Wireless Sensors for Intelligent Transportation

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).