Project Number:
05-14
Research Project:
SURE-FT: Sensor for Unexpected Roadway Events: Field Trials
P.I. Name & Address:
John Heidemann
Information Sciences Institute
University of Southern California
4676 Admiralty Way
Marina del Rey, CA 90292-6695
Tel: (310) 448-8708
Fax: (310) 823-6714
Email: johnh@isi.edu
Co-P.I.s:
Genevieve Giuliano
School of Policy, Planning, and Development
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0626
Tel: (213) 740-3956
Fax: (213) 740-0001
Email: giuliano@usc.edu
Project Objective:
The purpose of this research is to demonstrate the feasibility of an automated system for medium-duration, portable, in-the-field vehicle reidentification. Each of these aspects is important: automated: almost all medium-term monitoring today is manual, typically with human observers recording traffic. Instead, we plan to employ a network of traffic sensors (NOTS), a number of small, low-cost computer nodes, each with a portable inductive loop sensor, to provide accurate measurements for longer duration and lower cost than are possible today. Medium-term: lack of automation limits today’s studies, often limited to hours or a day, we wish to enable studies of 7-14 days. Portable and in-the-field: while high-value sites warrant investment in in-roadway sensors, the cost and construction required for such systems is impossible for medium-term, casual measurements. By “portable”, we envision a monitoring system that can be taken on-site and set up by one or a few people in a few hours. Vehicle reidentification: there are many cases where reidentification of unparticipating vehicles is important, including vehicle queueing and diesel exhaust studies around port facilities or distribution centers, freight traffic studies to understand urban transport networks, and traffic studies around potential new developments, etc. In most of these applications vehicles must be treated as uncooperative; they do not assist in reidentfication.
Task Descriptions:
1. Evaluate sensor configuration, packaging; preliminary software integration
2. Purchase and evaluate selected sensors. Plan port field trial timing, location
3 Data collection experiment at port
4. Complete preliminary analysis of data collection experiment
5. Revise algorithms based on data collection experiments
6. Write final report
Milestones, Dates:
February 1, 2005 –January 31, 2006
Total Budget:
$75,000
Student Involvement:
One Student @ $22.15/hr., 400 hours
Relationship to Other Research Projects:
Related to 04-08; part of goods movement focus area
Technology Transfer Activities:
Project report posted on the website; cooperative effort with Los Angeles Department of Transportation
Potential Benefits of the Project:
Better data on truck flows for monitoring, planning
TRB Keywords:
Vehicle classification, sensor networks
Primary Subject:
4b.9 Traffic management
Goals:
4c.2 Mobility
Enabling Research:
4c.10 Sensing and measurement
Modal Orientation:
Highway
