle.