I) PerfectPower Androïd
V 6.1
Release: Mo 20/03/2023 - x.xx (New York time)
Report:
1) Direct communication via Bluetooth with the RaceBox Mini (the most efficient "all-public" external GPS on the market: 25 Hz and 0.3 m of horizontal accuracy!), allowing:
- to further increase the accuracy of PerfectPower measurements (especially the runs flying start)
- the use of the new "GPS only" measurement mode for power & accelerations & braking measurements
- the concretization of a partnership with RaceBox, the manufacturer of the RaceBox Mini
2) Unlocking the "GPS only" measurement mode (power & accelerations & braking measurements), allowing to get rid of constraints of the accelerometer, and therefore allowing:
- to completely free the phone from any mounting requirements (stability, vibration level, positioning)
- to carry out measurements on a road in poor condition, even if this is not recommended from a strict performances point of view, the rolling resistance (and the air resistance to a lesser extent) being seriously increased and variably over time
- to perform power measurements on a rolling start (indeed, the specific calibration phase at standstill is no longer necessary!)
- to no longer have to carry out the difficult specific calibration phase while driving for braking measurements
However, the use of a high performance external GPS of 10 Hz minimum communicating via Bluetooth with the application remains essential to use this mode, the internal GPS of phones still limited to 1 Hz in 2023 being still far too slow.
3) Creation of a protection system against piracy: the Power function (the main function) is locked on first opening of a version of PerfectPower greater than or equal to 6.1, and each user of such a version will now have to email me with his/her ORDER ID on the Google Play so that I can unlock it.
V 6.0.1
Release: We 22/02/2023 - 5.27 pm (New York time)
Report:
1) For acceleration measurements (based on the "Accelerometer + GPS" combination): Creation of a auto-adaptive smoothing of the curves according to the signal / noise ratio, allowing an optimal precision of curves at any point of the measurement (resumption of the auto-adaptive smoothing already carried out for power measurements since version 6.0)
Note: This will not change the Distance / Time (60 ft, 1/8 mile, 1/4 mile, 3300 ft) and Speed / Time (0 – 20 / 40 / ... / 200 mph) results both calculated by two mathematical operations requiring no specific smoothing (integration of the acceleration provided by the accelerometer and correlation by the information provided by the GPS), but only the Acceleration / Time curve (and as a consequence the maximum acceleration noted) which it definitely needs smoothing!
2) For users having on their phone power results performed with any version prior to 6.0 (5.6 or earlier):
- Fixed the conversion of averaged results to the new PerfectPower calculation system introduced in version 6.0 (an oversight made this conversion incomplete in version 6.0, generating underestimated max powers by about 3%)
- Automatic saving of all results (individual and averaged) converted to the new PerfectPower calculation system introduced in version 6.0 as soon as a results sheet is opened (this saving was not carried out in version 6.0, generating max powers different between that read in the sheet of a given result and that read in the results list)
Reminder: Be careful because in some cases (especially for cars taking their maximum power very close to the rev limiter), there could be anomalies on the curve end since the old end of measurement detection (that carried out in versions prior to 6.0) was imperfect, thank you for your understanding! Ideally, do not hesitate to redo two final validation measurements with version 6.0 with averaging in stride to obtain certain reference results in all points of the curve!
3) Slight modification of the home message, specifying the progress of the partnership with the manufacturer of the RaceBox Mini (high performance external GPS of 25 Hz!)
V 6.0
Release: Fr 13/01/2023 - 4.13 am (New York time)
Report:
1) All adaptations to ANDROID 13 (API 33) + ANDROID min changed from 4.4 (API 19) to 7.0 (API 24)
2) Ultimate optimization of power and acceleration measurements accuracy (based on the "Accelerometer + GPS" combination)
A) Limitation of the accelerometer frequency to 100 Hz (instead of 200)
B) Optimization of the end of measurement detection (rev limiter - on petrol engine - or foot lift) (power only)
C) Optimization of the curves processing by the choice of a new, more efficient signal processing technique:
- Filtering of engine vibrations optimized
- Filtering of "road disturbances" optimized
D) Creation of an auto-adaptive smoothing of the curves according to the signal / noise ratio, allowing an optimal precision of curves in all circumstances and the equalization of the precision of curves in 2nd and 3rd gear (power only)
E) Optimization of the PerfectPower model of losses under load on the pneumatic part (power only)
F) Optimization of the PerfectPower model of rolling resistance, adapted to recent road tires (law still of type a + bV², but a changed from 130 to 120 N/t and b changed from 45 to 25 N/t @ 100 km/h (62 mph), average values recorded by a European test campaign in 2013 on a very large number of vehicles; the old values were the average values recorded by me on my 3 personal cars) (power only)
G) Optimization of the PerfectPower model of engine and wheels inertia calculation (power only):
- The calculation of the engine inertia now takes into account the number of cylinders, which gives more realistic results for all engines with more (or less!) than 4 cylinders: indeed, my old model was based on a study of several PSA (Peugeot & Citroën) 4-cylinders, which could not fully apply to engines with more or less than 4 cylinders, but the shooting is now rectified!
- The calculation of the wheels inertia is refined thanks to the optimization of my model (Renault Clio 16V wheels with aluminum rims), much finer on the geometric schematization of the moving masses.
3) Adding a "GPS only" measurement mode (power & accelerations & braking), however locked for this version 6.0: it will be unlocked in the next version 6.1
4) Replacement of the function of automatic recovery of weather data by a function of manual recovery of these data in real time and by geolocation on the reference weather site "The Weather Channel"
Note: The reasons for this choice are as follows:
- The last weather server used for the automatic recovery of weather data stopped its service overnight, a mishap that I would prefer not to see repeated...
- This type of service is chargeable beyond a certain number of connections per day, which would force me to have to pass on this additional cost to PerfectPower users, whereas it takes no more than... 20 seconds to complete yourself your own weather data (pressure, temperature, and humidity) with the new manual recovery system that I propose, including in particular the automatic conversion of the atmospheric pressure given at sea level (by standardization) into the local pressure on your measurement road: so I think this solution is the most advantageous for everyone!
5) General revision of authorizations for measurements & comparison of measurements & averaging of measurements:
- Authorization of power measurements on any gear, BUT addition of a warning message in case of choosing a gear other than 2 or 3, the only ones that should be used with a serial car
- Authorization of recalculation of results after measurement for the "Engine displacement", "Number of cylinders", Tires size" fields (previously locked)
- Averaging of power measurements having a different speed correction mode allowed
- Increasing the reading time of measurements & measurements comparison & measurements averaging prohibition text
6) Deletion of the EXPERT page and therefore of the 5 parameters associated with it (k tires, coefficients a and b of the law of rolling resistance a + bV2, engine and wheels inertia) and which were available for recalculation of results after measurement, due both to the perfection of the values and calculations of these parameters in PerfectPower 6.0 and the tiny number of users concerned (experts of the automotive sector working on particular projects)
7) Adding a warning message when opening the app about measurement accuracy, specifying the importance of using an external GPS of 10 Hz minimum and performing measurements in both directions of the road
8) Solid Lap Timer revision:
- Addition of a tracks selection system (limited to two tracks for the moment: Lurcy-Levis and Le Castellet in France), but with the possibility of a free choice of GPS coordinates
- Improvement of the ergonomics of the entry of GPS coordinates in free choice
- Prohibition of choosing a track or entering GPS coordinates during a timed session
- Authorization to launch a timed session while driving (it could only be done when stopped before)
- Maximum duration increased from 30 minutes to 1 hour
9) For PerfectPower users updating from any previous version (5.6 or earlier): Creation of a conversion system of all their old power results and all their car parameters to the new PerfectPower calculation system. However, be careful because in some cases (especially for cars taking their maximum power very close to the rev limiter), there could be anomalies on the curve end since the old end of measurement detection was imperfect, thank you for your understanding!
10) Various textual and graphic adaptations related to the additions of functions performed + Update of all web links (FR/EN guides, email contact, automotive database)
11) Increasing the maximum size for entering the "Model" and "Description" fields of a car from 20 to 25 characters
12) General aesthetic revision
IMPORTANT: The ultimate optimization of power measurements accuracy was consolidated by carrying out a measurements session on Friday, November 4, 2022 on the best chassis dynamometer on the market (a Rotronics Autoscan FI 4x4 synchronized) with my main car (Peugeot 307 1.6 16V) and several BMW M3 E46 of customers in electronic management!
II) PerfectPower iOS
V 6.0
Release: During 2023 - x.xx (New York time)
Report:
Complete upgrade to the level of PerfectPower Android 6.0, which includes:
1) Adding the functionality of re-calculation of results on parameters after measurement (power & accelerations)
2) Adding the "Braking", "Speed", "Rev calibration", and "Losses measurement" functions
3) Adding a "GPS only" measurement mode (power & accelerations & braking), however locked for this version 6.0: it will be unlocked in the next version 6.1
4) Replacement of the function of automatic recovery of weather data by a function of manual recovery of these data in real time and by geolocation on the reference weather site "The Weather Channel"
Note: The reasons for this choice are as follows:
- The last weather server used for the automatic recovery of weather data stopped its service overnight, a mishap that I would prefer not to see repeated...
- This type of service is chargeable beyond a certain number of connections per day, which would force me to have to pass on this additional cost to PerfectPower users, whereas it takes no more than... 20 seconds to complete yourself your own weather data (pressure, temperature, and humidity) with the new manual recovery system that I propose, including in particular the automatic conversion of the atmospheric pressure given at sea level (by standardization) into the local pressure on your measurement road: so I think this solution is the most advantageous for everyone!
5) General revision of authorizations for measurements & comparison of measurements & averaging of measurements:
- Authorization of power measurements only in 2nd or 3rd gear
- Averaging of power measurements having a different speed correction mode allowed
- Increasing the reading time of measurements & measurements comparison & measurements averaging prohibition text
6) Adding a warning message when opening the app about measurement accuracy, specifying the importance of using an external GPS of 10 Hz minimum and performing measurements in both directions of the road
7) Solid Lap Timer revision:
- Addition of a tracks selection system (limited to two tracks for the moment: Lurcy-Levis and Le Castellet in France), but with the possibility of a free choice of GPS coordinates
- Improvement of the ergonomics of the entry of GPS coordinates in free choice
- Prohibition of choosing a track or entering GPS coordinates during a timed session
- Authorization to launch a timed session while driving (it could only be done when stopped before)
- Maximum duration increased from 30 minutes to 1 hour
8) Various graphic adaptations related to the additions of functions performed
9) Increasing the maximum size for entering the "Model" and "Description" fields of a car from 20 to 25 characters
10) General aesthetic revision
V 5.0
Release: Mo 27/03/2023 - x.xx (New York time)
Report:
Upgrade to the level of PerfectPower Android 6.0 on measurement accuracy + minimal adaptations, which includes:
1) All adaptations to iOS 16
2) Ultimate optimization of power and acceleration measurements accuracy (based on the "Accelerometer + GPS" combination)
A) Limitation of the accelerometer frequency to 100 Hz (instead of 200)
B) Optimization of the end of measurement detection (rev limiter - on petrol engine - or foot lift) (power only)
C) Optimization of the curves processing by the choice of a new, more efficient signal processing technique:
- Filtering of engine vibrations optimized
- Filtering of "road disturbances" optimized
D) Creation of an auto-adaptive smoothing of the curves according to the signal / noise ratio, allowing an optimal precision of curves in all circumstances and the equalization of the precision of curves in 2nd and 3rd gear (power only)
E) Optimization of the PerfectPower model of losses under load on the pneumatic part (power only)
F) Optimization of the PerfectPower model of rolling resistance, adapted to recent road tires (law still of type a + bV², but a changed from 130 to 120 N/t and b changed from 45 to 25 N/t @ 100 km/h (62 mph), average values recorded by a European test campaign in 2013 on a very large number of vehicles; the old values were the average values recorded by me on my 3 personal cars) (power only)
G) Optimization of the PerfectPower model of engine and wheels inertia calculation (power only):
- The calculation of the engine inertia now takes into account the number of cylinders, which gives more realistic results for all engines with more (or less!) than 4 cylinders: indeed, my old model was based on a study of several PSA (Peugeot & Citroën) 4-cylinders, which could not fully apply to engines with more or less than 4 cylinders, but the shooting is now rectified!
- The calculation of the wheels inertia is refined thanks to the optimization of my model (Renault Clio 16V wheels with aluminum rims), much finer on the geometric schematization of the moving masses.