The Austrian Institute of Technology’s (AIT) IoT Base Plate, an intelligent traffic management device, has won the country’s 2018 Constantinus Award in the Industry 4.0 / Internet of Things category.
The Constantinus Award has been awarded annually since 2003 and is an initiative of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber’s Business Consulting, Accounting and Information Technology Association (UBIT).
The AIT, together with two leading Austrian SMEs, EBE Solutions and Heimbuchner Consulting, has developed the new IoT Base Plate for the detection and transmission of traffic quality and congestion data, particularly for use at construction sites. The IoT-enabled intelligent traffic management unit is unique on the market and is internationally patented.
The automatic collection and processing of data for traffic management systems around construction sites is often problematic. Start and end times of construction work and vehicle movements are usually documented by hand, with data not up to date or in a digitally processable format for use by other systems. In addition, the entries in the construction journal are not always complete and the information cannot be transmitted to traffic management systems in time to be beneficial.
The IoT Base Plate functions as an on-off switch for a construction site and transmits the activation state in real time to a traffic management system. An encapsulated IT unit integrated into a traffic footplate expands it into an intelligent, networked and mobile IoT application.
The system also enables the use of real-time traffic data acquisition sensor systems, road user LED information displays, webcams, and mobile remote maintenance and control systems.
The IoT Base Plate can be deployed anywhere without additional infrastructure or equipment, and is immediately ready for use. The unit is robust, energy self-sufficient, modular, stackable, fully compatible with other construction site equipment such as warning trailers, and blends seamlessly into normal construction site operation.
The IoT Base Plate is available with other modules for different applications, including:
SMART.SIGN – by inserting or removing the pole, the unit detects and sends the start and end of construction zones, and via GPS, it locates every traffic sign and constantly monitors its status; SMART.CAM – acts as an autonomous traffic camera, and is immediately ready for use without the need to search for mounting options or connections for power and data; SMART.TIME – consists of at least two modules and measures the travel time for the intermediate route via WLAN and/or Bluetooth; SMART.TRAFFIC – can be used flexibly and independently for traffic counting, speed measurement, and vehicle classification anywhere; SMART.LIGHT – is a supplement to conventional light beacons, and several units can be arranged as traffic-dependent controlled light chains and combined with other construction site equipment such as warning trailers; SMART.PACK – is the compatible battery pack for all modules and extends their runtime up to several weeks through simple stacking; SMART.C-ITS is the direct vehicle-to-everything (V2X) interface between all modules and networked vehicles.
“The award of the IoT Base Plate in the context of this year’s Constantinus Award shows the innovation potential that can be developed from the cooperation of AIT with Austrian SMEs,” said Michael Aleksa, traffic telematics expert at the AIT Center for Mobility Systems. “The IoT Base Plate makes a significant contribution to increasing the quality of service in the traffic management area.”
