Control of a self-powered floor preparation machine is provided by an ergonomic controller having a guarded control stick which has various characteristics, including its pitch, roll, yaw and height, that may all be adjusted.

A shift device, comprising first and second series of touch sensors and an operating mode element. The first and second series of touch sensors are arranged in first and second patterns, respectively, that each extends in a first direction. The first and second series are aligned to provide a series of touch sensor pairs, for each of which the touch sensors are aligned in a second direction, the second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. Each touch sensor pair corresponds to a respective one of a plurality of operating modes. The operating mode element is configured to change from one operating modes to another, and to emit a shift signal, only upon occurrence of a sequence of actions consisting of a shift initiation action and one or more operating mode change action. Also, methods of shifting.

Touch sensor apparatus for use with vehicles are disclosed. A disclosed touch sensor assembly for a vehicle gate includes a sensor configured to operatively couple to the vehicle gate. The touch sensor assembly also includes a cover having a tubular body that extends over the sensor and ribs interposed between the tubular body and the sensor. At least one of the ribs is configured to transfer a load from the tubular body to the sensor to change a state of the sensor.

An electric wheelchair operation apparatus includes a sliding part disposed in an armrest part, a dial part disposed on a tip side of the armrest part, the dial part configured to be moved together with the sliding part in the vehicle forward/backward direction, and an electric wheelchair drive control unit configured to control a traveling motion of an electric wheelchair by associating the amount of movement of the sliding part and/or the moved position thereof with respect to the reference point in the vehicle forward/backward direction detected by a first sensor with a traveling motion of the electric wheelchair in a forward/backward direction and associating the amount of rotation, the rotational position, and/or the rotational torque of the dial part detected by a second sensor with a turning motion of the electric wheelchair in a left/right direction.

An electric go-kart includes a frame and a crossbar. The crossbar is fixed to the frame and extends transversely to a left and right side of the frame. An accommodation box is rotationally coupled to each of the left and right side of the crossbar by a connector. A wheel is installed on an outer end of each accommodation box. A steering rod includes a one end fixed to the connector. A support rod is located at a front end of the frame. A stabilizing wheel is pivotably coupled to a front end of the support rod. A seat is fixed on a top side of the frame. A battery is located within the frame.

A controller for a vehicle is configured to determine an amount of torque to be generated by a propulsion source of the vehicle during a shift from an initial gear of a transmission of the vehicle to a target gear of the transmission. The controller is configured to determine the amount of torque based on a position of an acceleration pedal of the vehicle, a first pedal map for the initial gear, and a second pedal map for the target gear. The controller is further configured to output, during the shift from the initial gear to the target gear, one or more commands to control one or more operating parameters of the propulsion source to generate the amount of torque.

A braking control apparatus to be installed an electric vehicle includes an acceleration and deceleration operation member, a controller, and a recognizer. The acceleration and deceleration operation member receives an acceleration request in accordance with an operation amount in a first direction from a neutral position, and receive a deceleration request in accordance with an operation amount in a second direction from the neutral position. The controller controls an amount of power regenerated by a rotary electric machine driven by wheels in accordance with the operation amount in the second direction. The recognizer recognizes a preceding vehicle traveling ahead of the electric vehicle. Upon detection of the preceding vehicle at a relative distance from the electric vehicle that is equal to or less than a threshold, the controller performs braking suppression control to decrease the amount of power regenerated in accordance with the operation amount in the second direction.

A battery powered driver for propelling a wheeled ground surface modifying machine includes at least one wheel contacting a ground surface, a battery powered electric motor, control circuitry configured to manage delivery of electrical battery power to the electric motor to control a sped of the driver, at least one pedal attached to a pedal axle and tiltable in each of a forward and rearward direction with respect to the pedal axle, and at least one pedal tilt sensor configured to output one or more signals to the control circuitry indicating a degree of tilt of the at least one pedal. The control circuitry is configured to control the electric motor to accelerate the driver forward based on the one or more signals indicating a forward tilt of the at least one pedal, the electrical battery power delivered to the electric motor for forward acceleration proportional to a degree of forward tilt of the at least one pedal, and to control the electric motor to accelerate the driver rearward based on the one or more signals indicating a rearward tilt of at least one pedal, the electrical battery power delivered to the electric motor for rearward acceleration proportional to a degree of rearward tilt of the at least one pedal.

Touch sensor apparatus for use with vehicles are disclosed. A disclosed touch sensor assembly for a vehicle gate includes a sensor configured to operatively couple to the vehicle gate. The touch sensor assembly also includes a cover having a tubular body that extends over the sensor and ribs interposed between the tubular body and the sensor. At least one of the ribs is configured to transfer a load from the tubular body to the sensor to change a state of the sensor.

This application discusses various ways to adjust the performance of a variable input control in accordance with previous use data. In some embodiments, the previous use data can be associated with particular users of the variable input control. In this way, a response provided by the user input control can be adjusted to accommodate particular patterns of use on a user by user basis. In some embodiments, the variable input control can take the form of an accelerator pedal of a vehicle. Performance of the accelerator pedal can be adjusted by changing an amount of engine power provided for a particular accelerator pedal position. The adjustment can arrange commonly utilized power settings in the middle of the accelerator pedal range of motion to make manipulation of the accelerator pedal more comfortable and convenient for each user of the accelerator pedal.