FLIR Intelligent Transportation Systems is a global leader in video image processing for traffic analysis. FLIR’s intelligent technology makes traffic safer and more efficient. All over the world, traffic managers use FLIR’s solutions for automatic incident detection, traffic data collection, vehicle and pedestrian presence detection, and management in highways, tunnels, bridges and smart intersections.
With the rapid increase in transport demand in the last decade, congestion has become a true mobility problem in many cities in Africa and around the world. Smart infrastructure, including vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian presence sensors can alleviate the problem. Accurate vehicle presence detection can help optimize traffic flows, because it allows traffic authorities to manage and control traffic lights at intersections based on actual traffic demand.
One of FLIR’s latest additions to its sensor portfolio is ThermiCam: an integrated thermal camera and detector for vehicle/bike detection. ThermiCam does not need light to operate, but uses thermal energy emitted from vehicles and bicyclists. This enables the sensor to detect vehicles and bikes in the darkest of nights, over a long range and in the most difficult weather conditions. ThermiCam can be used to control traffic lights by detecting vehicles and bicycles at and nearby the stop bar. The intelligent ThermiCam sensor will transmit its detection information over contact closures or over IP to the traffic light controller and will allow more dynamic control of traffic lights. This results in reduced vehicle idling time, improved traffic flow and improved safety for road users.
FLIR’s incident detection technology will detect all major incidents within seconds: stopped vehicles, wrong way drivers, queues, slow moving vehicles, fallen objects. In addition, FLIR offers cost-effective solutions to collect traffic data, monitor traffic flow and emulate or simulate loops on highways and inter-urban roads.
FLIR’s VIP video imaging processing modules for traffic control integrate automatic incident detection, data collection, recording of pre and post incident image sequences and streaming video in one board. VIP modules have been installed for road and tunnel projects all over the world.
According to experts in the company, the IP camera market is really booming now and FLIR adds the “smarts” to it: their video analytic algorithms make standard IP cameras smart so they can automatically generate an alarm in case of an intruder, a stopped vehicle on the road, a wrong way driver or a slow vehicle.
Contribution:
FLIR Intelligent Transportation Systems
Verstraete, Nico
