2014 paper out of the University of Pennsylvania describes plans for innovative pedestrian warning system .
Philadelphia, Virginia, United States
Directed Audio Warning System for Reduction of Bus-Pedestrian Collisions
Summary Information
A research team out of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia prototyped a pedestrian warning system intent on reducing the rising number of pedestrian-bus collisions. The system is novel in that it achieves a high directivity of sound by emitting a targeted audio warning toward pedestrians and does not noisily disrupt the surrounding environment.
The location detection system determines when a turn will be made by identifying the bus’ position and comparing the position with a saved route. If a turn is predicted, the warning system is activated. A laserfinder sensor then detects the pedestrian’s position, and a motor swivels an ultrasonic speaker to face the target and emit a directed audio warning.
Through collaboration with Protran Technology, a transit safety company that specializes in pedestrian bus warning systems, the university plans to produce a hybrid product that incorporates the directed audio beam technology with Protran’s existing turn-activated warning system. The new integrated system is expected to be piloted with buses from Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA).
Advantages of this type of system:
- Uses standard, off-the-shelf components with a target cost of $500 or less, which is less expensive than similar pedestrian detection systems utilized by transit agencies.
- Can easily be retrofitted onto existing buses, without the need for complex disassembly of portions of the bus.
- Minimizes noise pollution in the urban environment by targeting and delivering audible noise only to targeted locations while minimizing noise output elsewhere.