The Clemson Vehicular Electronics Laboratory

Wireless Sensors for Intelligent Transportation

Truck on highway

To enhance road safety and minimize the impacts of abrupt traffic conditions, transportation authorities have long relied on human operators to continuously monitor a large number of video cameras installed along major highways. As abnormal conditions are detected, the operators must resolve them by dispatching human response teams, rerouting upcoming traffic, and re-timing traffic signals. These tasks exert enormous stress and responsibilities on the operators and are prone to reliability concerns. This project evaluates a real-time traffic monitoring and automated response methodology utilizing wireless sensor networks. By deploying a network of wirelessly communicating traffic sensors and controllers, the network monitors traffic in a distributed yet collaborative fashion in reporting and resolving detected events. To effectively plan, deploy, and operate such a network in a selected traffic management area, a hierarchical wireless sensor network architecture is defined. Design procedures for optimal sensor and controller placement, network communication methods for real-time operations, and metrics for performance evaluation are being developed.

Publications

  1. Y. Zhou, M. Chowdhury, J. Martin, K.-C. Wang, X. Kang, and J. Westall, "Field performance study of a regional WiMAX network for intelligent transportation system applications," Transportation Research Record, Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 2129, 121-128, (2009).
  2. Y. Ma, Y. Zhou, M. Chowdhury, K.-C. Wang, and R. Fries, "A framework for performance evaluation of communication alternatives for intelligent transportation systems," Journal of Intelligent Transportation Systems, 13(3), 111-126, (2009).
  3. D. Bagaria, K.-C. Wang, and M. Chowdhury, "Topology-aware transmission scheduling for highway wireless sensor networks," in Proceedings of IEEE International Workshop on Performance and Management of Wireless and Mobile Networks, pp. 1-8 (October 2009).
  4. Y. Zhou, M. Chowdhury, K.-C. Wang, and G. H. Evans, Jr., "A synthesis of wireless communication alternatives for traffic control and management applications," in Proceedings of the Institute of Transportation Engineers Technical Conference, pp. 1-14 (March 2009).
  5. Y. Zhou, M. Chowdhury, K.-C. Wang, and Y. Ma, "Wireless traffic sensor network performance due to environmental disturbances and relay network topology " simulation analysis," in Proceedings of the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, 13 pages (January 2009).
  6. Y. Zhou, M. Chowdhury, J. Martin, K.-C. Wang, X. Kang, and J. Westall, "Field performance study of a regional WiMAX network for intelligent transportation system applications," in Proceedings of the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, 17 pages (January 2009).