Traffic sign detection and classification using colour and shape cues

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Senekal, FP

2008-11-01

Full Text Available . In highway maintenance and sign inventory applications, the ability to recognise and possibly to evaluate the condition of the signs, can greatly reduce the effort in maintaining current road infrastructure. Traffic signs are designed to have specific... that traffic signs have unique colours and shapes are often exploited in algorithms designed to recognise them. These algorithms typically follow a two step process. In the detection phase, the position and shape of the signs (if any) in the image...

Smartphone Based Traffic Sign Inventory and Assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

2016-01-01

Road signs are an important part of the infrastructure and are needed to ensure smooth and : safe traffic flow. Faded, occluded, damaged or vandalized signs can confuse or misinform : drivers and lead to unsafe driving behavior. E.g. if a driver is n...

Early Model of Traffic Sign Reminder Based on Neural Network

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Budi Rahmani

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Recognizing the traffic signs installed on the streets is one of the requirements of driving on the road. Laxity in driving may result in traffic accident. This paper describes a real-time reminder model, by utilizing a camera that can be installed in a car to capture image of traffic signs, and is processed and later to inform the driver. The extracting feature harnessing the morphological elements (strel is used in this paper. Artificial Neural Networks is used to train the system and to produce a final decision. The result shows that the accuracy in detecting and recognizing the ten types of traffic signs in real-time is 80%.

Symbols and warrants for major traffic generator guide signing.

Science.gov (United States)

2009-09-01

The Texas Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (TMUTCD) provides the definition of regular traffic generators based on four population types but not for major traffic generators (MTGs). MTG signs have been considered to supplement the overall si...

Application of machine learning methods for traffic signs recognition

Science.gov (United States)

Filatov, D. V.; Ignatev, K. V.; Deviatkin, A. V.; Serykh, E. V.

2018-02-01

This paper focuses on solving a relevant and pressing safety issue on intercity roads. Two approaches were considered for solving the problem of traffic signs recognition; the approaches involved neural networks to analyze images obtained from a camera in the real-time mode. The first approach is based on a sequential image processing. At the initial stage, with the help of color filters and morphological operations (dilatation and erosion), the area containing the traffic sign is located on the image, then the selected and scaled fragment of the image is analyzed using a feedforward neural network to determine the meaning of the found traffic sign. Learning of the neural network in this approach is carried out using a backpropagation method. The second approach involves convolution neural networks at both stages, i.e. when searching and selecting the area of the image containing the traffic sign, and when determining its meaning. Learning of the neural network in the second approach is carried out using the intersection over union function and a loss function. For neural networks to learn and the proposed algorithms to be tested, a series of videos from a dash cam were used that were shot under various weather and illumination conditions. As a result, the proposed approaches for traffic signs recognition were analyzed and compared by key indicators such as recognition rate percentage and the complexity of neural networks’ learning process.

LIDAR-INCORPORATED TRAFFIC SIGN DETECTION FROM VIDEO LOG IMAGES OF MOBILE MAPPING SYSTEM

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Y. Li

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Mobile Mapping System (MMS simultaneously collects the Lidar points and video log images in a scenario with the laser profiler and digital camera. Besides the textural details of video log images, it also captures the 3D geometric shape of point cloud. It is widely used to survey the street view and roadside transportation infrastructure, such as traffic sign, guardrail, etc., in many transportation agencies. Although many literature on traffic sign detection are available, they only focus on either Lidar or imagery data of traffic sign. Based on the well-calibrated extrinsic parameters of MMS, 3D Lidar points are, the first time, incorporated into 2D video log images to enhance the detection of traffic sign both physically and visually. Based on the local elevation, the 3D pavement area is first located. Within a certain distance and height of the pavement, points of the overhead and roadside traffic signs can be obtained according to the setup specification of traffic signs in different transportation agencies. The 3D candidate planes of traffic signs are then fitted using the RANSAC plane-fitting of those points. By projecting the candidate planes onto the image, Regions of Interest (ROIs of traffic signs are found physically with the geometric constraints between laser profiling and camera imaging. The Random forest learning of the visual color and shape features of traffic signs is adopted to validate the sign ROIs from the video log images. The sequential occurrence of a traffic sign among consecutive video log images are defined by the geometric constraint of the imaging geometry and GPS movement. Candidate ROIs are predicted in this temporal context to double-check the salient traffic sign among video log images. The proposed algorithm is tested on a diverse set of scenarios on the interstate highway G-4 near Beijing, China under varying lighting conditions and occlusions. Experimental results show the proposed algorithm enhances the

Traffic sign classification with dataset augmentation and convolutional neural network

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Qing; Kurnianggoro, Laksono; Jo, Kang-Hyun

2018-04-01

This paper presents a method for traffic sign classification using a convolutional neural network (CNN). In this method, firstly we transfer a color image into grayscale, and then normalize it in the range (-1,1) as the preprocessing step. To increase robustness of classification model, we apply a dataset augmentation algorithm and create new images to train the model. To avoid overfitting, we utilize a dropout module before the last fully connection layer. To assess the performance of the proposed method, the German traffic sign recognition benchmark (GTSRB) dataset is utilized. Experimental results show that the method is effective in classifying traffic signs.

Traffic sign recognition with deep convolutional neural networks

OpenAIRE

Karamatić, Boris

2016-01-01

The problem of detection and recognition of traffic signs is becoming an important problem when it comes to the development of self driving cars and advanced driver assistance systems. In this thesis we will develop a system for detection and recognition of traffic signs. For the problem of detection we will use aggregate channel features and for the problem of recognition we will use a deep convolutional neural network. We will describe how convolutional neural networks work, how they are co...

Senales de Trafico. Ingles-Espanol = Traffic Signs. English-Spanish [and] English-Spanish Road Signs for American Tourists.

Science.gov (United States)

Grosse, Philip

Two English/Spanish bilingual glossaries define words and phrases found on traffic signs. The first is an extensive alphabetical checklist of sign messages, listed in English with translations in Spanish. Some basic traffic and speed limit rules are included. The second volume, in Spanish-to-English form, is a pocket version designed for American…

Feature Detection of Curve Traffic Sign Image on The Bandung - Jakarta Highway

Science.gov (United States)

Naseer, M.; Supriadi, I.; Supangkat, S. H.

2018-03-01

Unsealed roadside and problems with the road surface are common causes of road crashes, particularly when those are combined with curves. Curve traffic sign is an important component for giving early warning to driver on traffic, especially on high-speed traffic like on the highway. Traffic sign detection has became a very interesting research now, and in this paper will be discussed about the detection of curve traffic sign. There are two types of curve signs are discussed, namely the curve turn to the left and the curve turn to the right and the all data sample used are the curves taken / recorded from some signs on the Bandung - Jakarta Highway. Feature detection of the curve signs use Speed Up Robust Feature (SURF) method, where the detected scene image is 800x450. From 45 curve turn to the right images, the system can detect the feature well to 35 images, where the success rate is 77,78%, while from the 45 curve turn to the left images, the system can detect the feature well to 34 images and the success rate is 75,56%, so the average accuracy in the detection process is 76,67%. While the average time for the detection process is 0.411 seconds.

Assistance System for Traffic Signs Inventory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karel Zídek

2015-01-01

Full Text Available We can see arising trend in the automotive industry in last years – autonomous cars that are driven just by on-board computers. The traffic signs tracking system must deal with real conditions with data that are frequently obtained in poor light conditions, fog, heavy rain or are otherwise disturbed. Completely same problem is solved by mapping companies that are producing geospatial data for different information systems, navigations, etc. They are frequently using cars equipped with a wide range of measuring instruments including panoramic cameras. These measurements are frequently done during early morning hours when the traffic conditions are acceptable. However, in this time, the sun position is usually not optimal for the photography. Most of the traffic signs and other street objects are heavily underexposed. Hence, it is difficult to find an automatic approach that can identify them reliably. In this article, we focus on methods designed to deal with the described conditions. An overview of the state-of-the-art methods is outlined. Further, where it is possible, we outline an implementation of the described methods using well-known Open Computer Vision library. Finally, emphasis is placed on the methods that can deal with low light conditions, fog or other situations that complicate the detection process.

Electronic traffic signs: Reflecting upon its transition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arbaiza Martin, A.E.; Alba, A.L.; Hernando Mazon, A.; Blanch Mico, M.T.

2016-07-01

In our days we face a fundamental issue concerning road signs. We may display contents in vertical and horizontal format (static signs, variable message signs, road markings), either on a post, a gantry or a dashboard. And we foresee a coming age where the excellent matrix resolution of painted signs will be truly approached by the resolution of full matrix displays. But we also risk a babel context threatening the universal approach encouraged by international catalogues as the 1968 Convention (ECE/TRANS/196, 2007). And the fundamental risk comes from our decisions regarding how the transition from the contents and formats displayed on static message signs to the ones displayed on electronic signs (in gantries or dashboards) should be. Our work explores this issue specifically, considering the transition from Advance Direction Signs (static message signs, class G, 1 in the 1968 Convention) to what could be termed Advance Location Signs (signs concerning the location of variable events with regards to certain landmarks) developed as an adaptation of the G, 1 class to electronic traffic signs.(Author)

Model for Predicting Traffic Signs Functional Service Life – The Republic of Croatia Case Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dario Babić

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Traffic signs are the basic elements of communication between the relevant road authorities and road users. They manage, regulate, inform and warn road users to ensure their safe movement throughout transport networks. Traffic signs must be timely visible to all traffic participants in all weather and traffic conditions in order to fulfil their function, which means they must have satisfactory retroreflection properties. This paper presents a research of the deterioration of traffic signs retroreflection. The aim of this article is to develop models that will effectively enable predicting the retroreflection of traffic signs and thus optimize the maintenance activities and replacement of road signs to increase road safety. The research included measurements of retroreflection of retroreflective material Classes I and II (white, red and blue colour and Class III (red and yellow colour. Based on the collected data from the City of Zagreb (Republic of Croatia, the authors developed the models to estimate the functional service life of certain colours and materials used to make traffic signs. Considering that the average coefficient of determination for all the models is between 0.55-0.60, they present an effective tool in the traffic sign maintenance system.

Mutation detection for inventories of traffic signs from street-level panoramic images

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hazelhoff, L.; Creusen, I.M.; With, de P.H.N.

2014-01-01

Road safety is positively influenced by both adequate placement and optimal visibility of traffic signs. As their visibility degrades over time due to e.g. aging, vandalism, accidents and vegetation coverage, up-to-date inven­tories of traffic signs are highly attractive for preserving a high road

A frequency-domain implementation of a sliding-window traffic sign detector for large scale panoramic datasets

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Creusen, I.M.; Hazelhoff, L.; With, de P.H.N.

2013-01-01

In large-scale automatic traffic sign surveying systems, the primary computational effort is concentrated at the traffic sign detection stage. This paper focuses on reducing the computational load of particularly the sliding window object detection algorithm which is employed for traffic sign

Development of a model performance-based sign sheeting specification based on the evaluation of nighttime traffic signs using legibility and eye-tracker data.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-01

This project focused on the evaluation of traffic sign sheeting performance in terms of meeting the nighttime : driver needs. The goal was to develop a nighttime driver needs specification for traffic signs. The : researchers used nighttime sign legi...

Self-centering connections for traffic sign supporting structures.

Science.gov (United States)

2015-03-01

Steel structures supporting traffic sign panels are designed as intended to dissipate energy by : yielding structural members during severe wind loading (ex. strong hurricanes). Yielding results : in inelastic deformations, which are permanent damage...

Mutation detection for inventories of traffic signs from street-level panoramic images

Science.gov (United States)

Hazelhoff, Lykele; Creusen, Ivo; De With, Peter H. N.

2014-03-01

Road safety is positively influenced by both adequate placement and optimal visibility of traffic signs. As their visibility degrades over time due to e.g. aging, vandalism, accidents and vegetation coverage, up-to-date inven­tories of traffic signs are highly attractive for preserving a high road safety. These inventories are performed in a semi-automatic fashion from street-level panoramic images, exploiting object detection and classification tech­niques. Next to performing inventories from scratch, these systems are also exploited for the efficient retrieval of situation changes by comparing the outcome of the automated system to a baseline inventory (e.g. performed in a previous year). This allows for specific manual interactions to the found changes, while skipping all unchanged situations, thereby resulting in a large efficiency gain. This work describes such a mutation detection approach, with special attention to re-identifying previously found signs. Preliminary results on a geographical area con­taining about 425 km of road show that 91.3% of the unchanged signs are re-identified, while the amount of found differences equals about 35% of the number of baseline signs. From these differences, about 50% correspond to physically changed traffic signs, next to false detections, misclassifications and missed signs. As a bonus, our approach directly results in the changed situations, which is beneficial for road sign maintenance.

Unravelling hieroglyphs : urban traffic signs and the league of nations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schipper, F.

2009-01-01

This article discusses road traffic signs in the Interwar years. The article first sketches the often difficult relationship between the car and the city and society at large. It proposes road signs were introduced in part to mitigate this antagonistic relation. On the eve of the First World War

Restoration of motion-blurred image based on border deformation detection: a traffic sign restoration model.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yiliang Zeng

Full Text Available Due to the rapid development of motor vehicle Driver Assistance Systems (DAS, the safety problems associated with automatic driving have become a hot issue in Intelligent Transportation. The traffic sign is one of the most important tools used to reinforce traffic rules. However, traffic sign image degradation based on computer vision is unavoidable during the vehicle movement process. In order to quickly and accurately recognize traffic signs in motion-blurred images in DAS, a new image restoration algorithm based on border deformation detection in the spatial domain is proposed in this paper. The border of a traffic sign is extracted using color information, and then the width of the border is measured in all directions. According to the width measured and the corresponding direction, both the motion direction and scale of the image can be confirmed, and this information can be used to restore the motion-blurred image. Finally, a gray mean grads (GMG ratio is presented to evaluate the image restoration quality. Compared to the traditional restoration approach which is based on the blind deconvolution method and Lucy-Richardson method, our method can greatly restore motion blurred images and improve the correct recognition rate. Our experiments show that the proposed method is able to restore traffic sign information accurately and efficiently.

Identifying the Safety Factors over Traffic Signs in State Roads using a Panel Quantile Regression Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Šarić, Željko; Xu, Xuecai; Duan, Li; Babić, Darko

2018-06-20

This study intended to investigate the interactions between accident rate and traffic signs in state roads located in Croatia, and accommodate the heterogeneity attributed to unobserved factors. The data from 130 state roads between 2012 and 2016 were collected from Traffic Accident Database System maintained by the Republic of Croatia Ministry of the Interior. To address the heterogeneity, a panel quantile regression model was proposed, in which quantile regression model offers a more complete view and a highly comprehensive analysis of the relationship between accident rate and traffic signs, while the panel data model accommodates the heterogeneity attributed to unobserved factors. Results revealed that (1) low visibility of material damage (MD) and death or injured (DI) increased the accident rate; (2) the number of mandatory signs and the number of warning signs were more likely to reduce the accident rate; (3)average speed limit and the number of invalid traffic signs per km exhibited a high accident rate. To our knowledge, it's the first attempt to analyze the interactions between accident consequences and traffic signs by employing a panel quantile regression model; by involving the visibility, the present study demonstrates that the low visibility causes a relatively higher risk of MD and DI; It is noteworthy that average speed limit corresponds with accident rate positively; The number of mandatory signs and the number of warning signs are more likely to reduce the accident rate; The number of invalid traffic signs per km are significant for accident rate, thus regular maintenance should be kept for a safer roadway environment.

Real-time traffic sign recognition based on a general purpose GPU and deep-learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, Kwangyong; Hong, Yongwon; Choi, Yeongwoo; Byun, Hyeran

2017-01-01

We present a General Purpose Graphics Processing Unit (GPGPU) based real-time traffic sign detection and recognition method that is robust against illumination changes. There have been many approaches to traffic sign recognition in various research fields; however, previous approaches faced several limitations when under low illumination or wide variance of light conditions. To overcome these drawbacks and improve processing speeds, we propose a method that 1) is robust against illumination changes, 2) uses GPGPU-based real-time traffic sign detection, and 3) performs region detecting and recognition using a hierarchical model. This method produces stable results in low illumination environments. Both detection and hierarchical recognition are performed in real-time, and the proposed method achieves 0.97 F1-score on our collective dataset, which uses the Vienna convention traffic rules (Germany and South Korea).

Research on Recognition and Evaluation of Traffic Guide Sign

OpenAIRE

Li Yuan; Ming-jie Cai; Tang-yi Guo; Yu Jiang

2015-01-01

Traffic guide signs are effective only when they are clearly recognized by drivers. Three experiments were conducted in this study. In the first, the influence factors of guide sign recognition were studied. This study investigated 11 main factors with a convenience sample of drivers from Nanjing city in China. Weights of different influence factors were obtained through analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The results showed that the setting position, occlusion degree, and character size of gui...

Robust classification of traffic signs using multi-view cues

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hazelhoff, L.; Creusen, I.M.; With, de P.H.N.

2012-01-01

Traffic sign inventories are created for road safety and maintenance based on street-level panoramic images. Due to the large capturing interval, large viewpoint deviations between the different capturings occur. These viewpoint variations complicate the classification procedure, which aims at the

Complete Vision-Based Traffic Sign Recognition Supported by an I2V Communication System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miguel Gavilán

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a complete traffic sign recognition system based on vision sensor onboard a moving vehicle which detects and recognizes up to one hundred of the most important road signs, including circular and triangular signs. A restricted Hough transform is used as detection method from the information extracted in contour images, while the proposed recognition system is based on Support Vector Machines (SVM. A novel solution to the problem of discarding detected signs that do not pertain to the host road is proposed. For that purpose infrastructure-to-vehicle (I2V communication and a stereo vision sensor are used. Furthermore, the outputs provided by the vision sensor and the data supplied by the CAN Bus and a GPS sensor are combined to obtain the global position of the detected traffic signs, which is used to identify a traffic sign in the I2V communication. This paper presents plenty of tests in real driving conditions, both day and night, in which an average detection rate over 95% and an average recognition rate around 93% were obtained with an average runtime of 35 ms that allows real-time performance.

Complete vision-based traffic sign recognition supported by an I2V communication system.

Science.gov (United States)

García-Garrido, Miguel A; Ocaña, Manuel; Llorca, David F; Arroyo, Estefanía; Pozuelo, Jorge; Gavilán, Miguel

2012-01-01

This paper presents a complete traffic sign recognition system based on vision sensor onboard a moving vehicle which detects and recognizes up to one hundred of the most important road signs, including circular and triangular signs. A restricted Hough transform is used as detection method from the information extracted in contour images, while the proposed recognition system is based on Support Vector Machines (SVM). A novel solution to the problem of discarding detected signs that do not pertain to the host road is proposed. For that purpose infrastructure-to-vehicle (I2V) communication and a stereo vision sensor are used. Furthermore, the outputs provided by the vision sensor and the data supplied by the CAN Bus and a GPS sensor are combined to obtain the global position of the detected traffic signs, which is used to identify a traffic sign in the I2V communication. This paper presents plenty of tests in real driving conditions, both day and night, in which an average detection rate over 95% and an average recognition rate around 93% were obtained with an average runtime of 35 ms that allows real-time performance.

Exploiting automatically generated databases of traffic signs and road markings for contextual co-occurrence analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Hazelhoff, Lykele; Creusen, Ivo M.; Woudsma, Thomas; de With, Peter H. N.

2015-11-01

Combined databases of road markings and traffic signs provide a complete and full description of the present traffic legislation and instructions. Such databases contribute to efficient signage maintenance, improve navigation, and benefit autonomous driving vehicles. A system is presented for the automated creation of such combined databases, which additionally investigates the benefit of this combination for automated contextual placement analysis. This analysis involves verification of the co-occurrence of traffic signs and road markings to retrieve a list of potentially incorrectly signaled (and thus potentially unsafe) road situations. This co-occurrence verification is specifically explored for both pedestrian crossings and yield situations. Evaluations on 420 km of road have shown that individual detection of traffic signs and road markings denoting these road situations can be performed with accuracies of 98% and 85%, respectively. Combining both approaches shows that over 95% of the pedestrian crossings and give-way situations can be identified. An exploration toward additional co-occurrence analysis of signs and markings shows that inconsistently signaled situations can successfully be extracted, such that specific safety actions can be directed toward cases lacking signs or markings, while most consistently signaled situations can be omitted from this analysis.

Hardware/Software Co-Design of a Traffic Sign Recognition System Using Zynq FPGAs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yan Han

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Traffic sign recognition (TSR, taken as an important component of an intelligent vehicle system, has been an emerging research topic in recent years. In this paper, a traffic sign detection system based on color segmentation, speeded-up robust features (SURF detection and the k-nearest neighbor classifier is introduced. The proposed system benefits from the SURF detection algorithm, which achieves invariance to rotated, skewed and occluded signs. In addition to the accuracy and robustness issues, a TSR system should target a real-time implementation on an embedded system. Therefore, a hardware/software co-design architecture for a Zynq-7000 FPGA is presented as a major objective of this work. The sign detection operations are accelerated by programmable hardware logic that searches the potential candidates for sign classification. Sign recognition and classification uses a feature extraction and matching algorithm, which is implemented as a software component that runs on the embedded ARM CPU.

Unravelling hieroglyphs : Urban traffic signs and the League of Nations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frank Schipper

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Cet article porte sur les enjeux de signalisation routière pendant l'entre-deux-guerres. Il esquisse d'abord la relation souvent difficile entre l'automobile et la ville d'une part et la société en général. Il revient sur le rôle de la signalisation routière dont la mise en place a contribué à encadrer ces rapports. À la veille de la Première Guerre Mondiale, des milliers de panneaux décorent déjà les routes européennes. Depuis la guerre, la nouvelle Société des Nations réussit à s'accaparer les discussions sur la signalisation routière au début des années 1920, puis commence ses travaux sur la signalisation routière spécifiquement urbaine à partir de 1926. La Conférence Européenne sur le Trafic Routier en 1931 est le sommet de ce mouvement. Le système n'a pas changé fondamentalement depuis. A l'inverse des propositions des représentants urbains, la SdN n’est cependant pas devenue le coordinateur central des problèmes de signalisation routière. L’article conclut par nuancer la qualification des panneaux routiers comme des hiéroglyphes par le journaliste français Baudry de Saunier en 1931.This article discusses road traffic signs in the Interwar years. The article first sketches the often difficult relationship between the car and the city and society at large. It proposes road signs were introduced in part to mitigate this antagonistic relation. On the eve of the First World War thousands of signs already adorned European roads. After the war the new League of Nations managed to seize discussions on road signs in the early 1920s, and started to work on specifically urban road signs from 1926 onwards. The European Conference on Road Traffic in 1931 formed the apex of this development. The system has not fundamentally changed since. Contrary to the proposal of urban representatives, the League did not, however, become the supreme arbiter of traffic signs. The article concludes by nuancing a 1931

Safety Signs Perception and Adoption with the ISO and ANSI Standards

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amir Hossein Davoudian Talab

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Background One way of controlling hazards in the work environment is a use of safety signs. Safety signs are among the safe information group; hence, if these signs are not understood properly it could cause an injury or even death. Objectives The aim of this study is surveying perception of safety signs and adoption with ISO and ANSI standards. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted during 2013 to 2014 in the 3 provinces of Khuzestan, Fars, and Tehran. The study population included 370 non-monochromatic employees working in the industries. For collecting information, the standard questionnaire of the international organization for standard (ISO 9186-1 and demographic information was used. A total of 13 safety signs were utilized for determination of perception. Stratified - Random sampling method was used, then, the obtained data were utilized using SPSS-16 software and applying descriptive statistics. Results In this study, the overall rate of perception of safety signs was 78.4% with a standard deviation of 15.1%. The lowest percentage of perception was related to the sign “face shield must be worn” (53.5%. In the assessment of safety signs based on ANSI Z5353 and ISO 9186-1 standard, 62.5% and 69.2% of signs can be reached to limit of acceptable perception. Conclusions The perception patterns of safety signs are different. Assessing perception of signs show a moderate level of perception in accordance with ISO standard; however, to reach ANSI standard, implementation of intervention programs (Judgment test is suggested due to perceptual adaptation with target population and redesign of sign with low perception.

Safety effects of traffic signing for left turn flashing yellow arrow signals.

Science.gov (United States)

Schattler, Kerrie L; Gulla, Cody J; Wallenfang, Travis J; Burdett, Beau A; Lund, Jessica A

2015-02-01

In 2010, the left turn flashing yellow arrow (FYA) signal displays were installed at signalized intersections on state routes in the Peoria, Illinois, area. Supplemental traffic signs with text "Left Turn Yield on Flashing Yellow Arrow" were mounted on the mast arm adjacent to the left turn signal at over half of the FYA installations. The purpose of this paper is to present the results of the effectiveness evaluation of the FYA supplemental sign on safety. Analyses are presented on the effects of the FYA supplemental sign for all drivers and a subset of drivers age 65 and older. A crash-based comparison of 164 FYA approaches including 90 approaches with the sign and 74 approaches without the sign showed greater crash reductions when the supplemental FYA sign was present. The results also showed that crashes involving drivers age 65 and older did not experience the same magnitudes of crash reductions as compared to all drivers. The findings of this research indicate that supplemental FYA signs may help in improving safety for left-turning vehicles during the permissive interval. Thus, it is recommended that supplemental signs be used when initially implementing the FYA, and that effort to educate the driving public on new traffic control be made to further improve safety at signalized intersections. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

A semi-automatic traffic sign detection, classification and positioning system

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Creusen, I.M.; Hazelhoff, L.; With, de P.H.N.; Said, A.; Guleryuz, O.G.; Stevenson, R.L.

2012-01-01

The availability of large-scale databases containing street-level panoramic images offers the possibility to perform semi-automatic surveying of real-world objects such as traffic signs. These inventories can be performed significantly more efficiently than using conventional methods. Governmental

Traffic risk behavior and perceptions of Thai motorcyclists: A case study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prathurng Hongsranagon

2011-07-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to investigate Thai motorcyclists' traffic risk behavior and their perceptions of it, information of value in the design and implementation of public health policies and campaigns for the reduction of road injuries. Data was collected by a self-administered questionnaire completed by 399 motorcyclists in Muang Krabi district, Krabi province, Thailand. The questionnaire focused on the respondents' perceptions of general traffic risks and the specific risks at 3 identified hazardous sites. The results of the survey indicated that the correct fastening of helmet straps had a relationship with responsible traffic risk perceptions.

Deep neural network for traffic sign recognition systems: An analysis of spatial transformers and stochastic optimisation methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Arcos-García, Álvaro; Álvarez-García, Juan A; Soria-Morillo, Luis M

2018-03-01

This paper presents a Deep Learning approach for traffic sign recognition systems. Several classification experiments are conducted over publicly available traffic sign datasets from Germany and Belgium using a Deep Neural Network which comprises Convolutional layers and Spatial Transformer Networks. Such trials are built to measure the impact of diverse factors with the end goal of designing a Convolutional Neural Network that can improve the state-of-the-art of traffic sign classification task. First, different adaptive and non-adaptive stochastic gradient descent optimisation algorithms such as SGD, SGD-Nesterov, RMSprop and Adam are evaluated. Subsequently, multiple combinations of Spatial Transformer Networks placed at distinct positions within the main neural network are analysed. The recognition rate of the proposed Convolutional Neural Network reports an accuracy of 99.71% in the German Traffic Sign Recognition Benchmark, outperforming previous state-of-the-art methods and also being more efficient in terms of memory requirements. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Traffic Sign Detection System for Locating Road Intersections and Roundabouts: The Chilean Case.

Science.gov (United States)

Villalón-Sepúlveda, Gabriel; Torres-Torriti, Miguel; Flores-Calero, Marco

2017-05-25

This paper presents a traffic sign detection method for signs close to road intersections and roundabouts, such as stop and yield (give way) signs. The proposed method relies on statistical templates built using color information for both segmentation and classification. The segmentation method uses the RGB-normalized (ErEgEb) color space for ROIs (Regions of Interest) generation based on a chromaticity filter, where templates at 10 scales are applied to the entire image. Templates consider the mean and standard deviation of normalized color of the traffic signs to build thresholding intervals where the expected color should lie for a given sign. The classification stage employs the information of the statistical templates over YCbCr and ErEgEb color spaces, for which the background has been previously removed by using a probability function that models the probability that the pixel corresponds to a sign given its chromaticity values. This work includes an analysis of the detection rate as a function of the distance between the vehicle and the sign. Such information is useful to validate the robustness of the approach and is often not included in the existing literature. The detection rates, as a function of distance, are compared to those of the well-known Viola-Jones method. The results show that for distances less than 48 m, the proposed method achieves a detection rate of 87.5 % and 95.4 % for yield and stop signs, respectively. For distances less than 30 m, the detection rate is 100 % for both signs. The Viola-Jones approach has detection rates below 20 % for distances between 30 and 48 m, and barely improves in the 20-30 m range with detection rates of up to 60 % . Thus, the proposed method provides a robust alternative for intersection detection that relies on statistical color-based templates instead of shape information. The experiments employed videos of traffic signs taken in several streets of Santiago, Chile, using a research platform implemented at

Traffic Sign Detection System for Locating Road Intersections and Roundabouts: The Chilean Case

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriel Villalón-Sepúlveda

2017-05-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a traffic sign detection method for signs close to road intersections and roundabouts, such as stop and yield (give way signs. The proposed method relies on statistical templates built using color information for both segmentation and classification. The segmentation method uses the RGB-normalized (ErEgEb color space for ROIs (Regions of Interest generation based on a chromaticity filter, where templates at 10 scales are applied to the entire image. Templates consider the mean and standard deviation of normalized color of the traffic signs to build thresholding intervals where the expected color should lie for a given sign. The classification stage employs the information of the statistical templates over YCbCr and ErEgEb color spaces, for which the background has been previously removed by using a probability function that models the probability that the pixel corresponds to a sign given its chromaticity values. This work includes an analysis of the detection rate as a function of the distance between the vehicle and the sign. Such information is useful to validate the robustness of the approach and is often not included in the existing literature. The detection rates, as a function of distance, are compared to those of the well-known Viola–Jones method. The results show that for distances less than 48 m, the proposed method achieves a detection rate of 87.5 % and 95.4 % for yield and stop signs, respectively. For distances less than 30 m, the detection rate is 100 % for both signs. The Viola–Jones approach has detection rates below 20 % for distances between 30 and 48 m, and barely improves in the 20–30 m range with detection rates of up to 60 % . Thus, the proposed method provides a robust alternative for intersection detection that relies on statistical color-based templates instead of shape information. The experiments employed videos of traffic signs taken in several streets of Santiago, Chile, using a research

How Congested Jakarta is? Perception of Jakarta’s Citizen on Traffic Congestion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Halley Yudhistira

2017-11-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to reveal the behavior and perception of Jakarta’s citizens on traffic congestion in Jakarta. Although this approach is somewhat well-developed in behavioral science, its utilization in urban economics study, is still limited. Detecting the traffic congestion and its cause mainly relies on physical (engineering methods, i.e V/C ratio. Here, we define the traffic congestion through two variables; ordinal traffic congestion perception and proportion of expected travel time to perceived travel time. Using a non-probabilistic sampling survey held in one of densest business district in Jakarta called Sudirman-Thamrin Golden Triangle Area; the estimation results show that travel behavior plays a major role in affecting travel time perceptions.

Exploiting street-level panoramic images for large-scale automated surveying of traffic sign

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hazelhoff, L.; Creusen, I.M.; With, de P.H.N.

2014-01-01

Accurate and up-to-date inventories of traffic signs contribute to efficient road maintenance and a high road safety. This paper describes a system for the automated surveying of road signs from street-level images. This is an extremely challenging task, as the involved capturings are non-densely

Traffic sign recognition based on deep convolutional neural network

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Shi-hao; Deng, Ji-cai; Zhang, Da-wei; Du, Jing-yuan

2017-11-01

Traffic sign recognition (TSR) is an important component of automated driving systems. It is a rather challenging task to design a high-performance classifier for the TSR system. In this paper, we propose a new method for TSR system based on deep convolutional neural network. In order to enhance the expression of the network, a novel structure (dubbed block-layer below) which combines network-in-network and residual connection is designed. Our network has 10 layers with parameters (block-layer seen as a single layer): the first seven are alternate convolutional layers and block-layers, and the remaining three are fully-connected layers. We train our TSR network on the German traffic sign recognition benchmark (GTSRB) dataset. To reduce overfitting, we perform data augmentation on the training images and employ a regularization method named "dropout". The activation function we employ in our network adopts scaled exponential linear units (SELUs), which can induce self-normalizing properties. To speed up the training, we use an efficient GPU to accelerate the convolutional operation. On the test dataset of GTSRB, we achieve the accuracy rate of 99.67%, exceeding the state-of-the-art results.

Driver’s Cognitive Workload and Driving Performance under Traffic Sign Information Exposure in Complex Environments: A Case Study of the Highways in China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nengchao Lyu

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Complex traffic situations and high driving workload are the leading contributing factors to traffic crashes. There is a strong correlation between driving performance and driving workload, such as visual workload from traffic signs on highway off-ramps. This study aimed to evaluate traffic safety by analyzing drivers’ behavior and performance under the cognitive workload in complex environment areas. First, the driving workload of drivers was tested based on traffic signs with different quantities of information. Forty-four drivers were recruited to conduct a traffic sign cognition experiment under static controlled environment conditions. Different complex traffic signs were used for applying the cognitive workload. The static experiment results reveal that workload is highly related to the amount of information on traffic signs and reaction time increases with the information grade, while driving experience and gender effect are not significant. This shows that the cognitive workload of subsequent driving experiments can be controlled by the amount of information on traffic signs. Second, driving characteristics and driving performance were analyzed under different secondary task driving workload levels using a driving simulator. Drivers were required to drive at the required speed on a designed highway off-ramp scene. The cognitive workload was controlled by reading traffic signs with different information, which were divided into four levels. Drivers had to make choices by pushing buttons after reading traffic signs. Meanwhile, the driving performance information was recorded. Questionnaires on objective workload were collected right after each driving task. The results show that speed maintenance and lane deviations are significantly different under different levels of cognitive workload, and the effects of driving experience and gender groups are significant. The research results can be used to analyze traffic safety in highway

Evaluation of dynamic message signs and their potential impact on traffic flow.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-04-01

Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) has a rich data archive of the messages posted to the : Dynamic Message Signs (DMS) and the time stamps when they were posted and taken down. The archive : also contains traffic information surrounding the ...

Perceptions of risk factors for road traffic accidents

OpenAIRE

Smith, Andrew; Smith, Hugo

2017-01-01

Research has identified a number of risk factors for road traffic accidents. Some of these require education of drivers and a first step in this process is to assess perceptions of these risk factors to determine the current level of awareness. An online survey examined risk perception with the focus being on driver behavior, risk taking and fatigue. The results showed that drivers’ perceptions of the risk from being fatigued was lower than the perceived risk from the other factors.

Multi-ROI Association and Tracking With Belief Functions: Application to Traffic Sign Recognition

OpenAIRE

Boumediene , Mohammed; Lauffenburger , Jean-Philippe; Daniel , Jérémie; Cudel , Christophe; Ouamri , Abdelaziz

2014-01-01

International audience; —This paper presents an object tracking algorithm using belief functions applied to vision-based traffic sign recognition systems. This algorithm tracks detected sign candidates over time in order to reduce false positives due to data fusion formalization. In the first stage, regions of interest (ROIs) are detected and combined using the transferable belief model semantics. In the second stage, the local pignistic probability algorithm generates the associations maximi...

Determination of thermal and mechanical properties of HDPE-based polymer blends for use in traffic signs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benito A. Stradi-Granados

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Two recycled high-density polyethylene specimens and two recycled high-density polyethylene blends were characterized in terms of their thermal and mechanical properties with the purpose of assessing their suitability for the construction of traffic signs. Traffic signs constructed from recycled plastics provide an application for materials that otherwise with end up in landfills. The HDPE composite containing 25% LDPE and 5% ABS had the best mechanical and thermal performance. Of importance is the recycling of ABS that traditionally had not been recycled locally and found its final fate in landfills.

A statistical law in the perception of risks and physical quantities in traffic

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Elvik, Rune

2015-01-01

This paper suggests that a universal psychophysical law influences the perception of risks and physical quantities in traffic. This law states that there will be a tendency to overestimate low probabilities or small quantities, while high probabilities or large quantities may be underestimated....... Studies of the perception of risk and physical quantities in traffic have found a highly consistent pattern....

Traffic sign recognition based on a context-aware scale-invariant feature transform approach

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Xue; Hao, Xiaoli; Chen, Houjin; Wei, Xueye

2013-10-01

A new context-aware scale-invariant feature transform (CASIFT) approach is proposed, which is designed for the use in traffic sign recognition (TSR) systems. The following issues remain in previous works in which SIFT is used for matching or recognition: (1) SIFT is unable to provide color information; (2) SIFT only focuses on local features while ignoring the distribution of global shapes; (3) the template with the maximum number of matching points selected as the final result is instable, especially for images with simple patterns; and (4) SIFT is liable to result in errors when different images share the same local features. In order to resolve these problems, a new CASIFT approach is proposed. The contributions of the work are as follows: (1) color angular patterns are used to provide the color distinguishing information; (2) a CASIFT which effectively combines local and global information is proposed; and (3) a method for computing the similarity between two images is proposed, which focuses on the distribution of the matching points, rather than using the traditional SIFT approach of selecting the template with maximum number of matching points as the final result. The proposed approach is particularly effective in dealing with traffic signs which have rich colors and varied global shape distribution. Experiments are performed to validate the effectiveness of the proposed approach in TSR systems, and the experimental results are satisfying even for images containing traffic signs that have been rotated, damaged, altered in color, have undergone affine transformations, or images which were photographed under different weather or illumination conditions.

Study on road sign recognition in LabVIEW

Science.gov (United States)

Panoiu, M.; Rat, C. L.; Panoiu, C.

2016-02-01

Road and traffic sign identification is a field of study that can be used to aid the development of in-car advisory systems. It uses computer vision and artificial intelligence to extract the road signs from outdoor images acquired by a camera in uncontrolled lighting conditions where they may be occluded by other objects, or may suffer from problems such as color fading, disorientation, variations in shape and size, etc. An automatic means of identifying traffic signs, in these conditions, can make a significant contribution to develop an Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) that continuously monitors the driver, the vehicle, and the road. Road and traffic signs are characterized by a number of features which make them recognizable from the environment. Road signs are located in standard positions and have standard shapes, standard colors, and known pictograms. These characteristics make them suitable for image identification. Traffic sign identification covers two problems: traffic sign detection and traffic sign recognition. Traffic sign detection is meant for the accurate localization of traffic signs in the image space, while traffic sign recognition handles the labeling of such detections into specific traffic sign types or subcategories [1].

An Algorithm of Traffic Perception of DDoS Attacks against SOA Based on Time United Conditional Entropy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuntao Zhao

2016-01-01

Full Text Available DDoS attacks can prevent legitimate users from accessing the service by consuming resource of the target nodes, whose availability of network and service is exposed to a significant threat. Therefore, DDoS traffic perception is the premise and foundation of the whole system security. In this paper the method of DDoS traffic perception for SOA network based on time united conditional entropy was proposed. According to many-to-one relationship mapping between the source IP address and destination IP addresses of DDoS attacks, traffic characteristics of services are analyzed based on conditional entropy. The algorithm is provided with perception ability of DDoS attacks on SOA services by introducing time dimension. Simulation results show that the novel method can realize DDoS traffic perception with analyzing abrupt variation of conditional entropy in time dimension.

Impact Assessment of Effective Parameters on Drivers' Attention Level to Urban Traffic Signs

Science.gov (United States)

Kazemi, Mojtaba; Rahimi, Amir Masoud; Roshankhah, Sheida

2016-03-01

Traffic signs are one of the oldest safety and traffic control equipments. Drivers' reaction to installed signs is an important issue that could be studied using statistical models developed for target groups. There are 527 questionnaires have been filled up randomly in 45 days, some by drivers passing two northern cities of Iran and some by e-mail. Therefore, minimum sample size of 384 is fulfilled. In addition, Cronbach Alpha of more than 90 % verifies the questionnaire's validity. Ordinal logistic regression is used for 5-level answer variables. This relatively novel method predicts probability of different cases' considering other effective independent variables. There are 18 parameters of factor, man, vehicle, and environment are assessed and 5 parameters of number of accidents in last 5 years, occupation, driving time, number of accidents per day, and driving speed are eventually found as the most important ones. Age and gender, that are considered as key factors in other safety and accident studies, are not recognized as effective ones in this paper. The results could be useful for safety planning programs.

The effect advertisements on VMSs may have on the perception of relevant traffic information: an unexpected insight

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Harms, Ilse M.; Dijksterhuis, Christiaan; Jelijs, Lambertus H.; de Waard, Dick; Brookhuis, Karel A.

2016-01-01

Abstract - Authorities around the globe struggle with the question whether variable message signs (VMSs) should solely be used for traffic management or can also be used to display traffic-irrelevant messages, such as commercial advertisements. The main questions in this matter concern 1) traffic

Evaluating the Effects of Traffic on Driver Stopping and Turn Signal Use at a Stop Sign: A Systematic Replication

Science.gov (United States)

Lebbon, Angela R.; Austin, John; Van Houten, Ron; Malenfant, Louis E.

2007-01-01

The current analyses of observational data found that oncoming traffic substantially affected driver stopping patterns and turn signal use at the target stop sign. The percentage of legal stops and turn signal use by drivers in the presence and absence of traffic was analyzed using a multi-element design. The results showed that legal stops were…

Using stationary image based data collection method for evaluation of traffic sign condition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Majid Khalilikhah

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Transportation asset management helps monitor the transportation systems and optimize the construction, operation, and maintenance of assets. Many state Department of Transportations (DOTs have already established asset management systems for high cost and low quantity assets, e.g., bridge and tunnel assets. However, due to the sheer number of traffic signs deployed by DOTs, statewide sign inventory and condition information are not well developed. Currently, using handheld devices is the most selected method by agencies to measure signs. To address safety challenge and high cost of data collection, an innovative stationary image based method has recently been proposed. This paper discusses the advantages and disadvantages of such image based method over using handheld devices in terms of the accuracy, possibility and consistency of data, speed, safety, maintenance, and cost. At its completion, this study provides suggestions to tackle the issues associated with image based method.

Accident history, risk perception and traffic safe behaviour.

Science.gov (United States)

Ngueutsa, Robert; Kouabenan, Dongo Rémi

2017-09-01

This study clarifies the associations between accident history, perception of the riskiness of road travel and traffic safety behaviours by taking into account the number and severity of accidents experienced. A sample of 525 road users in Cameroon answered a questionnaire comprising items on perception of risk, safe behaviour and personal accident history. Participants who reported involvement in more than three accidents or involvement in a severe accident perceived road travel as less risky and also reported behaving less safely compared with those involved in fewer, or less severe accidents. The results have practical implications for the prevention of traffic accidents. Practitioner Summary: The associations between accident history, perceived risk of road travel and safe behaviour were investigated using self-report questionnaire data. Participants involved in more than three accidents, or in severe accidents, perceived road travel as less risky and also reported more unsafe behaviour compared with those involved in fewer, or less severe accidents. Campaigns targeting people with a less serious, less extensive accident history should aim to increase awareness of hazards and the potential severity of their consequences, as well as emphasising how easy it is to take the recommended preventive actions. Campaigns targeting those involved in more frequent accidents, and survivors of serious accidents, should address feelings of invulnerability and helplessness.

Development of a model performance-based sign sheeting specification based on the evaluation of nighttime traffic signs using legibility and eye-tracker data : data and analyses.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-01

This report presents data and technical analyses for Texas Department of Transportation Project 0-5235. This : project focused on the evaluation of traffic sign sheeting performance in terms of meeting the nighttime : driver needs. The goal was to de...

Integration of a driving simulator and a traffic simulator case study: Exploring drivers' behavior in response to variable message signs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mansoureh Jeihani

2017-12-01

Full Text Available For the first time, a driving simulator has been integrated with a traffic simulator at the network level to allow subjects to drive in a fairly realistic environment with a realistic traffic flow and density. A 10 mi2 (25 km2 network was developed in a driving simulator and then exported to a traffic simulator. About 30 subjects drove the simulator under different traffic and driving conditions and variable message sign (VMS information, both with and without integration. Route guidance was available for the subjects. The challenges of the integration process are explained and its advantages investigated. The study concluded that traffic density, VMS reliability and compliance behavior are higher when driving and traffic simulators are integrated. To find factors affecting route diversion, researchers applied a binary logistic regression model. The results indicated that the original chosen route, displayed VMS information, subjects' attitude toward VMS information helpfulness, and their level of exposure to VMS affect route diversion. In addition, a multinomial logistic regression model was employed to investigate important factors in route choice. The results revealed that there is a significant correlation with driver route choice behavior and their actual travel time, the need for GPS, VMS exposure and also the designed scenarios. It should be noted that the paper was peer-reviewed by TRB and presented at the TRB Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C., January 2016. Keywords: Integration, Variable message sign, Compliance behavior, Driving simulator, Traffic simulator, Discrete choice analysis

Visual Analysis in Traffic & Re-identification

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møgelmose, Andreas

and analysis, and person re-identification. In traffic sign detection, the work comprises a thorough survey of the state of the art, assembly of the worlds largest public dataset with U.S. traffic signs, and work in machine learning based detection algorithms. It was shown that detection of U.S. traffic signs...

Traffic safety program for school children through safe action and safe condition

Science.gov (United States)

Yulianto, Budi; Setiono, Mahmudah, Amirotul Musthofiah Hidayah; Santoso, Anjar Budi

2017-06-01

The facts indicate that the rights of pedestrians is on the wane. Many motorists are unwilling to provide a space for pedestrians, even when they want to cross the road at zebra-cross facility. The data of traffic accident in Surakarta City showed that 7.0% of accident victims in 2014 to 2015 were children aged 5-15 or the group of school-aged children. In general, the location of schools is on the edge of the road where a lot of vehicles run at high speed. Hence, it is very dangerous for the school children to cross the road. Pertaining to this issue, the Department of Transportation implements a program named School Safety Zone (ZoSS). ZoSS is a time-dependent speed control zone consisting of road markings, traffic signs, optional traffic signals, and rumble strips. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the ZoSS based on the perception of the users, including the students, teachers, parents, and community. This study was conducted through a series of activities including the distribution of questionnaire to obtain the road users' perceptions. The results showed that most of the respondents understood the meaning, aim, and benefit of ZoSS. However, it also found that traffic sign and method of cross the road (Four-T) was not recognized appropriately by the respondents. ZoSS program was generally ineffective since the pedestrians felt unsafe to cross the road due to the high-speed vehicles.

Design of a Multi-Sensor Cooperation Travel Environment Perception System for Autonomous Vehicle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liang Zhang

2012-09-01

Full Text Available This paper describes the environment perception system designed for intelligent vehicle SmartV-II, which won the 2010 Future Challenge. This system utilizes the cooperation of multiple lasers and cameras to realize several necessary functions of autonomous navigation: road curb detection, lane detection and traffic sign recognition. Multiple single scan lasers are integrated to detect the road curb based on Z-variance method. Vision based lane detection is realized by two scans method combining with image model. Haar-like feature based method is applied for traffic sign detection and SURF matching method is used for sign classification. The results of experiments validate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms and the whole system.

Design of a Multi-Sensor Cooperation Travel Environment Perception System for Autonomous Vehicle

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Long; Li, Qingquan; Li, Ming; Zhang, Liang; Mao, Qingzhou

2012-01-01

This paper describes the environment perception system designed for intelligent vehicle SmartV-II, which won the 2010 Future Challenge. This system utilizes the cooperation of multiple lasers and cameras to realize several necessary functions of autonomous navigation: road curb detection, lane detection and traffic sign recognition. Multiple single scan lasers are integrated to detect the road curb based on Z-variance method. Vision based lane detection is realized by two scans method combining with image model. Haar-like feature based method is applied for traffic sign detection and SURF matching method is used for sign classification. The results of experiments validate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms and the whole system.

Associations between parents' perception of traffic danger, the built environment and walking to school

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rothman, L.; Buliung, Ron; To, Teresa; Macarthur, Colin; Macpherson, Alison; Howard, Andrew

2015-01-01

Background Walking to school is an important source of physical activity for children. Parents are the key decision makers regarding school travel mode, with parents׳ perceptions of traffic safety being an important factor in the decision making process. The study examines the relationships between

From Helmholtz to Schlick: The evolution of the sign-theory of perception.

Science.gov (United States)

Oberdan, Thomas

2015-08-01

Efforts to trace the influence of fin de siècle neo-Kantianism on early 20th Century philosophy of science have led scholars to recognize the powerful influence on Moritz Schlick of Hermann von Helmholtz, the doyen of 19th Century physics and a leader of the zurȕck zu Kant movement. But Michael Friedman thinks that Schlick misunderstood Helmholtz' signature philosophical doctrine, the sign-theory of perception. Indeed, Friedman has argued that Schlick transformed Helmholtz' Kantian view of spatial intuition into an empiricist version of the causal theory of perception. However, it will be argued that, despite the key role the sign-theory played in his epistemology, Schlick thought the Kantianism in Helmholtz' thought was deeply flawed, rendered obsolete by philosophical insights which emerged from recent scientific developments. So even though Schlick embraced the sign-theory, he rejected Helmholtz' ideas about spatial intuition. In fact, like his teacher, Max Planck, Schlick generalized the sign-theory into a form of structural realism. At the same time, Schlick borrowed the method of concept-formation developed by the formalist mathematicians, Moritz Pasch and David Hilbert, and combined it with the conventionalism of Henri Poincaré. Then, to link formally defined concepts with experience, Schlick's introduced his 'method of coincidences', similar to the 'point-coincidences' featured in Einstein's physics. The result was an original scientific philosophy, which owed much to contemporary scientific thinkers, but little to Kant or Kantianism. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of traffic noise on railway traffic safety

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zdravko TOŠ

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Traffic noise is one of the dominant factors of ergo-assessment. The harmful impact of traffic noise on the engine driver as target group can be studied in isolation from other ergo-assessment factors only in the initial phase of research. The simultaneous action of several related factors in the system of ergo-assessment factors has cumulative effect on the perception and psychomotoric status of the railway traffic participants in the appropriate traffic situation. The initial partial research of traffic noise by a combination of several scientific methods needs to be eventually upgraded by studying the relations among several concurrent important or dominant ergo-assessment factors.

The relation between driving experience and recognition of road signs relative to their locations.

Science.gov (United States)

Borowsky, Avinoam; Shinar, David; Parmet, Yisrael

2008-04-01

Examine how driving experience and expectations affect the ability of experienced drivers to identify traffic signs--specifically, no right turn (NRT) and no left turn (NLT) at intersections. Failure to heed signs is a frequent cause of accidents, and the authors focused on the contributions of experience and expectancy to sign identification. Inexperienced and experienced drivers were connected to an eye tracker system and briefly exposed to various traffic scenes. Some of the pictures included an NRT sign at the expected location (on the right), and some included the same sign at an unexpected location (on the left). The same procedure was used with an NLT traffic sign. Experienced drivers identified traffic signs better than inexperienced drivers did when the signs were posted at the expected location but identified them worse than did inexperienced drivers when they were at unexpected locations. With experience, drivers' expectations regarding the expected location of traffic signs become so strong that violating these expectancies results in more identification errors among experienced drivers than among inexperienced drivers. To optimize experienced drivers' traffic sign identification, signs must be located in accordance with drivers' expectations--specifically, on the right side of the road. When signs are misplaced, crashes can be caused by inappropriate placement rather than inappropriate driving. Highway designers should ensure that their design conforms to standards that shape experienced drivers' expectations.

Virtual Reality Game Education to Learn Traffic Regulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andru Deva Lukito

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract – Traffic accident has become number 3 of children death cause in the world according to WHO[1]. Traffic accident that involve children often caused by their own by breaking the law or regulation. Therefor education about traffic regulation and law including traffic sign and its meaning must be given to children early. Because education means process to change a person or a group attitude and behavior in order to make them mature through teaching and training [2]. One of them that can be used is digital media.  One of interactive digital media is digital game, various form of digital game start from 2D, 2.5D, 3D with many point of view and new technology. VR (Virtual Reality as new digital media where alternate reality exist to test various theory without any real consequences, according to Greenbaum “Virtual Reality is an alternate world filled with computer-generated images that respond to human movements. These simulated environments are usually visited with the aid of an expensive data suit which features stereophonic video goggles and fiber-optic data gloves”[3]. Greenbaum statement before were make VR suitable to test traffic law and regulation and educate kid to obey the traffic sign and regulation without real consequences from real world. This Journal contain the result of using virtual reality as traffic regulation education media. Education material that arranged consisting traffic sign that appear on the road and safety riding gear. Keywords – Virtual Reality, Traffic sign, Road traffic, children, education

UK consumer perceptions of a novel till-receipt 'traffic-light' nutrition system.

Science.gov (United States)

Cole, Matthew; Peek, Hayden; Cowen, Daniel

2018-03-26

Front-of-pack (FoP) traffic light nutrition labelling has been widely proposed as a tool to improve public health nutrition. Current evidence suggests that whilst consumers generally find them to be useful and an important source of information about a particular food or ingredient, this may have limited value in isolation when considering a person's overall nutritional intake. This study sought to examine UK consumers' use of existing FoP traffic light food labelling and ascertain public perception of a novel 'till-receipt' summary providing nutritional information about consumers entire shopping purchases. In total, 237 respondents completed an online questionnaire between May and June 2016. Almost two-thirds were female (n = 152, 64.1%) and the largest proportion of responses were received from those aged 25-32 years (n = 53, 22.4%) and 41-50 years (n = 53, 22.4%). About 83.5% of respondents suggested that they currently use traffic light information to inform their food purchases and 'health' was reported as the most important factor influencing food choice (42.2%; n = 100). Notably, 54.4% of respondents indicated that the novel till-receipt system could provide a solution to the potential limitations of existing FoP labelling and could help inform healthier food purchases. Our findings strengthen the existing evidence base to suggest that traffic light information is a useful tool to aid consumer food purchases. Moreover, our outcomes propose that consumers may benefit from a new receipt-based traffic light system which provides a more holistic summary of their entire food purchases.

Symbol signing design for older drivers

Science.gov (United States)

1997-07-01

This project evaluated the effectiveness of symbol traffic signs for young, middle-aged and elderly drivers. Daytime legibility distance and comprehension of 85 symbols in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) were measured. Legibilit...

Using dual-phase message signs to display airline information : technical summary.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

Changeable Message Signs are electronic traffic signs that can be programmed to display : important messages that vary according to current roadway conditions, including the : presence of traffic congestion and accidents. CMSs can also be used to dis...

Female vs. Male Ampelmännchen-Gender-Specific Reaction Times to Male and Female Traffic Light Figures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Farid I. Kandil

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Traffic signs are important visual guiding signals for the safe navigation through complex road traffic. Interestingly, there is little variation in the traffic signs for cars around the world. However, remarkable variation exists for pedestrian traffic signs. Following up from an earlier study, we investigated the visual efficacy of female vs. male German Ampelmännchen pedestrian traffic signs. In a Stroop-like test, 30 subjects were presented with female and male go and no-go traffic light figures that were shown either in the corresponding or opposing color. Subjects had to indicate, based either solely on the form or the color of the figure, whether they were allowed to go. Accuracy and response times across all subjects did not differ for the female vs. male signs, indicating that Ampelfrau and Ampelmann signs have equal visual efficacy. However, subjects responded faster to signs of their own vs. the opposite gender. This preference for signs of one's own gender is in accordance with effects in social psychology described by social learning theory. An introduction of such novel traffic lights may, thus, contribute to higher compliance with the traffic sign signals.

Sign language perception research for improving automatic sign language recognition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ten Holt, G.A.; Arendsen, J.; De Ridder, H.; Van Doorn, A.J.; Reinders, M.J.T.; Hendriks, E.A.

2009-01-01

Current automatic sign language recognition (ASLR) seldom uses perceptual knowledge about the recognition of sign language. Using such knowledge can improve ASLR because it can give an indication which elements or phases of a sign are important for its meaning. Also, the current generation of

一种基于局部特征的交通标志检测算法的研究%Study on traffic signs detection algorithm based on local feature

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

宋婀娜; 房俊杰; 李娜; 张妍

2015-01-01

Since traffic signs detection is an important link in system, block diagram of general traffic signs recognition sys⁃tem is given. According to traffic signs’color stipulation in China, the threshold value of color segmentation space HSV is deter⁃mined. Taking the circle as an example, the feature detection template of unified symmetry local is proposed to extract target re⁃gion feature in natural scene. A set of fuzzy rules determination form was designed. The traffic signs detection algorithm based on local feature formation is formed.%给出一般交通标志识别系统的框图，交通标志的检测是系统中的重要环节。根据我国交通标志颜色的规定，确定了彩色分割空间HSV的阈值，并以圆形为例，提出一种统一对称局部特征检测模板，用来提取自然场景下获得的目标区域的特征，设计一组模糊规则判定形状，形成一种基于局部特征的交通标志检测算法。

Text Line Detection from Rectangle Traffic Panels of Natural Scene

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Shiyuan; Huang, Linlin; Hu, Jian

2018-01-01

Traffic sign detection and recognition is very important for Intelligent Transportation. Among traffic signs, traffic panel contains rich information. However, due to low resolution and blur in the rectangular traffic panel, it is difficult to extract the character and symbols. In this paper, we propose a coarse-to-fine method to detect the Chinese character on traffic panels from natural scenes. Given a traffic panel Color Quantization is applied to extract candidate regions of Chinese characters. Second, a multi-stage filter based on learning is applied to discard the non-character regions. Third, we aggregate the characters for text lines by Distance Metric Learning method. Experimental results on real traffic images from Baidu Street View demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Automatic sign language recognition inspired by human sign perception

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ten Holt, G.A.

2010-01-01

Automatic sign language recognition is a relatively new field of research (since ca. 1990). Its objectives are to automatically analyze sign language utterances. There are several issues within the research area that merit investigation: how to capture the utterances (cameras, magnetic sensors,

A Study on Guide Sign Validity in Driving Simulator

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei Zhonghua

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The role of guide sign to inform road user about the information of network is important. How to design and locate guide sign to increase traffic operation efficiency is a key point for traffic engineers. Driving simulator is useful devised to study guide sign in the process and system control. For the purpose of studying guide signs using the tool of driving simulator, guide sign's validity in driving simulator was studied. Results of this experiment are the foundation of further study on guide sign. Simulator calibration procedure for guide sign was set up in this study. Legibility distance as measure of performance was used to evaluate the validity of guide sign in driving simulator. Thirty two participants were recruited. Results indicated legibility distance and speed were inversely related with the method of data mining. Legibility distance and text height of guide sign were positive related. When speed is 20km/h, 30km/h, 40km/h, magnifying power of text height is 4.3, 4.1, 3.8, while guide signs are absolute validity in driving simulator.

Dynamic speed feedback signs for rural traffic calming.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-10-01

Small rural communities often lack the expertise and resources necessary to address speeding and the persistent challenge of slowing high-speed through traffic. The entrances to communities are especially problematic given that drivers must transitio...

Electronic traffic signs: The interplay between hybrid and full matrix e-signs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lucas-Alba, A.; Hernando Mazon, A.; Blanch Mico, A.M.; Gutierrez Perez, D.; Echeverria Villaspi, J.I.; Landa Tejero-Garces, N.

2016-07-01

Road signs constitute a complex and growing communication system where different elements (pictograms, shapes, texts, etc.) are combined following different strategies. In this paper we have confronted drivers with a number of messages (congestion or road works, before, between, after location/s) developed as an adaptation of Advance Location Signs (class G, 1c in the 1968 Convention) to electronic displays. We manipulate two main factors a) the reading strategy (top-down vs. bottom-up) and the type of matrix display (hybrid, dissociating pictogram and text, vs. full matrix), in a repeated measures experimental design. The time taken to answer and the response given (correct, incorrect) was measured for each of the 24 message-blocks. Results show that the organization of the elements displayed is a key determinant for driver comprehension. Further thoughts on the need to understand the interplay between the formats adopted by static vs electronic message signs are provided. (Author)

The Stability of Multi-modal Traffic Network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han Linghui; Sun Huijun; Zhu Chengjuan; Jia Bin; Wu Jianjun

2013-01-01

There is an explicit and implicit assumption in multimodal traffic equilibrium models, that is, if the equilibrium exists, then it will also occur. The assumption is very idealized; in fact, it may be shown that the quite contrary could happen, because in multimodal traffic network, especially in mixed traffic conditions the interaction among traffic modes is asymmetric and the asymmetric interaction may result in the instability of traffic system. In this paper, to study the stability of multimodal traffic system, we respectively present the travel cost function in mixed traffic conditions and in traffic network with dedicated bus lanes. Based on a day-to-day dynamical model, we study the evolution of daily route choice of travelers in multimodal traffic network using 10000 random initial values for different cases. From the results of simulation, it can be concluded that the asymmetric interaction between the cars and buses in mixed traffic conditions can lead the traffic system to instability when traffic demand is larger. We also study the effect of travelers' perception error on the stability of multimodal traffic network. Although the larger perception error can alleviate the effect of interaction between cars and buses and improve the stability of traffic system in mixed traffic conditions, the traffic system also become instable when the traffic demand is larger than a number. For all cases simulated in this study, with the same parameters, traffic system with dedicated bus lane has better stability for traffic demand than that in mixed traffic conditions. We also find that the network with dedicated bus lane has higher portion of travelers by bus than it of mixed traffic network. So it can be concluded that building dedicated bus lane can improve the stability of traffic system and attract more travelers to choose bus reducing the traffic congestion. (general)

Sign Life-Cycle Policies and Practices : Transportation Research Synthesis

Science.gov (United States)

2017-10-01

MnDOT Metro District Traffic Engineering is interested in the practices that other state departments of transportation (DOTs) use to determine traffic sign life expectancy and replacement. Of particular interest is the state of the practice regarding...

Traffic Light Detection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Philipsen, Mark Philip; Jensen, Morten Bornø; Møgelmose, Andreas

2015-01-01

Traffic light recognition (TLR) is an integral part of any intelligent vehicle, which must function in the existing infrastructure. Pedestrian and sign detection have recently seen great improvements due to the introduction of learning based detectors using integral channel features. A similar push...... database is collected based on footage from US roads. The database consists of both test and training data, totaling 46,418 frames and 112,971 annotated traffic lights, captured in continuous sequences under a varying light and weather conditions. The learning based detector achieves an AUC of 0.4 and 0...

Determining a strategy for efficiently managing sign retroreflectivity in New Hampshire.

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-01

The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) has developed minimum retroreflectivity requirements for sign sheeting that will : become a federal mandate for roadside signs in 2015 and for overhead signs in 2018. In 2012, the New Hampshire De...

Addressee Errors in ATC Communications: The Call Sign Problem

Science.gov (United States)

Monan, W. P.

1983-01-01

Communication errors involving aircraft call signs were portrayed in reports of 462 hazardous incidents voluntarily submitted to the ASRS during an approximate four-year period. These errors resulted in confusion, disorder, and uncoordinated traffic conditions and produced the following types of operational anomalies: altitude deviations, wrong-way headings, aborted takeoffs, go arounds, runway incursions, missed crossing altitude restrictions, descents toward high terrain, and traffic conflicts in flight and on the ground. Analysis of the report set resulted in identification of five categories of errors involving call signs: (1) faulty radio usage techniques, (2) call sign loss or smearing due to frequency congestion, (3) confusion resulting from similar sounding call signs, (4) airmen misses of call signs leading to failures to acknowledge or readback, and (5) controller failures regarding confirmation of acknowledgements or readbacks. These error categories are described in detail and several associated hazard mitigating measures that might be aken are considered.

Selective attention to signs of success: social dominance and early stage interpersonal perception.

Science.gov (United States)

Maner, Jon K; DeWall, C Nathan; Gailliot, Matthew T

2008-04-01

Results from two experiments suggest that observers selectively attend to male, but not female, targets displaying signs of social dominance. Participants overestimated the frequency of dominant men in rapidly presented stimulus arrays (Study 1) and visually fixated on dominant men in an eyetracking experiment (Study 2). When viewing female targets, participants attended to signs of physical attractiveness rather than social dominance. Findings fit with evolutionary models of mating, which imply that dominance and physical attractiveness sometimes tend to be prioritized preferentially in judgments of men versus women, respectively. Findings suggest that sex differences in human mating are observed not only at the level of overt mating preferences and choices but also at early stages of interpersonal perception. This research demonstrates the utility of examining early-in-the-stream social cognition through the functionalist lens of adaptive thinking.

IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION OF A MOBILE MAPPING SYSTEM BASED ON INTEGRATED RANGE AND INTENSITY IMAGES FOR TRAFFIC SIGNS LOCALIZATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Shahbazi

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Recent advances in positioning techniques have made it possible to develop Mobile Mapping Systems (MMS for detection and 3D localization of various objects from a moving platform. On the other hand, automatic traffic sign recognition from an equipped mobile platform has recently been a challenging issue for both intelligent transportation and municipal database collection. However, there are several inevitable problems coherent to all the recognition methods completely relying on passive chromatic or grayscale images. This paper presents the implementation and evaluation of an operational MMS. Being distinct from the others, the developed MMS comprises one range camera based on Photonic Mixer Device (PMD technology and one standard 2D digital camera. The system benefits from certain algorithms to detect, recognize and localize the traffic signs by fusing the shape, color and object information from both range and intensity images. As the calibrating stage, a self-calibration method based on integrated bundle adjustment via joint setup with the digital camera is applied in this study for PMD camera calibration. As the result, an improvement of 83 % in RMS of range error and 72 % in RMS of coordinates residuals for PMD camera, over that achieved with basic calibration is realized in independent accuracy assessments. Furthermore, conventional photogrammetric techniques based on controlled network adjustment are utilized for platform calibration. Likewise, the well-known Extended Kalman Filtering (EKF is applied to integrate the navigation sensors, namely GPS and INS. The overall acquisition system along with the proposed techniques leads to 90 % true positive recognition and the average of 12 centimetres 3D positioning accuracy.

Advanced driver assistance system: Road sign identification using VIAPIX system and a correlation technique

Science.gov (United States)

Ouerhani, Y.; Alfalou, A.; Desthieux, M.; Brosseau, C.

2017-02-01

We present a three-step approach based on the commercial VIAPIX® module for road traffic sign recognition and identification. Firstly, detection in a scene of all objects having characteristics of traffic signs is performed. This is followed by a first-level recognition based on correlation which consists in making a comparison between each detected object with a set of reference images of a database. Finally, a second level of identification allows us to confirm or correct the previous identification. In this study, we perform a correlation-based analysis by combining and adapting the Vander Lugt correlator with the nonlinear joint transformation correlator (JTC). Of particular significance, this approach permits to make a reliable decision on road traffic sign identification. We further discuss a robust scheme allowing us to track a detected road traffic sign in a video sequence for the purpose of increasing the decision performance of our system. This approach can have broad practical applications in the maintenance and rehabilitation of transportation infrastructure, or for drive assistance.

Traffic light – nutrition labelling: knowledge, perception and use in consumers of Madrid, Spain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karimen Andrea León-Flández

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Describe knowledge, comprehension level, perception and use of traffic light labelling in consumers of Madrid.Material and Methods: A two phases, cross-sectional study design, carried out in Madrid, in 2012. Our sample was recruited randomly, and interviewed using a questionnaire designed for this purpose. Consumers of 7 stores of main supermarket chains in Madrid were questioned. Information about knowledge, comprehension, perception and use of traffic light labelling (TLL was collected. Analyses examined the frequency of the variables of interest. Differences were tested using the χ2 test.Results: The response rate was 80.6% (first phase and 97.8% (second phase. Consumers that knew the TLL and understood its color-coding system were 41.4% and 18.6% respectively. From the participants that knew the TLL system, 61.5% thought it was very useful (80% among those >65 years and 90% among those with primary studies; p>0.05. Just 31.4% of consumers habitually used TLL to buy their products (70% among those with primary studies; p=0.04. This percentage was higher in consumers that understood the color-coding system (second phase (66.6%; p<0.01.Conclusions: The level of TLL’s knowledge and comprehension was low. Consumers that know TLL, consider it a useful nutrition instrument. Those who understand, use it habitually to buy their products, especially consumers older than 65 years old and with primary studies. A widespread introduction of this system in Spain might contribute to improve food and eating habits, especially elderly people and less educated.

Virtual Reality Game Education to Learn Traffic Regulation

OpenAIRE

Andru Deva Lukito

2017-01-01

Abstract – Traffic accident has become number 3 of children death cause in the world according to WHO[1]. Traffic accident that involve children often caused by their own by breaking the law or regulation. Therefor education about traffic regulation and law including traffic sign and its meaning must be given to children early. Because education means process to change a person or a group attitude and behavior in order to make them mature through teaching and training [2]. One of them that ca...

Administrative Offenses in the Field of Traffic and Responsibility for Them

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Svetlana V. Polyakova

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The Author analyzes the signs of an administrative offense in the field of traffic, considers its composition, paying special attention to the public danger as an obligatory general sign of such offenses. Offers a definition of the public danger of an administrative offense. Also in the article the problems based on high latency of administrative offenses in the field of traffic are considered. The Author reveals the connection between frequent changes to regulatory legal acts and the low efficiency of jurisdictional bodies in the prevention of violations of the Rules of Road Traffic.

Alternative information signs : an evaluation of driver comprehension and visual attention.

Science.gov (United States)

2015-08-01

The effectiveness of a traffic sign is collectively influenced by the signs understandability, legibility distance, glance legibility, and : learnability; however, understandability has been repeatedly identified as a one of the most important mea...

In-vehicle signing functions of an in-vehicle information system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tufano, D.R.; Knee, H.E.; Spelt, P.F.

1996-04-01

The definition of In-Vehicle Signing (IVS) functions was guided by the principles of traffic engineering as they apply to the design and placement of roadway signs. Because of the dynamic and active nature of computing, communications, and display technology, IVS can fulfill the signing principles of traffic engineering in ways that have been impossible with conventional signage. Current signing technology represents a series of compromises of these principles, especially the data and equations contributing to the calculation of required sight distance. A number of conditions relevant to sight distance are quite variable, e.g.: vehicle speed, visibility, weather, and driver reaction time. However, conventional signing requires that there are fixed values of each variable for the determination of (e.g.) legibility distance. IVS, on the other hand, will be able to tailor the timing of sign presentation to the dynamically diverse variable values of all of these conditions. A clear, in-vehicle sign display, adaptive to ambient and driver conditions, will in fact obviate the entire issue of sign legibility. These capabilities, together with information filtering functions, will truly enhance the presentation of sign information to drivers. The development of IVS is a critical step in the development of an integrated In-Vehicle Information System (IVIS).

Traffic Route Guidance using Feedback of Predicted Travel Times : Improving Travel Times in the Berlin Traffic Network

OpenAIRE

Bergsten, Arvid; Zetterberg, Daniel

2008-01-01

Traffic congestions constitute a problem in many large cities. Congestions can be handled by reducing the network demand, expanding the infrastructure, or by utilizing the road network more efficiently. This master thesis presents a methodology for route guidance, based on automatic feedback control from the current traffic situation. Through variable direction signs or individual in-car devices, all vehicles with a certain origin and destination (which are both normally intermediate) are gui...

A Model to Partly but Reliably Distinguish DDOS Flood Traffic from Aggregated One

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ming Li

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Reliable distinguishing DDOS flood traffic from aggregated traffic is desperately desired by reliable prevention of DDOS attacks. By reliable distinguishing, we mean that flood traffic can be distinguished from aggregated one for a predetermined probability. The basis to reliably distinguish flood traffic from aggregated one is reliable detection of signs of DDOS flood attacks. As is known, reliably distinguishing DDOS flood traffic from aggregated traffic becomes a tough task mainly due to the effects of flash-crowd traffic. For this reason, this paper studies reliable detection in the underlying DiffServ network to use static-priority schedulers. In this network environment, we present a method for reliable detection of signs of DDOS flood attacks for a given class with a given priority. There are two assumptions introduced in this study. One is that flash-crowd traffic does not have all priorities but some. The other is that attack traffic has all priorities in all classes, otherwise an attacker cannot completely achieve its DDOS goal. Further, we suppose that the protected site is equipped with a sensor that has a signature library of the legitimate traffic with the priorities flash-crowd traffic does not have. Based on those, we are able to reliably distinguish attack traffic from aggregated traffic with the priorities that flash-crowd traffic does not have according to a given detection probability.

77 FR 67862 - Air Traffic Procedures Advisory Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2012-11-14

...The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public that the FAA's Air Traffic Procedures Advisory Committee (ATPAC) two year charter has been coordinated and signed by the FAA Administrator. The ATPAC charter is valid for two years and provides a venue to review air traffic control procedures and practices for standardization, revision, clarification, and upgrading of terminology and procedures.

Evaluation of work zone split traffic symbol sign : final report.

Science.gov (United States)

2017-08-01

Effective signage that is easy to understand facilitates safe driving through a work zone. While the guidance for work zone signage in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) is suitable for many conditions, there may be instances where...

Hazard perception in traffic. [previously knows as: Hazard perception.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

2008-01-01

Hazard perception is an essential part of the driving task. There are clear indications that insufficient skills in perceiving hazards play an important role in the occurrence of crashes, especially those involving novice drivers. Proper hazard perception not only consists of scanning and perceiving

The traffic climate in China: The mediating effect of traffic safety climate between personality and dangerous driving behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qian; Ge, Yan; Qu, Weina; Zhang, Kan; Sun, Xianghong

2018-04-01

Traffic safety climate is defined as road users' attitudes and perceptions of traffic in a specific context at a given point in time. The current study aimed to validate the Chinese version of the Traffic Climate Scale (TCS) and to explore its relation to drivers' personality and dangerous driving behavior. A sample of 413 drivers completed the Big Five Inventory (BFI), the Chinese version of the TCS, the Dula Dangerous Driving Index (DDDI) and a demographic questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were performed to confirm a three-factor (external affective demands, internal requirements and functionality) solution of the TCS. The reliability and validity of the Chinese version of TCS were verified. More importantly, the results showed that the effect of personality on dangerous driving behavior was mediated by traffic climate. Specifically, the functionality of the TCS mediated the effect of neuroticism on negative cognitive/emotional driving and drunk driving, while openness had an indirect impact on aggressive driving, risky driving and drunk driving based on the internal requirements of the TCS. Additionally, agreeableness had a negative direct impact on four factors of the DDDI, while neuroticism had a positive direct impact on negative cognitive/emotional driving, drunk driving and risky driving. In conclusion, the Chinese version of the TCS will be useful to evaluate drivers' attitudes towards and perceptions of the requirements of traffic environment in which they participate and will also be valuable for comparing traffic cultures and environments in different countries. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A CityGML extension for traffic-sign objects that guides the automatic processing of data collected using Mobile Mapping technology

Science.gov (United States)

Varela-González, M.; Riveiro, B.; Arias-Sánchez, P.; González-Jorge, H.; Martínez-Sánchez, J.

2014-11-01

The rapid evolution of integral schemes, accounting for geometric and semantic data, has been importantly motivated by the advances in the last decade in mobile laser scanning technology; automation in data processing has also recently influenced the expansion of the new model concepts. This paper reviews some important issues involved in the new paradigms of city 3D modelling: an interoperable schema for city 3D modelling (cityGML) and mobile mapping technology to provide the features that composing the city model. This paper focuses in traffic signs, discussing their characterization using cityGML in order to ease the implementation of LiDAR technology in road management software, as well as analysing some limitations of the current technology in the labour of automatic detection and classification.

Toward the Ideal Signing Avatar

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicoletta Adamo-Villani

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The paper discusses ongoing research on the effects of a signing avatar's modeling/rendering features on the perception of sign language animation. It reports a recent study that aimed to determine whether a character's visual style has an effect on how signing animated characters are perceived by viewers. The stimuli of the study were two polygonal characters presenting two different visual styles: stylized and realistic. Each character signed four sentences. Forty-seven participants with experience in American Sign Language (ASL viewed the animated signing clips in random order via web survey. They (1 identified the signed sentences (if recognizable, (2 rated their legibility, and (3 rated the appeal of the signing avatar. Findings show that while character's visual style does not have an effect on subjects' perceived legibility of the signs and sign recognition, it has an effect on subjects' interest in the character. The stylized signing avatar was perceived as more appealing than the realistic one.

Culture related to road traffic safety: a comparison of eight countries using two conceptualizations of culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Nordfjærn, Trond; Şimşekoğlu, Özlem; Rundmo, Torbjorn

2014-01-01

The majority of previous cross-country studies of human factors relevant to traffic safety have not operationalized and measured culture. Also studies in this vein have mostly been carried out in Europe and the United States. The aim of the study was to examine country cluster differences, based on the Culture's Consequences framework, in road traffic risk perception, attitudes towards traffic safety and driver behaviour in samples from Norway, Russia, India, Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda, Turkey and Iran. An additional aim was to examine cluster differences in road traffic culture as symbol use and to investigate whether this theoretical cultural framework predicts risk perception, attitudes towards traffic safety and driver behaviour in the country clusters. The sample consisted of a total of 2418 individuals who were obtained by convenience sampling in the different countries. The countries segmented into four Culture's Consequences clusters; Norway, Russia and India, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Near East countries. The findings showed that Norwegians reported overall safer attitudes towards traffic safety and driver behaviour than the remaining country clusters. Individuals in Africa reported the highest risk perception. The countries also differed substantially in road traffic culture as symbol use. Contrary to established cultural theory, prediction models revealed that cultural factors were stronger predictors of driver behaviour than of risk perception. Also, the social cognitive risk constructs (i.e. risk perception and attitudes) solely explained variance in driver behaviour in the Norwegian and Russia/India clusters. Previous empirical efforts, which aimed to demonstrate that culture is important for the risk perception criterion, may have focused on a criterion variable that is not strongly related to driver behaviour. Furthermore, countermeasures aimed to influence social cognition may have stronger applicability in countries with a more individualistic western

Traffic Control Device Evaluation Program : FY 2017

Science.gov (United States)

2018-03-01

This report presents findings on the activities conducted in the Traffic Control Device Evaluation Program during the 2017 fiscal year. The research on sponsored changeable message signs (continued from the previous year) was terminated by the Federa...

Review on Driverless Traffic from Management Perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chen Tingting

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The move towards automated driving is gaining ground. This paper reviews the development process of self-driving technology and discusses the safety and efficiency advantages of autonomous vehicles. The discussion shows that the existing traffic management system, including transport infrastructures and regulations, should be changed accordingly to maximize the advantages of autonomous driving. Thus, this paper subsequently gives an insight of the traffic management from three aspects: fully self-driving traffic infrastructures, mixed traffic infrastructures and regulations. First, it is summarized in detail what should be adjusted in intersections, parking lots, pedestrian crossings, ramps, signs and markings. With the transformation of traffic infrastructures, the advantages of driverless car will be more pronounced on account of increased capacity, reduced delay and land use. Also, this paper indicates that the implementations of strict product liability for self-driving car manufacturers and no-fault tort liability for users are applicable to automated vehicle accidents.

Visual cortex entrains to sign language.

Science.gov (United States)

Brookshire, Geoffrey; Lu, Jenny; Nusbaum, Howard C; Goldin-Meadow, Susan; Casasanto, Daniel

2017-06-13

Despite immense variability across languages, people can learn to understand any human language, spoken or signed. What neural mechanisms allow people to comprehend language across sensory modalities? When people listen to speech, electrophysiological oscillations in auditory cortex entrain to slow ([Formula: see text]8 Hz) fluctuations in the acoustic envelope. Entrainment to the speech envelope may reflect mechanisms specialized for auditory perception. Alternatively, flexible entrainment may be a general-purpose cortical mechanism that optimizes sensitivity to rhythmic information regardless of modality. Here, we test these proposals by examining cortical coherence to visual information in sign language. First, we develop a metric to quantify visual change over time. We find quasiperiodic fluctuations in sign language, characterized by lower frequencies than fluctuations in speech. Next, we test for entrainment of neural oscillations to visual change in sign language, using electroencephalography (EEG) in fluent speakers of American Sign Language (ASL) as they watch videos in ASL. We find significant cortical entrainment to visual oscillations in sign language sign is strongest over occipital and parietal cortex, in contrast to speech, where coherence is strongest over the auditory cortex. Nonsigners also show coherence to sign language, but entrainment at frontal sites is reduced relative to fluent signers. These results demonstrate that flexible cortical entrainment to language does not depend on neural processes that are specific to auditory speech perception. Low-frequency oscillatory entrainment may reflect a general cortical mechanism that maximizes sensitivity to informational peaks in time-varying signals.

75 FR 74128 - Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) Compliance Dates

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-30

... existing non-compliant devices based on what it believes to be a reasonable balance of the safety benefits... public works agencies, that State and local governments must balance with highway safety and traffic... service life of sign sheeting materials. \\7\\ D. Ripley. Quantifying the Safety Benefits of Traffic Control...

Traffic Adaptive MAC Protocols in Wireless Body Area Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Farhan Masud

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In Wireless Body Area Networks (WBANs, every healthcare application that is based on physical sensors is responsible for monitoring the vital signs data of patient. WBANs applications consist of heterogeneous and dynamic traffic loads. Routine patient’s observation is described as low-load traffic while an alarming situation that is unpredictable by nature is referred to as high-load traffic. This paper offers a thematic review of traffic adaptive Medium Access Control (MAC protocols in WBANs. First, we have categorized them based on their goals, methods, and metrics of evaluation. The Zigbee standard IEEE 802.15.4 and the baseline MAC IEEE 802.15.6 are also reviewed in terms of traffic adaptive approaches. Furthermore, a comparative analysis of the protocols is made and their performances are analyzed in terms of delay, packet delivery ratio (PDR, and energy consumption. The literature shows that no review work has been done on traffic adaptive MAC protocols in WBANs. This review work, therefore, could add enhancement to traffic adaptive MAC protocols and will stimulate a better way of solving the traffic adaptivity problem.

Signs in Place

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hamid, Salmiah Binti Abdul; Jensen, Ole B.; Silva, Victor

Travelling in unfamiliar areas is usually very interesting, however it can also be stressful. People travel or move around in an urban space according to their needs, and the environment can also influence the way people move about from one place to another. If a person gets lost, a map or GPS can...... and geosemiotic studies with regards to the road traffic signs used in urban spaces. The paper ends with a discussion on how people choreograph their movement in their everyday life from two different perspectives: above vs. below....

Signs In Place

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hamid, Salmiah Binti Abdul; Jensen, Ole B.; Silva, Victor

2012-01-01

Travelling in unfamiliar areas is usually very interesting; however, it can also be stressful. People travel or move around in an urban space according to their needs, and the environment can influence the way people move about from one place to another. If a person gets lost, a map or GPS can...... and geosemiotic studies with regards to the road traffic signs used in urban spaces. The paper ends with a discussion on how people choreograph their movement in their everyday life from two different perspectives: above vs. below...

Analysis of a tool ergonomic working in air traffic control: perceptions of operators and contributions to workload

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arlete Ana Motter

2012-11-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to evaluate the perception of the operators and the role of the strips in the workload of air traffic controllers in light of the ergonomic analysis of work. It was developed during the data collection for the doctoral thesis defended in 2007 at the Post-graduate in Production Engineering at UFSC. Submitted to and approved by the Ethics Committee  in Research of the  Tuiuti University of Paraná. A number of 35 military operators of both sexes (80% male and 20% female participated, all belonging to the Brazilian Air Force, which carried out their functions in the Second Integrated Center of Air Defense and Air Traffic Control (CINDACTA II, located in Curitiba-PR. It was used the methodology of analysis of work ergonomics. The results made it possible to know the content of the prescribed electronic strip and the complexity of work in real activity, such as the manual entry of the strip and the AFIL flight plan. It was verified that the operators build operational strategies in terms of organization of the strips in order to facilitate their work. The conclusion is that in the work of air traffic controller there are several interacting variables, and when the content of the work required is different from what is established, the workload increases, which may endanger the health of workers as well as aircraft safety.

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African Journals Online (AJOL)

USER

2017-06-28

Jun 28, 2017 ... This study examined drivers perception of road traffic delay attributes and factors influencing road .... of knowledge of traffic signs and symbols. ... tricycles, cars, commercial buses (mini & ..... Unpublished thesis, department of.

Improvements in Symbol Sign Design To Aid Older Drivers

Science.gov (United States)

1995-08-01

Studies have shown that older drivers have higher rates of accidents, injuries, and fatalities on a per-mile-driven basis. A major cause of roadway accidents for older drivers is failure to heed traffic signs. Previous research found that older drive...

Design and development of an improved traffic light control system using hybrid lighting system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Osigbemeh

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The deployment of light emitting diodes (LEDs based traffic system control created the problem of dim displays when ambient light is similar to traffic lights. It causes some drivers' disability of seeing and obeying traffic signs. This makes drivers violate traffic rules. In this paper, an attempt to use hybrid lighting technology to mitigate this problem was developed. Incandescent lightings with deployed halogen bulbs provided an instantaneous source of highly efficacious illumination which is brighter than the drivers' ambient lights (both daylight, electrical lights and their reflections, which can help drivers get access to enough warning and help them initiate traffic safety warning as necessary. The halogen lightings also offered the required high current draw needed in electrical circuitry to help brighten the LED displays. The problem of heat generated was eliminated by aerating the T-junction traffic light control unit designed for this technology. The result of hybrid lighting system design was found to be high luminosity and capability of gaining driver attention in real-time. It also allowed enhanced sign's image detection and processing for smart based technologies by providing the “light punch” needed for a wide range of visual concerns.

The Conception Approach to the Traffic Control in Czech Cities - Examples from Prague

Science.gov (United States)

Tichý, Tomáš; Krajčír, Dušan

Modern and economic development of contemporary towns is without question highly dependent upon traffic infrastructure progress. Automobile transport intensity is dramatically rising in large towns and other Czech and European cities. At the same time number of traffic congestions and accidents is increasing, standing times are becoming longer and ecological stress is also escalated. To solve this situation seems to be the most effective solution to design intelligent traffic light intersection control system, variable message signs, preference of public transportation, road line traffic control and next telematics subsystems. This control system and subsystems should improve permeability of traffic road network with a respect for all demands on recent trends of traffic development in towns and regions.

Lexical access in sign language: a computational model.

Science.gov (United States)

Caselli, Naomi K; Cohen-Goldberg, Ariel M

2014-01-01

PSYCHOLINGUISTIC THEORIES HAVE PREDOMINANTLY BEEN BUILT UPON DATA FROM SPOKEN LANGUAGE, WHICH LEAVES OPEN THE QUESTION: How many of the conclusions truly reflect language-general principles as opposed to modality-specific ones? We take a step toward answering this question in the domain of lexical access in recognition by asking whether a single cognitive architecture might explain diverse behavioral patterns in signed and spoken language. Chen and Mirman (2012) presented a computational model of word processing that unified opposite effects of neighborhood density in speech production, perception, and written word recognition. Neighborhood density effects in sign language also vary depending on whether the neighbors share the same handshape or location. We present a spreading activation architecture that borrows the principles proposed by Chen and Mirman (2012), and show that if this architecture is elaborated to incorporate relatively minor facts about either (1) the time course of sign perception or (2) the frequency of sub-lexical units in sign languages, it produces data that match the experimental findings from sign languages. This work serves as a proof of concept that a single cognitive architecture could underlie both sign and word recognition.

Lexical access in sign language: A computational model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Naomi Kenney Caselli

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Psycholinguistic theories have predominantly been built upon data from spoken language, which leaves open the question: How many of the conclusions truly reflect language-general principles as opposed to modality-specific ones? We take a step toward answering this question in the domain of lexical access in recognition by asking whether a single cognitive architecture might explain diverse behavioral patterns in signed and spoken language. Chen and Mirman (2012 presented a computational model of word processing that unified opposite effects of neighborhood density in speech production, perception, and written word recognition. Neighborhood density effects in sign language also vary depending on whether the neighbors share the same handshape or location. We present a spreading activation architecture that borrows the principles proposed by Chen and Mirman (2012, and show that if this architecture is elaborated to incorporate relatively minor facts about either 1 the time course of sign perception or 2 the frequency of sub-lexical units in sign languages, it produces data that match the experimental findings from sign languages. This work serves as a proof of concept that a single cognitive architecture could underlie both sign and word recognition.

Effect of changing driving conditions on driver behavior towards design of a safe and efficient traffic system.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-01

This simulation-based study explores the effects of different work zone configurations, varying distances : between traffic signs, traffic density and individual differences on drivers behavior. Conventional Lane : Merge (CLM) and Joint Lane Merge...

Real-Time (Vision-Based) Road Sign Recognition Using an Artificial Neural Network

Science.gov (United States)

Islam, Kh Tohidul; Raj, Ram Gopal

2017-01-01

Road sign recognition is a driver support function that can be used to notify and warn the driver by showing the restrictions that may be effective on the current stretch of road. Examples for such regulations are ‘traffic light ahead’ or ‘pedestrian crossing’ indications. The present investigation targets the recognition of Malaysian road and traffic signs in real-time. Real-time video is taken by a digital camera from a moving vehicle and real world road signs are then extracted using vision-only information. The system is based on two stages, one performs the detection and another one is for recognition. In the first stage, a hybrid color segmentation algorithm has been developed and tested. In the second stage, an introduced robust custom feature extraction method is used for the first time in a road sign recognition approach. Finally, a multilayer artificial neural network (ANN) has been created to recognize and interpret various road signs. It is robust because it has been tested on both standard and non-standard road signs with significant recognition accuracy. This proposed system achieved an average of 99.90% accuracy with 99.90% of sensitivity, 99.90% of specificity, 99.90% of f-measure, and 0.001 of false positive rate (FPR) with 0.3 s computational time. This low FPR can increase the system stability and dependability in real-time applications. PMID:28406471

Real-Time (Vision-Based) Road Sign Recognition Using an Artificial Neural Network.

Science.gov (United States)

Islam, Kh Tohidul; Raj, Ram Gopal

2017-04-13

Road sign recognition is a driver support function that can be used to notify and warn the driver by showing the restrictions that may be effective on the current stretch of road. Examples for such regulations are 'traffic light ahead' or 'pedestrian crossing' indications. The present investigation targets the recognition of Malaysian road and traffic signs in real-time. Real-time video is taken by a digital camera from a moving vehicle and real world road signs are then extracted using vision-only information. The system is based on two stages, one performs the detection and another one is for recognition. In the first stage, a hybrid color segmentation algorithm has been developed and tested. In the second stage, an introduced robust custom feature extraction method is used for the first time in a road sign recognition approach. Finally, a multilayer artificial neural network (ANN) has been created to recognize and interpret various road signs. It is robust because it has been tested on both standard and non-standard road signs with significant recognition accuracy. This proposed system achieved an average of 99.90% accuracy with 99.90% of sensitivity, 99.90% of specificity, 99.90% of f-measure, and 0.001 of false positive rate (FPR) with 0.3 s computational time. This low FPR can increase the system stability and dependability in real-time applications.

Identification of Risk Factors Influencing Road Traffic Accidents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Touahmia

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Road traffic accidents (RTAs are becoming a major problem around the world, incurring enormous losses of human and economic resources. Recent reports from the World Health Organization (WHO reveal that each year more than 1.25 million people are killed and 50 million are injured in road traffic accidents worldwide. In Saudi Arabia, statistics show that at least one traffic accident occurs every minute, causing up to 7,000 deaths and over 39,000 injuries annually. In this study, the main causes of RATs in the province of Hail are examined. The data was collected through the use of a survey which was developed to evaluate the effect of influencing parameters on RTA rate. The results show that 67% of RTAs result from human factors, 29% from road conditions and 4% from vehicle defects. Excessive speed and violation of traffic rules and regulations were found to be the main causes of RATs. Low rates of compliance with speed limit signs and seat-belt regulations were also observed. These findings highlight the need of strengthening effective traffic law enforcement alongside with improving traffic safety and raising public awareness.

Graphical symbols -- Safety colours and safety signs -- Part 1: Design principles for safety signs in workplaces and public areas

CERN Document Server

International Organization for Standardization. Geneva

2002-01-01

This International Standard establishes the safety identification colours and design principles for safety signs to be used in workplaces and in public areas for the purpose of accident prevention, fire protection, health hazard information and emergency evacuation. It also establishes the basic principles to be applied when developing standards containing safety signs. This part of ISO 3864 is applicable to workplaces and all locations and all sectors where safety-related questions may be posed. However, it is not applicable to the signalling used for guiding rail, road, river, maritime and air traffic and, generally speaking, to those sectors subject to a regulation which may differ.

Intelligent Traffic Control System Implementation for Traffic Violation Control, Congestion Control and Stolen Vehicle Detection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Swarup Suresh Kulkarni

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Traffic is significant issue in our nation, particularly in urban ranges. Aftereffect of this, activity clog issue happens. Crisis vehicle like rescue vehicle, fire unit, squad cars confront bunches of issue to achieve their goal on account of congested driving conditions, coming about loss of human lives. To minimize this issue we approach new idea name as ”Traffic control framework for blockage control and stolen Vehicle location”. In this framework activity freedom done by transforming Red flag into Green flag. We demonstrate idea of what is called ”Green wave”. Alongside this, we distinguish stolen vehicle by utilizing extremely advantageous RFID innovation. In the event that stolen vehicle is been distinguished, the framework gives ready sign through ringer. Framework sends Message with the assistance of GSM to Police station. In this framework we Use diverse RFID labels for recognizing rescue vehicle, stolen Vehicles. On the off chance that Red flag is on and IR sensor is initiated, then framework gives ringer alarm to movement police. This is novel framework which encourage great answer for comprehend traffic clog.

The Perspectives of Primary Mathematics Teacher Candidates about Equal Sign: The EEG Case

Science.gov (United States)

Ayvaz,Ülkü; Yaman, Hakan; Mersin, Nazan; Yilmaz, Yasemin; Durmus, Soner

2017-01-01

In this study, it was aimed to investigate the primary mathematics teacher candidates' perceptions about the equal sign within the scope of neuroscience studies. To reveal their perceptions about the equal sign, three types of addition operations were asked to the participants: a+b=[], []=a+b, a+b=[]+c. Their brain waves were recorded by EEG…

The effect advertisements on VMSs may have on drivers’ reaction to relevant traffic information: an unexpected finding

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Harms, Ilse M.; Dijksterhuis, Christiaan; Jelijs, Lambertus; de Waard, Dick; Brookhuis, Karel A.

2016-01-01

Introduction Road authorities around the globe struggle with the question whether variable message signs (VMSs) should solely be used for traffic management or can also be used to display traffic-irrelevant messages, such as commercial advertisements. The main questions in this matter concern 1)

New radiation warning sign

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mac Kenzie, C.; Mason, C.

2006-01-01

Full text: Radiation accidents involving orphan radioactive sources have happened as a result of people not recognizing the radiation trefoil symbol or from being illiterate and not understanding a warning statement on the radiation source. The trefoil symbol has no inherent meaning to people that have not been instructed in its use. A new radiation warning sign, to supplement the existing trefoil symbol, has been developed to address these issues. Human Factors experts, United Nations member states, and members of the international community of radiation protection professionals were consulted for input on the design of a new radiation warning sign that would clearly convey the message of 'Danger- Run Away- Stay Away' when in close proximity to a dangerous source of radiation. Cultural differences of perception on various warning symbols were taken into consideration and arrays of possible signs were developed. The signs were initially tested in international children for identification with the desired message and response. Based on these test results and further input from radiation protection professionals, five warning signs were identified as the most successful in conveying the desired message and response. These five signs were tested internationally in eleven countries by a professional survey company to determine the best sign for this purpose. The conclusion of the international testing is presented. The new radiation warning sign is currently a draft ISO standard under committee review. The design of the propose d radiation warning sign and the proposed implementation strategy outlined in the draft ISO standard is presented. (authors)

Effectiveness of safety and public service announcement messages on dynamic message signs.

Science.gov (United States)

2014-07-01

The number of transportation agencies that use dynamic message signs (DMS) to provide traffic information to motorists has increased dramatically over the past four decades. This growing trend of DMS deployment is a reflection of the public interest ...

Optical illusions and life-threatening traffic crashes: A perspective on aerial perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Redelmeier, Donald A; Raza, Sheharyar

2018-05-01

Aerial perspective illusion is a feature of visual perception where landscapes appear relatively close in clear light and distant in dim light. We hypothesized that bright sunlight might cause drivers to perceive distant terrain as relatively close and misinterpret the approach speed of surrounding landscape as unduly slow. This hypothesis would mean, in turn, that drivers in bright sunlight may underestimate their progress on the road, compensate by traveling at a faster baseline speed, and ultimately increase the prevailing risk of a life-threatening traffic crash. We conducted three pilot studies to illustrate how the illusion might contribute to a life- threatening traffic crash. The first illustration used a questionnaire to demonstrate that most respondents were mistaken when judging the distance between simple balls in different positions. The second illustration involved an experimental manipulation to assess whether aerial perspective influenced judgments about the relative positions of vehicles in traffic. The third illustration analyzed a segment of high-volume fast-speed traffic and found an increased frequency of speeding under bright sunlight. Together with past work based on the visual arts, these examples illustrate how an aerial perspective illusion can affect distance perception, may appear in realistic traffic situations, and could potentially contribute to the risk of a life-threatening traffic crash. An awareness of this hypothesis might lead to applications on how optical illusions could extend to everyday traffic and might potentially inform safety warnings to prevent life- threatening crashes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Searching for Signs, Symbols, and Icons: Effects of Time of Day, Visual Complexity, and Grouping

Science.gov (United States)

McDougall, Sine; Tyrer, Victoria; Folkard, Simon

2006-01-01

Searching for icons, symbols, or signs is an integral part of tasks involving computer or radar displays, head-up displays in aircraft, or attending to road traffic signs. Icons therefore need to be designed to optimize search times, taking into account the factors likely to slow down visual search. Three factors likely to adversely affect visual…

Driving behaviours, traffic risk and road safety: comparative study between Malaysia and Singapore.

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Saif ur Rehman; Khalifah, Zainab Binti; Munir, Yasin; Islam, Talat; Nazir, Tahira; Khan, Hashim

2015-01-01

The present study aims to investigate differences in road safety attitude, driver behaviour and traffic risk perception between Malaysia and Singapore. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted among a sample of Singaporean (n = 187) and Malaysian (n = 313) road users. The data was analysed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling applied to measure comparative fit indices of Malaysian and Singaporean respondents. The results show that the perceived traffic risk of Malaysian respondents is higher than Singaporean counterparts. Moreover, the structural equation modelling has confirmed perceived traffic risk performing the role of full mediation between perceived driving skills and perceived road safety for both the countries, while perceived traffic skills was found to perform the role of partial mediation between aggression and anxiety, on one hand, and road safety, on the other hand, in Malaysia and Singapore. In addition, in both countries, a weak correlation between perceived driving skills, aggression and anxiety with perceived road safety was found, while a strong correlation exists with traffic risk perception. The findings of this study have been discussed in terms of theoretical, practical and conceptual implications for both scholars and policy-makers to better understand the young drivers' attitude and behaviour relationship towards road safety measures with a view to future research.

Visual Perception by Drivers of the Advertisements Located at Selected Major Routes

Science.gov (United States)

Bichajło, Lesław

2017-10-01

This article characterizes the research based on the analysis of the eye fixation points on the advertisements. The research has been realized in real road and traffic conditions. The group of 12 drivers was equipped with the glasses occulometric measurement system mounted on the driver’s head. The participants were driving their private cars. The analysis was concentrated on the fixations on the advertisement tables located along the selected national roads in Rzeszów area (Poland). For better recognition if the advertisements have distracted the drivers the number of fixations on the advertisements has been compared with the fixations on the road signs. The active drivers have observed many visual attractors like advertisements, road signs and cars being ahead and on another lane. Passive drivers have low number of fixations on road signs and advertisements. Their fixations typically have been localized on survey and they probably used the peripheral vision in order to recognition of road sign shapes. The results show, that: the percentage of fixations on the advertisement and road signs is different for each participants; the highest percentage of fixated advertisements was on the section with small number of advertisements, but in the city area, when a group of advertisements was on the road, the participants selected some of them, yet no participant fixated all advertisements localized in a small distance between them; the single advertisement visible from the long distance strongly attracts the visual perception; the percentage of the fixated advertisements was higher than road signs.

Towards Reducing the Dangers Associated with Road Traffic ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

USER

2018-04-25

Apr 25, 2018 ... ensure drivers' personal safety and to comply with traffic regulations explain high seat belt .... which used to be the public transport fares charged for commuting in Bedford 'mummy trucks' .... females generally are risk-averse and have high-risk perception levels ... places of worship and social gatherings.

Evaluation of driver reactions for effective use of dynamic message signs in Richmond, Virginia.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-02-01

Dynamic message signs (DMS) are used in conjunction with other media to communicate traffic conditions, general information, and recommended diversion strategies to motorists. Previous studies using loop detector data to estimate diversion rates attr...

Evaluation of dynamic message signs and their potential impact on traffic flow : [research summary].

Science.gov (United States)

2013-04-01

The objective of this research was to understand the potential impact of DMS messages on traffic : flow and evaluate their accuracy, timeliness, relevance and usefulness. Additionally, Bluetooth : sensors were used to track and analyze the diversion ...

Exploring travelers' behavior in response to dynamic message signs (DMS) using a driving simulator.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-10-01

This research studies the effectiveness of a dynamic message sign (DMS) using a driving : simulator. Over 100 subjects from different socio-economic and age groups were recruited to : drive the simulator under different traffic and driving conditions...

Traffic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lichtblau, G.

2001-01-01

This chapter deals with passenger and freight traffic, public and private transportation, traffic related environmental impacts, future developments, traffic indicators, regional traffic planning, health costs due to road traffic related air pollution, noise pollution, measures and regulations for traffic control and fuels for traffic. In particular energy consumption, energy efficiency, pollutant emissions ( CO 2 , SO 2 , NO x , HC, CO, N 2 O, NH 3 and particulates) and environmental effects of the different types of traffic and different types of fuels are compared and studied. Legal regulations and measures for an effective traffic control are discussed. (a.n.)

EXPERIMENTAL SUBSTANTIATION OF ATTRIBUTIONAL STYLE IN TRAFFIC POLICE OFFICERS’ BEHAVIOR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olga Vladimirovna Merkusheva

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The article prepared for the ‘Psychological and Methodological Aspects of Professional Personnel Training at Internal Affairs Bodies of the Russian Federation’ scholar tradition looks at the applied aspect of handling security issues by traffic police officers. It presents the results of empirical study of the employees’ psychological characteristics conducted to substantiate their attributional style, which determines the specific character as well as the qua-lity and reliability of traffic police officers’ performance. Traffic police officers’ attributional style of behavior is researched with the help of attributional cognitive techniques for hazard phenomena detection as well as social perception and attribution technique and is viewed as the most stable entity, which reflects the employee’s personal and professional focus.Goal: to provide empirical substantiation of attributional style in traffic police officers’ behavior as an integral personality characteristic that ensures timely detection of hazard phenomena.

The dynamics of user perception, decision making and route choice

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vreeswijk, Jacob Dirk

2015-01-01

Travellers’ response to performance changes in the traffic system is a decisive factor in the effectiveness of traffic management measures. This thesis provides an empirical and quantitative assessment of choice behaviour and the effects of perception error on choice outcomes. It considers users’

23 CFR 750.107 - Class 3 and 4 signs outside informational sites.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... areas. (6) Not more than one such sign advertising activities being conducted as a single enterprise or... ENVIRONMENT HIGHWAY BEAUTIFICATION National Standards for Regulation by States of Outdoor Advertising Adjacent... traffic not served by an informational site within 12 air miles of the advertised activity; (2) Class 4...

Credibility and Authenticity of Digitally Signed Videos in Traffic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivan Grgurević

2008-11-01

Full Text Available The paper presents the possibilities of insuring the credibilityand authenticity of the surveillance camera video by digitalsigning, using the public key infrastructure as part of interoperabletraffic and information system in the future intelligenttransport systems. The surveillance camera video is a sequenceof individual frames and a unique digital print, i. e. hash valueis calculated for each of these. By encryption of the hash valuesof the frames using private encryption key of the surveillancecentre, digital signatures are created and they are stored in thedatabase. The surveillance centre can issue a copy of the videoto all the interested subjects for scientific and research workand investigation. Regardless of the scope, each subsequentmanipulation of the video copy contents will certainly changethe hash value of all the frames. The procedure of determiningthe authenticity and credibility of videos is reduced to the comparisonof the hash values of the frames stored in the databaseof the surveillance centre with the values obtained from the interestedsubjects such as the traffic experts and investigators,surveillance-security services etc.

Modelling the Magnetic Disturbances Due to Road-Traffic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J -J Schott

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Magnetic disturbances due to the traffic are tentatively modelled assuming that the sources are moving dipoles. The influencing section of the road ("useful" portion should be modelled in 3D. The parameters of the model (time of closest position to the magnetometer, velocity, including its sign, dipole moment are fairly accurately estimated. The fit is improved with the incorporation of a small induction effect.

Alterations in white matter microstructure as vulnerability factors and acquired signs of traffic accident-induced PTSD.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yawen Sun

Full Text Available It remains unclear whether white matter (WM changes found in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD patients are stress-induced or precursors for vulnerability. The current study aimed to identify susceptibility factors relating to the development of PTSD and to examine the ability of these factors to predict the course of longitudinal PTSD. Sixty two victims who had experienced traffic accidents underwent diffusion tensor imaging using a 3.0T MRI system within 2 days after their accidents. Of these, 21 were diagnosed with PTSD at 1 or 6 months using the Clinician-Administered Ptsd Scale (CAPS. Then, 11 trauma-exposed victims with PTSD underwent the second MRI scan. Compared with the victims without PTSD, the victims with PTSD showed decreased fractional anisotropy (FA in WM of the anterior cingulate cortex, ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC, temporal lobes and midbrain, and increased mean diffusivity (MD in the vmPFC within 2 days after the traumatic event. Importantly, decreased FA of the vmPFC in the acute phase predicted greater future CAPS scores. In addition, we found decreased FA in the insula in the follow-up scan in the victims with PTSD, which correlated with the decreased FA of the vmPFC in their baseline scan. These results suggested that the WM might have changed within 2 days after the traumatic event in the individuals who would later develop PTSD. Furthermore, decreased FA of the vmPFC could be a possible vulnerability marker predicting future development of PTSD and may provide an outcome prediction of the acquired signs.

Traffic jam driving with NMV avoidance

Science.gov (United States)

Milanés, Vicente; Alonso, Luciano; Villagrá, Jorge; Godoy, Jorge; de Pedro, Teresa; Oria, Juan P.

2012-08-01

In recent years, the development of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) - mainly based on lidar and cameras - has considerably improved the safety of driving in urban environments. These systems provide warning signals for the driver in the case that any unexpected traffic circumstance is detected. The next step is to develop systems capable not only of warning the driver but also of taking over control of the car to avoid a potential collision. In the present communication, a system capable of autonomously avoiding collisions in traffic jam situations is presented. First, a perception system was developed for urban situations—in which not only vehicles have to be considered, but also pedestrians and other non-motor-vehicles (NMV). It comprises a differential global positioning system (DGPS) and wireless communication for vehicle detection, and an ultrasound sensor for NMV detection. Then, the vehicle's actuators - brake and throttle pedals - were modified to permit autonomous control. Finally, a fuzzy logic controller was implemented capable of analyzing the information provided by the perception system and of sending control commands to the vehicle's actuators so as to avoid accidents. The feasibility of the integrated system was tested by mounting it in a commercial vehicle, with the results being encouraging.

Studies of vehicle lane-changing dynamics and its effect on traffic efficiency, safety and environmental impact

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiang; Sun, Jian-Qiao

2017-02-01

Drivers often change lanes on the road to maintain desired speed and to avoid slow vehicles, pedestrians, obstacles and lane closure. Understanding the effect of lane-changing on the traffic is an important topic in designing optimal traffic control systems. This paper presents a comprehensive study of this topic. We review the theory of microscopic dynamic car-following models and the lane-changing models, propose additional lane-changing rules to deal with moving bottleneck and lane reduction, and investigate the effects of lane-changing on the traffic efficiency, traffic safety and fuel consumption as a function of different variables including the distance of the emergency sign ahead of the lane closure, speed limit, traffic density, etc. Extensive simulations of the traffic system have been carried out in different scenarios. A number of important findings of the effect of various factors on the traffic are reported. These findings provide guidance on the traffic management and are important to the designers and engineers of modern highway or inner city roads to achieve high traffic efficiency and safety with minimum environmental impact.

Detection of Variations of Local Irregularity of Traffic under DDOS Flood Attack

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ming Li

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of distributed denial-of-service (DDOS flood attacks is to overwhelm the attacked site or to make its service performance deterioration considerably by sending flood packets to the target from the machines distributed all over the world. This is a kind of local behavior of traffic at the protected site because the attacked site can be recovered to its normal service state sooner or later even though it is in reality overwhelmed during attack. From a view of mathematics, it can be taken as a kind of short-range phenomenon in computer networks. In this paper, we use the Hurst parameter (H to measure the local irregularity or self-similarity of traffic under DDOS flood attack provided that fractional Gaussian noise (fGn is used as the traffic model. As flood attack packets of DDOS make the H value of arrival traffic vary significantly away from that of traffic normally arriving at the protected site, we discuss a method to statistically detect signs of DDOS flood attacks with predetermined detection probability and false alarm probability.

Safety perceptions and behavior related to cycling in mixed traffic: A comparison between Brisbane and Copenhagen

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chataway, Elijah Steven; Kaplan, Sigal; Nielsen, Thomas Alexander Sick

2014-01-01

-based survey administered among cyclists in the two cities. Elicited items concerned perceived risk of infrastructure layouts, fear of traffic, cycling while distracted, use of safety gear, cycling avoidance due to feeling unsafe, and avoidance to cycle in mixed traffic conditions. The data were analyzed...... with structural equation models. Results show that, in comparison with cyclists in Copenhagen, cyclists in Brisbane perceive mixed traffic infrastructure layouts as less safe, feel more fear of traffic, and are more likely to adopt cycling avoidance as a coping strategy. Results also show that cyclists...

Engineering Solutions to Enhance Traffic Safety Performance on Two-Lane Highways

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lina Wu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Improving two-lane highway traffic safety conditions is of practical importance to the traffic system, which has attracted significant research attention within the last decade. Many cost-effective and proactive solutions such as low-cost treatments and roadway safety monitoring programs have been developed to enhance traffic safety performance under prevailing conditions. This study presents research perspectives achieved from the Highway Safety Enhancement Project (HSEP that assessed safety performance on two-lane highways in Beijing, China. Potential causal factors are identified based on proposed evaluation criteria, and primary countermeasures are developed against inferior driving conditions such as sharp curves, heavy gradients, continuous downgrades, poor sight distance, and poor clear zones. Six cost-effective engineering solutions were specifically implemented to improve two-lane highway safety conditions, including (1 traffic sign replacement, (2 repainting pavement markings, (3 roadside barrier installation, (4 intersection channelization, (5 drainage optimization, and (6 sight distance improvement. The effectiveness of these solutions was examined and evaluated based on Empirical Bayes (EB models. The results indicate that the proposed engineering solutions effectively improved traffic safety performance by significantly reducing crash occurrence risks and crash severities.

Exploring travelers' behavior in response to dynamic message signs (DMS) using a driving simulator : [research summary].

Science.gov (United States)

2013-10-16

The Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) uses dynamic message signs : (DMS) for traffic and incident management and for providing travel time information. : Previous research in Maryland has shown that a DMS can be an accurate, effective, and ...

Exploring travelers' behavior in response to dynamic message signs (DMS) using a driving simulator : final report.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-10-01

This research studies the effectiveness of a dynamic message sign (DMS) using a driving : simulator. Over 100 subjects from different socio-economic and age groups were recruited to : drive the simulator under different traffic and driving conditions...

No evidence of a threshold in traffic volume affecting road-kill mortality at a large spatio-temporal scale

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grilo, Clara, E-mail: clarabentesgrilo@gmail.com [Departamento de Biología de la Conservación, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Calle Américo Vespucio s/n, E-41092 Sevilla (Spain); Centro Brasileiro de Estudos em Ecologia de Estradas, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Campus Universitário, 37200-000 Lavras, Minas Gerais (Brazil); Ferreira, Flavio Zanchetta; Revilla, Eloy [Departamento de Biología de la Conservación, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Calle Américo Vespucio s/n, E-41092 Sevilla (Spain)

2015-11-15

Previous studies have found that the relationship between wildlife road mortality and traffic volume follows a threshold effect on low traffic volume roads. We aimed at evaluating the response of several species to increasing traffic intensity on highways over a large geographic area and temporal period. We used data of four terrestrial vertebrate species with different biological and ecological features known by their high road-kill rates: the barn owl (Tyto alba), hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus), red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Additionally, we checked whether road-kill likelihood varies when traffic patterns depart from the average. We used annual average daily traffic (AADT) and road-kill records observed along 1000 km of highways in Portugal over seven consecutive years (2003–2009). We fitted candidate models using Generalized Linear Models with a binomial distribution through a sample unit of 1 km segments to describe the effect of traffic on the probability of finding at least one victim in each segment during the study. We also assigned for each road-kill record the traffic of that day and the AADT on that year to test for differences using Paired Student's t-test. Mortality risk declined significantly with traffic volume but varied among species: the probability of finding road-killed red foxes and rabbits occurs up to moderate traffic volumes (< 20,000 AADT) whereas barn owls and hedgehogs occurred up to higher traffic volumes (40,000 AADT). Perception of risk may explain differences in responses towards high traffic highway segments. Road-kill rates did not vary significantly when traffic intensity departed from the average. In summary, we did not find evidence of traffic thresholds for the analysed species and traffic intensities. We suggest mitigation measures to reduce mortality be applied in particular on low traffic roads (< 5000 AADT) while additional measures to reduce barrier effects should take into

No evidence of a threshold in traffic volume affecting road-kill mortality at a large spatio-temporal scale

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grilo, Clara; Ferreira, Flavio Zanchetta; Revilla, Eloy

2015-01-01

Previous studies have found that the relationship between wildlife road mortality and traffic volume follows a threshold effect on low traffic volume roads. We aimed at evaluating the response of several species to increasing traffic intensity on highways over a large geographic area and temporal period. We used data of four terrestrial vertebrate species with different biological and ecological features known by their high road-kill rates: the barn owl (Tyto alba), hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus), red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Additionally, we checked whether road-kill likelihood varies when traffic patterns depart from the average. We used annual average daily traffic (AADT) and road-kill records observed along 1000 km of highways in Portugal over seven consecutive years (2003–2009). We fitted candidate models using Generalized Linear Models with a binomial distribution through a sample unit of 1 km segments to describe the effect of traffic on the probability of finding at least one victim in each segment during the study. We also assigned for each road-kill record the traffic of that day and the AADT on that year to test for differences using Paired Student's t-test. Mortality risk declined significantly with traffic volume but varied among species: the probability of finding road-killed red foxes and rabbits occurs up to moderate traffic volumes (< 20,000 AADT) whereas barn owls and hedgehogs occurred up to higher traffic volumes (40,000 AADT). Perception of risk may explain differences in responses towards high traffic highway segments. Road-kill rates did not vary significantly when traffic intensity departed from the average. In summary, we did not find evidence of traffic thresholds for the analysed species and traffic intensities. We suggest mitigation measures to reduce mortality be applied in particular on low traffic roads (< 5000 AADT) while additional measures to reduce barrier effects should take into

Road Sign Recognition with Fuzzy Adaptive Pre-Processing Models

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Chien-Chuan; Wang, Ming-Shi

2012-01-01

A road sign recognition system based on adaptive image pre-processing models using two fuzzy inference schemes has been proposed. The first fuzzy inference scheme is to check the changes of the light illumination and rich red color of a frame image by the checking areas. The other is to check the variance of vehicle's speed and angle of steering wheel to select an adaptive size and position of the detection area. The Adaboost classifier was employed to detect the road sign candidates from an image and the support vector machine technique was employed to recognize the content of the road sign candidates. The prohibitory and warning road traffic signs are the processing targets in this research. The detection rate in the detection phase is 97.42%. In the recognition phase, the recognition rate is 93.04%. The total accuracy rate of the system is 92.47%. For video sequences, the best accuracy rate is 90.54%, and the average accuracy rate is 80.17%. The average computing time is 51.86 milliseconds per frame. The proposed system can not only overcome low illumination and rich red color around the road sign problems but also offer high detection rates and high computing performance. PMID:22778650

8. knowledge and perception of women towards danger signs

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Esem

Sometimes a pregnant woman may experience signs and symptoms which signal danger. ... order to raise women's awareness and enable them to seek care when they .... midwifery students graduate with the skills to teach women and ...

Traffic control on a railway crossing with elements of utility theory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abramova L.S.

2016-08-01

Full Text Available An approach to the management of vehicles at a railway crossing in order to improve the road safety is considered. To do this, it is suggested to introduce the dynamic motion control modes on the road, which consist in reducing the speed at a certain distance from the railway crossing and depends on its condition. The value of the recommended speed is displayed on the managed road signs and is calculated in real-time traffic controller at the railway crossing control point. The mark location is determined based on traffic intensity equalization that affects both the traffic intensity of the railway crossing and the road section on the approach to it. To analyze such events directed to improve the traffic on level crossings it is suggested to use the elements of utility theory to further develop the traffic control algorithm. For this purpose there was built a decision tree for the existing conditions at the railway crossing and at the introduction of the dynamic management, which indicates the result of decision taken by the change in the selected criteria of efficiency of traffic management at the railway crossing. Such an approach can reduce the number of road accidents and to increase the capacity of vehicular traffic at a particular road section to the technical means of attracting the driver's attention to the complex road by forced reduction in speed not only before the railway crossing, but also in at the approach to it.

Survey about pedestrian safety and attitudes toward automated traffic enforcement in Washington, D.C.

Science.gov (United States)

Cicchino, Jessica B; Wells, Joann K; McCartt, Anne T

2014-01-01

Pedestrians represent more than one third of all traffic deaths in Washington, D.C. The District plans to expand its long-standing automated traffic enforcement program in 2013 from speed and red light cameras to cameras to enforce pedestrian right-of-way laws at crosswalks and stop sign laws. This study collected information on the opinions, behaviors, and knowledge of D.C. residents related to camera enforcement and pedestrian safety issues. A telephone survey of 801 adult D.C. residents was conducted in November 2012 with approximately equal numbers of respondents in each of D.C.'s eight wards. Quotas were used to ensure that the sample was representative of the demographic characteristics of adults in each ward. For analyses combining responses across the wards, data were weighted to correspond with the demographic characteristics of adults in the city. Most respondents believed that drivers speeding, running red lights, running stop signs, and not stopping for pedestrians are serious threats to their safety. Respondents strongly supported the speed and red light camera programs, with 76 percent of respondents favoring speed cameras and 87 percent favoring red light cameras. Support was more limited for the camera enforcement that was not yet in place at the time of the survey, with 50 percent of respondents favoring stop sign cameras and 47 percent of respondents favoring crosswalk cameras. Twenty-four percent of respondents had not driven a car in D.C. in the past month, and higher proportions of these nondrivers favored speed cameras (90%), stop sign cameras (67%), and crosswalk cameras (59%) than respondents who drove in D.C. in the past month. Respondents who supported camera enforcement cited safety as their main reason. More than 9 in 10 respondents knew that D.C. law requires drivers to stop for pedestrians crossing the street in marked crosswalks at intersections without traffic signals and midblock, but only 54 percent knew that drivers must stop for

A Multi-Classification Method of Improved SVM-based Information Fusion for Traffic Parameters Forecasting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hongzhuan Zhao

2016-04-01

Full Text Available With the enrichment of perception methods, modern transportation system has many physical objects whose states are influenced by many information factors so that it is a typical Cyber-Physical System (CPS. Thus, the traffic information is generally multi-sourced, heterogeneous and hierarchical. Existing research results show that the multisourced traffic information through accurate classification in the process of information fusion can achieve better parameters forecasting performance. For solving the problem of traffic information accurate classification, via analysing the characteristics of the multi-sourced traffic information and using redefined binary tree to overcome the shortcomings of the original Support Vector Machine (SVM classification in information fusion, a multi-classification method using improved SVM in information fusion for traffic parameters forecasting is proposed. The experiment was conducted to examine the performance of the proposed scheme, and the results reveal that the method can get more accurate and practical outcomes.

Roundabout in front of Building 14: traffic restrictions

CERN Multimedia

GS Department

Re-surfacing work is scheduled on the roundabout at the junction of Pauli, Lawrence and Démocrite roads on 24 and 25 November 2009. The work may cause disruptions to traffic and users are requested to comply with the road signs erected. Work should last 2 days, but the precise dates will depend on the prevailing weather conditions. The GS/SEM Group thanks all road users for their understanding. For more information, please call 74188 or 16 4314.

A statistical analysis of the impact of advertising signs on road safety.

Science.gov (United States)

Yannis, George; Papadimitriou, Eleonora; Papantoniou, Panagiotis; Voulgari, Chrisoula

2013-01-01

This research aims to investigate the impact of advertising signs on road safety. An exhaustive review of international literature was carried out on the effect of advertising signs on driver behaviour and safety. Moreover, a before-and-after statistical analysis with control groups was applied on several road sites with different characteristics in the Athens metropolitan area, in Greece, in order to investigate the correlation between the placement or removal of advertising signs and the related occurrence of road accidents. Road accident data for the 'before' and 'after' periods on the test sites and the control sites were extracted from the database of the Hellenic Statistical Authority, and the selected 'before' and 'after' periods vary from 2.5 to 6 years. The statistical analysis shows no statistical correlation between road accidents and advertising signs in none of the nine sites examined, as the confidence intervals of the estimated safety effects are non-significant at 95% confidence level. This can be explained by the fact that, in the examined road sites, drivers are overloaded with information (traffic signs, directions signs, labels of shops, pedestrians and other vehicles, etc.) so that the additional information load from advertising signs may not further distract them.

Heterogeneous Deployment to Meet Traffic Demand in a Realistic LTE Urban Scenario

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Coletti, Claudio; Hu, Liang; Nguyen, Huan Cong

2012-01-01

growth of mo-bile broadband traffic. Emphasis is put on how to optimally as-sign the spectrum for the different networks layers in an evolved HetNet including outdoor and indoor small cells. The study is conducted for a “Hot-Zone” scenario, i.e. a high-traffic area within a realistic dense urban...... performance with a minimum user data rate of 1 Mbps is achieved when deploying small cells on dedicated channels rather than co-channel deployment. Fur-thermore, the joint pico and femto deployment turns out to be the right trade-off between increased base station density and en-hanced network capacity....

Traffic theory

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Gazis, Denos C

2002-01-01

... of traffic signal settings The vehicle-actuated traffic signal 87 89 77 CHAPTER 3. TRAFFIC CONTROL 101 Objectives of Traffic Control 103 Single, Isolated Intersection 105 Synchronization Scheme...

Safety sign designs for children by considering effect of the colors preferences: A case study

Science.gov (United States)

Iftadi, Irwan; Nugraha, Dian Cahya; Jauhari, Wakhid Ahmad

2018-02-01

Color has become a major consideration in ergonomics. Color conveys a message and it is an important element in safety signs. The importance of colors usage in safety sign designs makes the colors research into one of the things that must be done before designing them. So far, research in the related field only focused on the adult's perspective without involving children's perspective in designing the safety signs. This paper aims to find out how children's perception towards colors affects the safety sign designs. This study consist of eight sections which are literature study, direct observation, determining referents and other parameters, determining research respondents, making the booklet, assessing the colors preferences, determining the design's parameter value and creating the safety sign designs. Limitation of the research are the objects are the students with the age of 10 - 11 years old in Grade IV and then the research is conducted in the school day and hours that apply to the school. Chi square test and odds ratio are employed to assess the colors preferences. Twelve safety sign designs are proposed by considering the children's colors perception. The designs are grouped into three types of sign which are Mandatory Action Sign, Warning Sign and Prohibition Sign. Six colors are used to draw the safety signs i.e. red, orange, yellow, green, blue and black. On the basis of the study, it is concluded that the colors that often appears in safety signs is green with the percentage of 75% and that rarely appears is red with the percentage of 8.33%.

Signed language and human action processing: evidence for functional constraints on the human mirror-neuron system.

Science.gov (United States)

Corina, David P; Knapp, Heather Patterson

2008-12-01

In the quest to further understand the neural underpinning of human communication, researchers have turned to studies of naturally occurring signed languages used in Deaf communities. The comparison of the commonalities and differences between spoken and signed languages provides an opportunity to determine core neural systems responsible for linguistic communication independent of the modality in which a language is expressed. The present article examines such studies, and in addition asks what we can learn about human languages by contrasting formal visual-gestural linguistic systems (signed languages) with more general human action perception. To understand visual language perception, it is important to distinguish the demands of general human motion processing from the highly task-dependent demands associated with extracting linguistic meaning from arbitrary, conventionalized gestures. This endeavor is particularly important because theorists have suggested close homologies between perception and production of actions and functions of human language and social communication. We review recent behavioral, functional imaging, and neuropsychological studies that explore dissociations between the processing of human actions and signed languages. These data suggest incomplete overlap between the mirror-neuron systems proposed to mediate human action and language.

PERSEPSI DAN SIKAP KONSUMEN TERHADAP PENERAPAN TRAFFIC LIGHT CARD PADA PRODUK PANGAN KEMASAN (CONSUMER’S PERCEPTION AND ATTITUDE TOWARDS IMPLEMENTATION OF TRAFFIC LIGHT CARD FOR PACKAGED FOOD PRODUCTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martha Puspita Sari

2017-01-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT There has been an increase in number of deaths caused by noncommunicable diseases. It is related to the intensification of packaged products consumption that contain high sugar, fat, and sodium compositions. Thus, a clear and transparent product label is needed to prevent unnecessary mistake in choosing the right food. Traffic Light (TL is a format of colour-coded nutrition label that has been implemented on packaged foods in various countries. Previous research conducted in the United Kingdom and Australia indicate that the TL system allowed consumers to more easily and accurately select healthier food products compared with other labelling systems. Research about TL has never been conducted in Indonesia. This study aimed to identify perception and attitude of consumers towards Traffic Light Card (TLC for packaged food products. An exploratory survey on 95 consumers were done at a supermarket in Yogyakarta, supported by data from in-depth interview. Eighty-six percent of consumers perceive TLC as having clear nutrition information, was easy to use, and helpful for choosing packaged foods. Seventy percent of consumers also support the implementation of TLC for selecting healthy products with “green colour” as well as applying TLC as a label format in Indonesia. Future study should be done in different population and measuring practice of TLC use. This study may serve as basis for policy evaluation of nutrition labelling.ABSTRAK Peningkatan prevalensi penyakit degeneratif berkaitan dengan meningkatnya konsumsi pangan kemasan yang tinggi kandungan gula, lemak, dan natrium. Label gizi yang jelas dan informatif diperlukan untuk membantu konsumen dalam pemilihan produk makanan. Traffic Light (TL merupakan format label dengan kode warna yang dikembangkan oleh The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA dan telah diterapkan pada produk pangan kemasan. Beberapa studi di Inggris dan Australia menunjukkan bahwa TL lebih berhasil membantu konsumen

Incorporating Traffic Control and Safety Hardware Performance Functions into Risk-based Highway Safety Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zongzhi Li

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Traffic control and safety hardware such as traffic signs, lighting, signals, pavement markings, guardrails, barriers, and crash cushions form an important and inseparable part of highway infrastructure affecting safety performance. Significant progress has been made in recent decades to develop safety performance functions and crash modification factors for site-specific crash predictions. However, the existing models and methods lack rigorous treatments of safety impacts of time-deteriorating conditions of traffic control and safety hardware. This study introduces a refined method for computing the Safety Index (SI as a means of crash predictions for a highway segment that incorporates traffic control and safety hardware performance functions into the analysis. The proposed method is applied in a computation experiment using five-year data on nearly two hundred rural and urban highway segments. The root-mean square error (RMSE, Chi-square, Spearman’s rank correlation, and Mann-Whitney U tests are employed for validation.

The impact of environmental factors on traffic accidents in Iran.

Science.gov (United States)

Lankarani, Kamran B; Heydari, Seyed Taghi; Aghabeigi, Mohammad Reza; Moafian, Ghasem; Hoseinzadeh, Amin; Vossoughi, Mehrdad

2014-07-01

Road traffic crashes are the third highest cause of mortality in Iran. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of roadway environmental factors on traffic crash. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Iran between March 21, 2010 and December 30, 2010. The data on road traffic crashes were obtained from the Traffic Police Department records. These records were classified to control for the main confounders related to the type of crash and roadway environmental factors. Roadway environmental factors included crash scene light, weather, place of accident, the defects and geometrics of roadway and road surface. The study included 542,863 traffic crashes. The proportions of road traffic crash which led to injury were 24.44% at sunrise and 27.16% at sunset compared with 5.43% and 1.43% deaths at sunrise and sunset respectively. In regard to day time accidents, the proportions were 20.50% injuries and 0.55% deaths. The statistical analysis of the results showed that the ratio of injuries and deaths were significantly higher at sunrise and sunset than those occurring during daytime (P less than 0.001). The highest rate of death (5.07%) was due to dusty weather compared to 5.07% for other weather conditions (P less than 0.001). The highest mortality rate (3.45%) occurred on oily surfaces (P less than 0.001). The defective traffic signs were responsible for 30,046 injuries and 5.58% deaths, and road narrowing accounted for 22,775 injuries and, 4.23% deaths which indicated that the roadway defects inflict most frequent injuries and deaths. The lowest (0.74 %) and highest (3.09%) proportion of traffic crash- related deaths were due to flat straight and winding uphill/downhill roads respectively (P less than 0.001). Sunrise, sunset, dusty weather, oily road surfaces and winding uphill/downhill road were hazardous environmental factors. This study provides an insight into the potential impacts of environmental factors on road traffic accidents and underlines the

Unmanned Aerial Systems Traffic Management (UTM): Safely Enabling UAS Operations in Low-Altitude Airspace

Science.gov (United States)

Rios, Joseph

2016-01-01

Currently, there is no established infrastructure to enable and safely manage the widespread use of low-altitude airspace and UAS flight operations. Given this, and understanding that the FAA faces a mandate to modernize the present air traffic management system through computer automation and significantly reduce the number of air traffic controllers by FY 2020, the FAA maintains that a comprehensive, yet fully automated UAS traffic management (UTM) system for low-altitude airspace is needed. The concept of UTM is to begin by leveraging concepts from the system of roads, lanes, stop signs, rules and lights that govern vehicles on the ground today. Building on its legacy of work in air traffic management (ATM), NASA is working with industry to develop prototype technologies for a UAS Traffic Management (UTM) system that would evolve airspace integration procedures for enabling safe, efficient low-altitude flight operations that autonomously manage UAS operating in an approved low-altitude airspace environment. UTM is a cloud-based system that will autonomously manage all traffic at low altitudes to include UASs being operated beyond visual line of sight of an operator. UTM would thus enable safe and efficient flight operations by providing fully integrated traffic management services such as airspace design, corridors, dynamic geofencing, severe weather and wind avoidance, congestion management, terrain avoidance, route planning re-routing, separation management, sequencing spacing, and contingency management. UTM removes the need for human operators to continuously monitor aircraft operating in approved areas. NASA envisions concepts for two types of UTM systems. The first would be a small portable system, which could be moved between geographical areas in support of operations such as precision agriculture and public safety. The second would be a Persistent system, which would support low-altitude operations in an approved area by providing continuous automated

Improvement of the performance of animal crossing warning signs.

Science.gov (United States)

Khalilikhah, Majid; Heaslip, Kevin

2017-09-01

Animal-vehicle collisions (AVCs) can result in serious injury and death to drivers, animals' death, and significant economic costs. However, the cost effectiveness of the majority of AVC mitigation measures is a significant issue. A mobile-based data collection effort was deployed to measure signs under the Utah Department of Transportation's (UDOT) jurisdiction. The crash data were obtained from the UDOT risk management database. ArcGIS was employed to link these two data sets and extract animal-related crashes and signs. An algorithm was developed to process the data and identify AVCs that occurred within sign recognition distance. Kernel density estimation (KDE) technique was applied to identify potential crash hotspots. Only 2% of AVCs occurred within the recognition distance of animal crossing signs. Almost 58% of animal-related crashes took place on the Interstate and U.S. highways, wherein only 30% of animal crossing signs were installed. State routes with a higher average number of signs experienced a lower number of AVCs per mile. The differences between AVCs that occurred within versus outside of sign recognition distance were not statistically significant regarding crash severity, time of crash, weather condition, driver age, vehicle speed, and type of animal. It is more likely that drivers become accustomed to deer crossing signs than cow signs. Based on the historical crash data and landscape structure, with attention given to the low cost safety improvement methods, a combination of different types of AVC mitigation measures can be developed to reduce the number of animal-related crashes. After an in-depth analysis of AVC data, warning traffic signs, coupled with other low cost mitigation countermeasures can be successfully placed in areas with higher priority or in critical areas. Practical applications: The findings of this study assist transportation agencies in developing more efficient mitigation measures against AVCs. Copyright © 2017 National

An fMRI study of perception and action in deaf signers.

Science.gov (United States)

Okada, Kayoko; Rogalsky, Corianne; O'Grady, Lucinda; Hanaumi, Leila; Bellugi, Ursula; Corina, David; Hickok, Gregory

2016-02-01

Since the discovery of mirror neurons, there has been a great deal of interest in understanding the relationship between perception and action, and the role of the human mirror system in language comprehension and production. Two questions have dominated research. One concerns the role of Broca's area in speech perception. The other concerns the role of the motor system more broadly in understanding action-related language. The current study investigates both of these questions in a way that bridges research on language with research on manual actions. We studied the neural basis of observing and executing American Sign Language (ASL) object and action signs. In an fMRI experiment, deaf signers produced signs depicting actions and objects as well as observed/comprehended signs of actions and objects. Different patterns of activation were found for observation and execution although with overlap in Broca's area, providing prima facie support for the claim that the motor system participates in language perception. In contrast, we found no evidence that action related signs differentially involved the motor system compared to object related signs. These findings are discussed in the context of lesion studies of sign language execution and observation. In this broader context, we conclude that the activation in Broca's area during ASL observation is not causally related to sign language understanding. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Point-of-Decision Signs and Stair Use in a University Worksite Setting: General Versus Specific Messages.

Science.gov (United States)

Eckhardt, Mary R; Kerr, Jacqueline; Taylor, Wendell C

2015-01-01

This study tested the effectiveness of two point-of-decision signs to increase stair use and investigated message content by comparing signs with general and specific messages. This study used a quasi-experimental time series design, including a 2-week baseline period: 2 weeks with a general message and 2 weeks with a specific message. The signs were placed in an eight-story university building. The subjects comprised all adults entering the building. During the study, 2997 observations of stair/elevator choice were made. A stair-prompt sign with a general message and a sign with a specific message served as the interventions. Observers measured stair/elevator choice, demographics, and traffic volume. Logistic regression analyses were employed, adjusting for covariates. The specific sign intervention showed significantly increased odds of stair use compared to baseline (odds ratio [OR] = 2.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.46-2.84). The odds of stair use were also significantly greater with the specific sign than the general sign (OR = 1.57, 95% CI = 1.13-2.20). Only the specific sign significantly increased stair use. The results indicate that a specific message may be more effective at promoting stair use.

Vibrotactile Detection, Identification and Directional Perception of signal-Processed Sounds from Environmental Events: A Pilot Field Evaluation in Five Cases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Parivash Ranjbar

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Conducting field tests of a vibrotactile aid for deaf/deafblind persons for detection, identification and directional perception of environmental sounds. Methods: Five deaf (3F/2M, 22–36 years individuals tested the aid separately in a home environment (kitchen and in a traffic environment. Their eyes were blindfolded and they wore a headband and holding a vibrator for sound identification. In the headband, three microphones were mounted and two vibrators for signalling direction of the sound source. The sounds originated from events typical for the home environment and traffic. The subjects were inexperienced (events unknown and experienced (events known. They identified the events in a home and traffic environment, but perceived sound source direction only in traffic. Results: The detection scores were higher than 98% both in the home and in the traffic environment. In the home environment, identification scores varied between 25%-58% when the subjects were inexperienced and between 33%-83% when they were experienced. In traffic, identification scores varied between 20%-40% when the subjects were inexperienced and between 22%-56% when they were experienced. The directional perception scores varied between 30%-60% when inexperienced and between 61%-83% when experienced. Discussion: The vibratory aid consistently improved all participants’ detection, identification and directional perception ability.

Bilateral Carotid Artery Dissection after High Impact Road Traffic Accident

OpenAIRE

Michael Kelly; Marcus Bradley; Ankur Srivastava

2008-01-01

A 58 year old man was involved in a high impact road traffic incident and was admitted for observation. Asymptomatic for the first 24 hours, he collapsed with symptoms and signs consistent with a cerebrovascular accident. Computed tomography angiogram (CTA) and Magnetic resonance angiogram (MRA) demonstrated bilateral internal carotid artery dissections and a left middle cerebral artery infarct. It was not considered appropriate to attempt stenting or other revascularistation. The patient was...

Early Sign Language Exposure and Cochlear Implantation Benefits.

Science.gov (United States)

Geers, Ann E; Mitchell, Christine M; Warner-Czyz, Andrea; Wang, Nae-Yuh; Eisenberg, Laurie S

2017-07-01

Most children with hearing loss who receive cochlear implants (CI) learn spoken language, and parents must choose early on whether to use sign language to accompany speech at home. We address whether parents' use of sign language before and after CI positively influences auditory-only speech recognition, speech intelligibility, spoken language, and reading outcomes. Three groups of children with CIs from a nationwide database who differed in the duration of early sign language exposure provided in their homes were compared in their progress through elementary grades. The groups did not differ in demographic, auditory, or linguistic characteristics before implantation. Children without early sign language exposure achieved better speech recognition skills over the first 3 years postimplant and exhibited a statistically significant advantage in spoken language and reading near the end of elementary grades over children exposed to sign language. Over 70% of children without sign language exposure achieved age-appropriate spoken language compared with only 39% of those exposed for 3 or more years. Early speech perception predicted speech intelligibility in middle elementary grades. Children without sign language exposure produced speech that was more intelligible (mean = 70%) than those exposed to sign language (mean = 51%). This study provides the most compelling support yet available in CI literature for the benefits of spoken language input for promoting verbal development in children implanted by 3 years of age. Contrary to earlier published assertions, there was no advantage to parents' use of sign language either before or after CI. Copyright © 2017 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Do self-reported concussions have cumulative or enduring effects on drivers' anticipation of traffic hazards?

Science.gov (United States)

Preece, Megan H W; Horswill, Mark S; Ownsworth, Tamara

2016-01-01

To investigate the cumulative effect of multiple self-reported concussions and the enduring effect of concussion on drivers' hazard perception ability. It was hypothesized: (1) that individuals reporting multiple previous concussions would be slower to anticipate traffic hazards than individuals reporting either one previous concussion or none; and (2) that individuals reporting a concussion within the past 3 months would be slower to anticipate traffic hazards than individuals reporting either an earlier concussion or no prior concussion. Two hundred and eighty-two predominantly young drivers (nconcussed = 68, Mage = 21.57 years, SDage = 6.99 years, 66% female) completed a validated hazard perception test (HPT) and measures of emotional, cognitive, health and driving status. A one-way analysis of variance showed that there was no significant effect of concussion number on HPT response times. Similarly, pairwise comparisons showed no significant differences between the HPT response times of individuals reporting a concussion within the previous 3 months, individuals reporting an earlier concussion and the never concussed group. The findings suggest that previous concussions do not adversely affect young drivers' ability to anticipate traffic hazards; however, due to reliance on self-reports of concussion history, further prospective longitudinal research is needed.

An evaluation of nursing and midwifery sign off mentors, new mentors and nurse lecturers' understanding of the sign off mentor role.

Science.gov (United States)

Rooke, Nickey

2014-01-01

This paper presents the findings of a small scale evaluation examining nursing and midwifery mentors and nursing lecturers perceptions of the Nursing and Midwifery Council 'sign off' mentor role (NMC, 2008). For this evaluation 114 new sign off mentors, 37 preparation for mentorship students and 13 nursing and midwifery lecturers within a Higher Education Institute (HEI) in the United Kingdom participated in the evaluation project. Nursing and midwifery students were not included in this initial evaluation. The initial findings suggested that all participants viewed the introduction of sign off mentors positively; offering a more robust mechanism for ensuring students were competent, helped to protect the public, and offered an increased level of support for students themselves. Concerns were raised about varying levels of support available for sign off mentors and some Stage 2 mentors' abilities to assess competence. Several participants felt the 1 h protected time per week per final placement student would be difficult to implement, whilst anxieties were also expressed about levels of responsibility for ensuring fitness to practice alongside concern that some mentors may leave sign off mentors to manage and identify under-achieving students. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simulation-Based Evaluation of Light Posts and Street Signs as 3-D Geolocation Targets in SAR Images

Science.gov (United States)

Auer, S.; Balss, U.

2017-05-01

The assignment of phase center positions (in 2D or 3D) derived from SAR data to physical object is challenging for many man-made structures such as buildings or bridges. In contrast, light poles and traffic signs are promising targets for tasks based on 3-D geolocation as they often show a prominent and spatially isolated appearance. For a detailed understanding of the nature of both targets, this paper presents results of a dedicated simulation case study, which is based on ray tracing methods (simulator RaySAR). For the first time, the appearance of the targets is analyzed in 2D (image plane) and 3D space (world coordinates of scene model) and reflecting surfaces are identified for related dominant image pixels. The case studies confirms the crucial impact of spatial resolution in the context of light poles and traffic signs and the appropriateness of light poles as target for 3-D geolocation in case of horizontal ground surfaces beneath.

SIMULATION-BASED EVALUATION OF LIGHT POSTS AND STREET SIGNS AS 3-D GEOLOCATION TARGETS IN SAR IMAGES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Auer

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The assignment of phase center positions (in 2D or 3D derived from SAR data to physical object is challenging for many man-made structures such as buildings or bridges. In contrast, light poles and traffic signs are promising targets for tasks based on 3-D geolocation as they often show a prominent and spatially isolated appearance. For a detailed understanding of the nature of both targets, this paper presents results of a dedicated simulation case study, which is based on ray tracing methods (simulator RaySAR. For the first time, the appearance of the targets is analyzed in 2D (image plane and 3D space (world coordinates of scene model and reflecting surfaces are identified for related dominant image pixels. The case studies confirms the crucial impact of spatial resolution in the context of light poles and traffic signs and the appropriateness of light poles as target for 3-D geolocation in case of horizontal ground surfaces beneath.

Ontology-Based Architecture for Intelligent Transportation Systems Using a Traffic Sensor Network

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susel Fernandez

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Intelligent transportation systems are a set of technological solutions used to improve the performance and safety of road transportation. A crucial element for the success of these systems is the exchange of information, not only between vehicles, but also among other components in the road infrastructure through different applications. One of the most important information sources in this kind of systems is sensors. Sensors can be within vehicles or as part of the infrastructure, such as bridges, roads or traffic signs. Sensors can provide information related to weather conditions and traffic situation, which is useful to improve the driving process. To facilitate the exchange of information between the different applications that use sensor data, a common framework of knowledge is needed to allow interoperability. In this paper an ontology-driven architecture to improve the driving environment through a traffic sensor network is proposed. The system performs different tasks automatically to increase driver safety and comfort using the information provided by the sensors.

Real-Time Corrected Traffic Correlation Model for Traffic Flow Forecasting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hua-pu Lu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This paper focuses on the problems of short-term traffic flow forecasting. The main goal is to put forward traffic correlation model and real-time correction algorithm for traffic flow forecasting. Traffic correlation model is established based on the temporal-spatial-historical correlation characteristic of traffic big data. In order to simplify the traffic correlation model, this paper presents correction coefficients optimization algorithm. Considering multistate characteristic of traffic big data, a dynamic part is added to traffic correlation model. Real-time correction algorithm based on Fuzzy Neural Network is presented to overcome the nonlinear mapping problems. A case study based on a real-world road network in Beijing, China, is implemented to test the efficiency and applicability of the proposed modeling methods.

Recognition Stage for a Speed Supervisor Based on Road Sign Detection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José María Armingol

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Traffic accidents are still one of the main health problems in the World. A number of measures have been applied in order to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities in roads, i.e., implementation of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS based on image processing. In this paper, a real time speed supervisor based on road sign recognition that can work both in urban and non-urban environments is presented. The system is able to recognize 135 road signs, belonging to the danger, yield, prohibition obligation and indication types, and sends warning messages to the driver upon the combination of two pieces of information: the current speed of the car and the road sign symbol. The core of this paper is the comparison between the two main methods which have been traditionally used for detection and recognition of road signs: template matching (TM and neural networks (NN. The advantages and disadvantages of the two approaches will be shown and commented. Additionally we will show how the use of well-known algorithms to avoid illumination issues reduces the amount of images needed to train a neural network.

Is three the magic number? The role of ergonomic principles in cross country comprehension of road traffic signs.

Science.gov (United States)

Jamson, Samantha; Mrozek, Marco

2017-07-01

Road sign comprehension plays an important part in road safety management, particularly for those drivers who are travelling in an unfamiliar country. Previous research has established that comprehension can be improved if signs are designed to adhere to ergonomic principles. However, it may be difficult for sign designers to incorporate all the principles into a single sign and may thus have to make a judgement as to the most effective ones. This study surveyed drivers in three countries to ascertain their understanding of a range of road signs, each of which conformed in varying degrees and combinations to the ergonomic principles. We found that using three of the principles was the most effective and that the most important one was that relating to standardisation; the colours and shapes used were key to comprehension. Other concepts which related to physical and spatial characteristics were less important, whilst conceptual compatibility did not aid comprehension at all. Practitioner Summary: This study explores how road sign comprehension can be improved using ergonomic principles, with particular reference to cross-border drivers. It was found that comprehension can be improved significantly if standardisation is adhered to and if at least three principles are used.

Traffic restrictions on Routes Bloch, Maxwell and Bohr

CERN Multimedia

IT Department

2008-01-01

Excavation and pipework is being carried out in the framework of the transfer of the waste water treatment plant for the effluents from the surface treatment workshops from Building 254 to Building 676, currently under construction. This work may encroach onto Routes Bloch, Maxwell and Bohr and disrupt the flow of traffic. Users are requested to comply with the road signs that will be erected. The work is expected to last until the beginning of December 2008. Thank you for your understanding. TS/CE and TS/FM Groups Tel.7 4188 or 16 4314

Modeling the Perceptions and Preferences of Pedestrians on Crossing Facilities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hongwei Guo

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Pedestrian’s street-crossing behaviour has a significant effect on traffic performance and safety. The crossing behaviour is determined by human factors and environmental factors. Aiming at examining the pedestrian perceptions toward crossing facilities and preferences for crossing locations, an observational study of pedestrian crossing behaviour at urban street is conducted. The perceptions and preferences of pedestrians are collected using stated preference technique. A specific questionnaire is designed to conduct the stated preference survey. A multinomial logit model is proposed to describe the perceptions and preferences of pedestrians on crossing facilities and locations. The sensitivity analysis is performed to discuss the influence of various factors on crossing behaviour. Then the relationship between crossing locations and crossing distances is analyzed by a new proposed method. With the theoretical analysis, the engineering solutions considering pedestrian behaviour are suggested. The results are helpful to design human-centered crossing facilities in urban traffic.

A human mirror neuron system for language: Perspectives from signed languages of the deaf.

Science.gov (United States)

Knapp, Heather Patterson; Corina, David P

2010-01-01

Language is proposed to have developed atop the human analog of the macaque mirror neuron system for action perception and production [Arbib M.A. 2005. From monkey-like action recognition to human language: An evolutionary framework for neurolinguistics (with commentaries and author's response). Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 28, 105-167; Arbib M.A. (2008). From grasp to language: Embodied concepts and the challenge of abstraction. Journal de Physiologie Paris 102, 4-20]. Signed languages of the deaf are fully-expressive, natural human languages that are perceived visually and produced manually. We suggest that if a unitary mirror neuron system mediates the observation and production of both language and non-linguistic action, three prediction can be made: (1) damage to the human mirror neuron system should non-selectively disrupt both sign language and non-linguistic action processing; (2) within the domain of sign language, a given mirror neuron locus should mediate both perception and production; and (3) the action-based tuning curves of individual mirror neurons should support the highly circumscribed set of motions that form the "vocabulary of action" for signed languages. In this review we evaluate data from the sign language and mirror neuron literatures and find that these predictions are only partially upheld. 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Early Sign Language Experience Goes along with an Increased Cross-Modal Gain for Affective Prosodic Recognition in Congenitally Deaf CI Users

Science.gov (United States)

Fengler, Ineke; Delfau, Pia-Céline; Röder, Brigitte

2018-01-01

It is yet unclear whether congenitally deaf cochlear implant (CD CI) users' visual and multisensory emotion perception is influenced by their history in sign language acquisition. We hypothesized that early-signing CD CI users, relative to late-signing CD CI users and hearing, non-signing controls, show better facial expression recognition and…

Traffic background level and signal duration effects on aircraft noise judgment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johnston, G W; Haasz, A A

1977-04-22

The effects of background traffic noise level and signal duration on perceived aircraft noise levels during a flyover event are investigated. Tapes of traffic noise at different levels on which aircraft flyover noise events of different durations were superimposed were played to groups of observers in a room simulating indoor conditions. It is found that the presence of steady background traffic noise reduces the perceived noisiness of aircraft flyovers provided that the duration of the flyover event is sufficiently short in relation to flyover time. For a given event level, a reduction of 21 dB(A) in background noise level leads to the perception of a 5.5 dB(A) increase in peak event level. Regressions of observer response with the noise pollution index show a lower correlation than those with variables based on background noise level and peak signal level, although the data are found to exhibit a number of significant trends associated with noise pollution index variations.

Effectiveness of Variable Message Signs on Driving Behavior Based on a Driving Simulation Experiment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xuedong Yan

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Variable message signs (VMSs, as one of the important ITS devices, provide real-time traffic information of road network to drivers in order to improve route choice and relieve the traffic congestion. In this study, the effectiveness of VMS on driving behavior was tested based on a driving simulation experiment. A road network with three levels of VMS location to route-diverging intersection and three types of VMS information format was designed in a high fidelity driving simulator platform. Fifty-two subjects who were classified by driver age, gender, and vocation successfully completed this experiment. The experimental results showed that driver characteristics, VMS location, and information format profoundly influence driving behaviors. Based on the research findings, it is suggested that VMS would be positioned between 150 m and 200 m upstream of the diverging point to balance the VMS effects on traffic safety and operation and the graphic information VMS format is better than the format with text massage only.

Modernizing the Professional Capabilities of Driving Instructors and Traffic Safety Teachers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kolarov Ivan

2009-06-01

Full Text Available The effective traffic safety training is a long process; it starts from very young age and continues throughout life. This is not only a process of acquiring knowledge and skills, but also a matter of social importance. Pedagogical forms of education depend on the position of a man in society, respectively, on abilities to percept the environment. The recent investigations of traffic accidents show, that the young drivers generally have poorer than average self-reflection skills. It is therefore important to foster self-reflection skills and attitudes from an early age, especially in matters that relate to road and driving safety. All of staff that have career in traffic safety training (mainly instructors for driving and traffic safety teachers in Europe have their responsibility for decreasing the traffic accidents and incidents by polishing their skills. They work under variety conditions, specific National Lows and Regulations, but the features of their target groups are one and the same. In order to meet the new challenges put by EU Commission they need to have common vision about traffic safety training in Europe, to know what traffic safety means for different age groups, to know what is the best practice of their colleagues, including curricula, methods, training materials, and to be aware their work is very important for traffic safety. Aim of this paper is to present an approach for non-formal instructors for driving and traffic safety teachers training for modernizing their professional capabilities with students form 0 to 30 years old. The investigations and main results are based on the theoretical investigation for hierarchical level of behavior, made by Hatakka for instructors for driving training. The students are divided in four age groups: pre-school children (0-6 years, schoolchildren (7-12 years, teenagers (13-17 years and young adults (18-30 years. For each age group a curriculum is developed according to common EU rules and

Parental Perception of a Baby Sign Workshop on Stress and Parent-Child Interaction

Science.gov (United States)

Mueller, Vannesa; Sepulveda, Amanda

2014-01-01

Introduction: Baby sign language is gaining in popularity. However, research has indicated a lack of empirical research supporting its use. In addition, research suggests that baby sign training may increase stress levels in parents. Methods: Nine families with children ranging in age from six months to two years; five months participated in a…

Bimodal bilingualism as multisensory training?: Evidence for improved audiovisual speech perception after sign language exposure.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Joshua T; Darcy, Isabelle; Newman, Sharlene D

2016-02-15

The aim of the present study was to characterize effects of learning a sign language on the processing of a spoken language. Specifically, audiovisual phoneme comprehension was assessed before and after 13 weeks of sign language exposure. L2 ASL learners performed this task in the fMRI scanner. Results indicated that L2 American Sign Language (ASL) learners' behavioral classification of the speech sounds improved with time compared to hearing nonsigners. Results indicated increased activation in the supramarginal gyrus (SMG) after sign language exposure, which suggests concomitant increased phonological processing of speech. A multiple regression analysis indicated that learner's rating on co-sign speech use and lipreading ability was correlated with SMG activation. This pattern of results indicates that the increased use of mouthing and possibly lipreading during sign language acquisition may concurrently improve audiovisual speech processing in budding hearing bimodal bilinguals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

TRAFFIC SIMULATION FOR MIXED TRAFFIC SYSTEMS

African Journals Online (AJOL)

EGETE

2012-05-04

May 4, 2012 ... Traffic problem is classified into single and mixed, especially in most developing countries, where motorbikes are ..... The traffic light control system presented by its location on ... multi-destination dynamic routing and real-time.

Name signs in Danish Sign Language

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bakken Jepsen, Julie

2018-01-01

in spoken languages, where a person working as a blacksmith by his friends might be referred to as ‘The Blacksmith’ (‘Here comes the Blacksmith!’) instead of using the person’s first name. Name signs are found not only in Danish Sign Language (DSL) but in most, if not all, sign languages studied to date....... This article provides examples of the creativity of the users of Danish Sign Language, including some of the processes in the use of metaphors, visual motivation and influence from Danish when name signs are created.......A name sign is a personal sign assigned to deaf, hearing impaired and hearing persons who enter the deaf community. The mouth action accompanying the sign reproduces all or part of the formal first name that the person has received by baptism or naming. Name signs can be compared to nicknames...

The CRADLE vital signs alert: qualitative evaluation of a novel device designed for use in pregnancy by healthcare workers in low-resource settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Nathan, Hannah L; Boene, Helena; Munguambe, Khatia; Sevene, Esperança; Akeju, David; Adetoro, Olalekan O; Charanthimath, Umesh; Bellad, Mrutyunjaya B; de Greeff, Annemarie; Anthony, John; Hall, David R; Steyn, Wilhelm; Vidler, Marianne; von Dadelszen, Peter; Chappell, Lucy C; Sandall, Jane; Shennan, Andrew H

2018-01-05

Vital signs measurement can identify pregnant and postpartum women who require urgent treatment or referral. In low-resource settings, healthcare workers have limited access to accurate vital signs measuring devices suitable for their environment and training. The CRADLE Vital Signs Alert (VSA) is a novel device measuring blood pressure and pulse that is accurate in pregnancy and designed for low-resource settings. Its traffic light early warning system alerts healthcare workers to the need for escalation of care for women with hypertension, haemorrhage or sepsis. This study evaluated the usability and acceptability of the CRADLE VSA device. Evaluation was conducted in community and primary care settings in India, Mozambique and Nigeria and tertiary hospitals in South Africa. Purposeful sampling was used to convene 155 interviews and six focus groups with healthcare workers using the device (n = 205) and pregnant women and their family members (n = 41). Interviews and focus groups were conducted in the local language and audio-recorded, transcribed and translated into English for analysis. Thematic analysis was undertaken using an a priori thematic framework, as well as an inductive approach. Most healthcare workers perceived the CRADLE device to be easy to use and accurate. The traffic lights early warning system was unanimously reported positively, giving healthcare workers confidence with decision-making and a sense of professionalism. However, a minority in South Africa described manual inflation as tiring, particularly when measuring vital signs in obese and hypertensive women (n = 4) and a few South African healthcare workers distrusted the device's accuracy (n = 7). Unanimously, pregnant women liked the CRADLE device. The traffic light early warning system gave women and their families a better understanding of the importance of vital signs in pregnancy and during the postpartum period. The CRADLE device was well accepted by healthcare workers

Traffic signal synchronization.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Ding-wei; Huang, Wei-neng

2003-05-01

The benefits of traffic signal synchronization are examined within the cellular automata approach. The microsimulations of traffic flow are obtained with different settings of signal period T and time delay delta. Both numerical results and analytical approximations are presented. For undersaturated traffic, the green-light wave solutions can be realized. For saturated traffic, the correlation among the traffic signals has no effect on the throughput. For oversaturated traffic, the benefits of synchronization are manifest only when stochastic noise is suppressed.

Effect of Traffic Noise and Relaxations Sounds on Pedestrian Walking Speed

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marek Franěk

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Exposure to noise in everyday urban life is considered to be an environmental stressor. A specific outcome of reactions to environmental stress is a fast pace of life that also includes a faster pedestrian walking speed. The present study examined the effect of listening to annoying acoustical stimuli (traffic noise compared with relaxation sounds (forest birdsong on walking speed in a real outdoor urban environment. The participants (N = 83 walked along an urban route of 1.8 km. They listened to either traffic noise or forest birdsong, or they walked without listening to any acoustical stimuli in the control condition. The results showed that participants listening to traffic noise walked significantly faster on the route than both the participants listening to forest birdsong sounds and the participants in the control condition. Participants who listened to forest birdsong walked slightly slower than those under control conditions; however, this difference was not significant. Analysis of the walk experience showed that participants who listened to forest birdsong during the walk liked the route more than those who listened to traffic sounds. The study demonstrated that exposure to traffic noise led to an immediate increase in walking speed. It was also shown that exposure to noise may influence participants’ perception of an environment. The same environment may be more liked in the absence of noise or in the presence of relaxation sounds. The study also documented the positive effect of listening to various kinds of relaxation sounds while walking in an outdoor environment with traffic noise.

Incidence of posttraumatic stress disorder after traffic accidents in Germany.

Science.gov (United States)

Brand, Stephan; Otte, Dietmar; Petri, Maximilian; Decker, Sebastian; Stübig, Timo; Krettek, Christian; Müller, Christian W

2014-01-01

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is possibly an overlooked diagnosis of victims suffering from traffic accidents sustaining serious to severe injuries. This paper investigates the incidence of PTSD after traffic accidents in Germany. Data from an accident research unit were analyzed in regard to collision details, and preclinical and clinical data. Preclinical data included details on crash circumstances and estimated injury severity as well as data on victims' conditions (e.g. heart rate, blood pressure, consciousness, breath rate). Clinical data included initial assessment in the emergency department, radiographic diagnoses, and basic life parameters comparable to the preclinical data as well as follow-up data on the daily ward. Data were collected in the German-In-Depth Accident Research study, and included gender, type of accident (e.g. type of vehicle, road conditions, rural or urban area), mental disorder, and AIS (Abbreviated Injury Scale) head score. AIS represent a scoring system to measure the injury severity of traffic accident victims. A total 258 out of 32807 data sets were included in this analysis. Data on accident and victims was collected on scene by specialized teams following established algorithms. Besides higher AIS Head scores for male motorcyclists compared to all other subgroups, no significant correlation was found between the mean maximum AIS score and the occurrence of PTSD. Furthermore, there was no correlation between higher AIS head scores, gender, or involvement in road traffic accidents and PTSD. In our study the overall incidence of PTSD after road traffic accidents was very low (0.78% in a total of 32.807 collected data sets) when compared to other published studies. The reason for this very low incidence of PTSD in our patient sample could be seen in an underestimation of the psychophysiological impact of traffic accidents on patients. Patients suffering from direct experiences of traumatic events such as a traffic accident

On the System of Person-Denoting Signs in Estonian Sign Language: Estonian Name Signs

Science.gov (United States)

Paales, Liina

2010-01-01

This article discusses Estonian personal name signs. According to study there are four personal name sign categories in Estonian Sign Language: (1) arbitrary name signs; (2) descriptive name signs; (3) initialized-descriptive name signs; (4) loan/borrowed name signs. Mostly there are represented descriptive and borrowed personal name signs among…

Risky driving behaviors for road traffic accident among drivers in Mekele city, Northern Ethiopia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hassen Abrahim

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Due to its perception as a disease of development, road traffic accident and related injuries tend to be under recognized as a major health problem in developing countries. However, majority of the world's fatalities on the roads occur in low income and middle income countries. Since the main cause of road traffic accident is attributed to human risky behaviors, it is important to identify significant factors for risky behaviors of drivers. Methods A quantitative cross-sectional study with a sample size of 350 drivers was conducted in April 2011. The study was conducted among Taxi, Bajaj (three tire vehicles and private owned car drivers. After proportion to size allocation for Taxi (75, Baja (103 and private owned car (172 drivers, we used systematic random sampling method to identify illegible study subjects. Data was collected with face to face interview using a pretested questioner. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate analysis was done using SPSS version 16. Results The mean age of the respondents was 28.7 (SD 9.9. Majority were 339 (96.9% males. Significant number of the study subjects 233 (66.6% had risky driving behaviors. More than a quarter 100 (28.6% had less knowledge about basic traffic signs. Majority of drivers 181 (51.7% had negative attitude towards risky driving behaviors. Significant percent of them 148 (42.3% had a habit of using mobile phone while driving vehicle and 28 (9.7% had experience of driving after drinking alcohol. All the Bajaj, 97(62.6% house car and 58(37.4% taxi unfasten their seat belt while driving. Majority 303 (86.6% followed the recommended speed limit of driving. About 66 (18.9% of them had experience of punishment or warning by traffic polices in the previous 1 year and 77 (22% ever had car accident while driving. Conclusions Drivers of secondary education and with high average monthly income were more likely to have risky driving behavior. Having supportive attitude towards risky

Road traffic injuries among riders of electric bike/electric moped in southern China.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xujun; Yang, Yaming; Yang, Jie; Hu, Jie; Li, Yang; Wu, Ming; Stallones, Lorann; Xiang, Henry

2018-05-19

Electric bike/moped-related road traffic injuries have become a burgeoning public health problem in China. The objective of this study was to identify the prevalence and potential risk factors of electric bike/moped-related road traffic injuries among electric bike/moped riders in southern China. A cross-sectional study was used to interview 3,151 electric bike/moped riders in southern China. Electric bike/moped-related road traffic injuries that occurred from July 2014 to June 2015 were investigated. Data were collected by face-to-face interviews and analyzed between July 2015 and June 2017. The prevalence of electric bike/moped-related road traffic injuries among the investigated riders was 15.99%. Electric bike/moped-related road traffic injuries were significantly associated with category of electric bike (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.36, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-1.82), self-reported confusion (AOR = 1.77, 95% CI, 1.13-2.78), history of crashes (AOR = 6.14, 95% CI, 4.68-8.07), running red lights (AOR = 3.57, 95% CI, 2.42-5.25), carrying children while riding (AOR = 1.96, 95% CI, 1.37-2.85), carrying adults while riding (AOR = 1.68, 95% CI, 1.23-2.28), riding in the motor lane (AOR = 2.42, 95% CI, 1.05-3.93), and riding in the wrong traffic direction (AOR = 1.63, 95% CI, 1.13-2.35). In over 77.58% of electric bike/moped-related road traffic crashes, riders were determined by the police to be responsible for the crash. Major crash-causing factors included violating traffic signals or signs, careless riding, speeding, and riding in the wrong lane. Traffic safety related to electric bikes/moped is becoming more problematic with growing popularity compared with other 2-wheeled vehicles. Programs need to be developed to prevent electric bike/moped-related road traffic injuries in this emerging country.

Traffic Generator (TrafficGen) Version 1.4.2: Users Guide

Science.gov (United States)

2016-06-01

the network with Transmission Control Protocol and User Datagram Protocol Internet Protocol traffic. Each node generating network traffic in an...TrafficGen Graphical User Interface (GUI) 3 3.1 Anatomy of the User Interface 3 3.2 Scenario Configuration and MGEN Files 4 4. Working with...for public release; distribution is unlimited. vi List of Figures Fig. 1 TrafficGen user interface

Queueing and traffic

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Baër, Niek

2015-01-01

Traffic jams are everywhere, some are caused by constructions or accidents but a large portion occurs naturally. These "natural" traffic jams are a result of variable driving speeds combined with a high number of vehicles. To prevent these traffic jams, we must understand traffic in general, and to

Traffic Games: Modeling Freeway Traffic with Game Theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Cortés-Berrueco, Luis E; Gershenson, Carlos; Stephens, Christopher R

2016-01-01

We apply game theory to a vehicular traffic model to study the effect of driver strategies on traffic flow. The resulting model inherits the realistic dynamics achieved by a two-lane traffic model and aims to incorporate phenomena caused by driver-driver interactions. To achieve this goal, a game-theoretic description of driver interaction was developed. This game-theoretic formalization allows one to model different lane-changing behaviors and to keep track of mobility performance. We simulate the evolution of cooperation, traffic flow, and mobility performance for different modeled behaviors. The analysis of these results indicates a mobility optimization process achieved by drivers' interactions.

Traffic planning for non-homogeneous traffic

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Vehicles based on similar traffic operating characteristics are grouped into ... of distances to the video monitor involved using a measuring wheel to mark ... Secondly, the observers reviewed the videotape to sample traffic entity ...... makes a strong case for including service lanes for slow moving vehicles for improving the.

A traffic priority language for collision-free navigation of autonomous mobile robots in dynamic environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Bourbakis, N G

1997-01-01

This paper presents a generic traffic priority language, called KYKLOFORTA, used by autonomous robots for collision-free navigation in a dynamic unknown or known navigation space. In a previous work by X. Grossmman (1988), a set of traffic control rules was developed for the navigation of the robots on the lines of a two-dimensional (2-D) grid and a control center coordinated and synchronized their movements. In this work, the robots are considered autonomous: they are moving anywhere and in any direction inside the free space, and there is no need of a central control to coordinate and synchronize them. The requirements for each robot are i) visual perception, ii) range sensors, and iii) the ability of each robot to detect other moving objects in the same free navigation space, define the other objects perceived size, their velocity and their directions. Based on these assumptions, a traffic priority language is needed for each robot, making it able to decide during the navigation and avoid possible collision with other moving objects. The traffic priority language proposed here is based on a set of primitive traffic priority alphabet and rules which compose pattern of corridors for the application of the traffic priority rules.

Area-wide traffic calming for preventing traffic related injuries.

Science.gov (United States)

Bunn, F; Collier, T; Frost, C; Ker, K; Roberts, I; Wentz, R

2003-01-01

It is estimated that by 2020 road traffic crashes will have moved from ninth to third in the world disease burden ranking, as measured in disability adjusted life years, and second in developing countries. The identification of effective strategies for the prevention of traffic related injuries is of global health importance. Area-wide traffic calming schemes that discourage through traffic on residential roads is one such strategy. To evaluate the effectiveness of area-wide traffic calming in preventing traffic related crashes, injuries, and deaths. We searched the following electronic databases: Cochrane Injuries Group's Specialised Register, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, MEDLINE, EMBASE and TRANSPORT (NTIS, TRIS, TRANSDOC). We searched the web sites of road safety organisations, handsearched conference proceedings, checked reference lists of relevant papers and contacted experts in the area. The search was not restricted by language or publication status. Randomised controlled trials, and controlled before-after studies of area-wide traffic calming schemes. Two reviewers independently extracted data on type of study, characteristics of intervention and control areas, and length of data collection periods. Before and after data were collected on the total number of road traffic crashes, all road user deaths and injuries, pedestrian-motor vehicle collisions and road user deaths. The statistical package STATA was used to calculate rate ratios for each study, which were then pooled to give an overall estimate using a random effects model. We found no randomised controlled trials, but 16 controlled before-after trials met our inclusion criteria. Seven studies were done in Germany, six in the UK, two in Australia and one in the Netherlands. There were no studies in low or middle income countries. Eight trials reported the number of road traffic crashes resulting in deaths. The pooled rate ratio was 0.63 (0.14, 2.59 95% CI). Sixteen studies reported the number

Traffic Light Options

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Peter Løchte

This paper introduces, prices, and analyzes traffic light options. The traffic light option is an innovative structured OTC derivative developed independently by several London-based investment banks to suit the needs of Danish life and pension (L&P) companies, which must comply with the traffic...... 2006, and supervisory authorities in many other European countries have implemented similar regulation. Traffic light options are therefore likely to attract the attention of a wider audience of pension fund managers in the future. Focusing on the valuation of the traffic light option we set up a Black...... light scenarios. These stress scenarios entail drops in interest rates as well as in stock prices, and traffic light options are thus designed to pay off and preserve sufficient capital when interest rates and stock prices fall simultaneously. Sweden's FSA implemented a traffic light system in January...

Traffic Light Options

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Peter Løchte

2007-01-01

This paper introduces, prices, and analyzes traffic light options. The traffic light option is an innovative structured OTC derivative developed independently by several London-based investment banks to suit the needs of Danish life and pension (L&P) companies, which must comply with the traffic...... 2006, and supervisory authorities in many other European countries have implemented similar regulation. Traffic light options are therefore likely to attract the attention of a wider audience of pension fund managers in the future. Focusing on the valuation of the traffic light option we set up a Black...... light scenarios. These stress scenarios entail drops in interest rates as well as in stock prices, and traffic light options are thus designed to pay off and preserve sufficient capital when interest rates and stock prices fall simultaneously. Sweden's FSA implemented a traffic light system in January...

Noxious substances in the air - traffic planning measures - traffic of the future

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koestenberger, H

1985-01-01

Necessary bundle of measures: Extension of public transport and restriction of individual traffic, extension and activation of large main roads (by-passes) to unload inhabited areas, building garages, creation of residential streets, pedestrian precincts and cycle paths. The best possible traffic system can only be achieved if all means of transport are used efficiently. It is the duty of traffic planners to develop an overall traffic system with the aims of benefiting the whole community. Due to wrong slowing down of traffic, the reduction of emitted quantities of noxious substances from private cars can be counteracted by general slowing down of traffic; frequent braking and restarting. The functional separation of residential areas for living, areas for working, supply, education and leisure pursuits which has been aimed at in recent decades must be slowly changed. This could reduce the traffic and mobility (mixed functions). The aims for traffic of the future are: suitability for the environment, economy, safety and capacity. In an integrated road network, the traffic must take over the correct purpose of traffic. (orig.).

Traffic safety issues in North Dakota : phase II : driver knowledge, attitude, behavior and beliefs : focus group : young male drivers

Science.gov (United States)

2008-10-01

Traffic safety is a widespread social concern. Tackling the problem requires understanding the people : who are driving. This includes information about driver behavior, but also about perceptions these drivers : hold regarding their driving. North D...

Analysis of the work of air traffic controllers of the approach control area (APP) of Porto Alegre, Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Vargas, C V; Guimarães, L B de M; Sant'Anna, A M O

2012-01-01

This article presents a study on the activities of the air traffic controllers of the Approach Control Area (APP) of Porto Alegre, Brazil, in different real scenarios. Based on interviews, questionnaires and the analysis of film of real scenes, the following were identified and analyzed: i) the perceptions of risk and complexity of the different air traffic scenes observed; ii) the cognitive factors (knowledge, strategy and attention dynamics) involved in the task and iii) the perception of the controller's workload. The results showed that the task complexity depends on the weather conditions, the number and type of aircraft in observation and that the controllers perceive the scenes in a similar way irrespective of their time in the profession and the type of control (radar or coordination). Attention is the cognitive factor with the greatest impact on the work and mental demand has the greatest impact on workload followed by time demand. The literature on the controllers work in Brazil is scarce and, therefore, this study aimed to contribute to the understanding of the work in one APP in order to promote future changes in the very problematic Brazilian air traffic system.

Effects of autonomy, traffic conditions and driver personality traits on attitudes and trust towards in-vehicle agents

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cramer, H.; Evers, V.; Kemper, N.; Wielinga, B.; Li, Y.; Pasi, G.; Zhang, C.; Cercone, N.; Cao, L.

2008-01-01

In-vehicle agents can potentially avert dangerous driving situations by adapting to the driver, context and traffic conditions. However, perceptions of system autonomy, the way agents offer assistance, driving contexts and users’ personality traits can all affect acceptance and trust. This paper

Traffic Infrastructure in the Development of the Croatian Traffic System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Damir Šimulčik

2012-10-01

Full Text Available The absence of a long-term traffic policy and of the policyof financing the constntction and maintenance of traffic infrastructurefacilities, represents a synthesis of numerous unresolvedrelations whose negative effects are felt in the overalleconomic and traffic development and consequently theevaluation of national potentials in the field. Adverse aspectcaused by the lack of a clear and feasible policy of financing thetraffic infrastructure facilities, is also a result of not having definedan adequate traffic policy, programme and strategiccourses of development, nor financing models that would be inaccordance with the market and economy system.This indicates that it is necessary to determine a policy forfinancing the constntction and maintenance of traffic infrastntcture,which has to be based on scientific development,team work, availability of plans and programmes to scientistsand experts, determined methodology based on marketing andeconomic logic in defining the programme and strategic tasksand assignments so as to make them feasible.In the near future, intensive preparations for investments inthe overall traffic sysiem are necessary, especially regarding thetraffic infrastntcture facilities - the pivotal points in the processof evaluating the traffic in our national tenitory. Croatia needsto define clearly its strategy in constructing and maintaining thegeneral traffic infrastructure, appointing at the same time thosewho will carry out the given tasks.

Effect of odour on multisensory environmental evaluations of road traffic

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jiang, Like, E-mail: jianglike@yahoo.com; Masullo, Massimiliano, E-mail: Massimiliano.MASULLO@unina2.it; Maffei, Luigi, E-mail: luigi.maffei@unina2.it

2016-09-15

This study investigated the effect of odour on multisensory environmental evaluations of road traffic. The study aimed to answer: (1) Does odour have any effect on evaluations on noise, landscape and the overall environment? (2) How different are participants' responses to odour stimuli and are these differences influential on the evaluations? Experimental scenarios varied in three Traffic levels, three Tree screening conditions and two Odour presence conditions were designed, and presented to participants in virtual reality. Perceived Loudness, Noise Annoyance, Landscape Quality and Overall Pleasantness of each scenario were evaluated and the results were analysed. It shows that Odour presence did not have significant main effect on any of the evaluations, but has significant interactions with Traffic level on Noise Annoyance and with Tree screening on Landscape Quality, indicating the potential of odour to modulate noise and visual landscape perceptions in specific environmental content. Concerning participants' responses to odour stimuli, large differences were found in this study. However, the differences did not seem to be influential on environmental evaluations in this study. Larger samples of participants may benefit this study for more significant results of odour effect.

Effect of odour on multisensory environmental evaluations of road traffic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang, Like; Masullo, Massimiliano; Maffei, Luigi

2016-01-01

This study investigated the effect of odour on multisensory environmental evaluations of road traffic. The study aimed to answer: (1) Does odour have any effect on evaluations on noise, landscape and the overall environment? (2) How different are participants' responses to odour stimuli and are these differences influential on the evaluations? Experimental scenarios varied in three Traffic levels, three Tree screening conditions and two Odour presence conditions were designed, and presented to participants in virtual reality. Perceived Loudness, Noise Annoyance, Landscape Quality and Overall Pleasantness of each scenario were evaluated and the results were analysed. It shows that Odour presence did not have significant main effect on any of the evaluations, but has significant interactions with Traffic level on Noise Annoyance and with Tree screening on Landscape Quality, indicating the potential of odour to modulate noise and visual landscape perceptions in specific environmental content. Concerning participants' responses to odour stimuli, large differences were found in this study. However, the differences did not seem to be influential on environmental evaluations in this study. Larger samples of participants may benefit this study for more significant results of odour effect.

Impacts of Visual Sonority and Handshape Markedness on Second Language Learning of American Sign Language.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Joshua T; Newman, Sharlene D

2016-04-01

The roles of visual sonority and handshape markedness in sign language acquisition and production were investigated. In Experiment 1, learners were taught sign-nonobject correspondences that varied in sign movement sonority and handshape markedness. Results from a sign-picture matching task revealed that high sonority signs were more accurately matched, especially when the sign contained a marked handshape. In Experiment 2, learners produced these familiar signs in addition to novel signs, which differed based on sonority and markedness. Results from a key-release reaction time reproduction task showed that learners tended to produce high sonority signs much more quickly than low sonority signs, especially when the sign contained an unmarked handshape. This effect was only present in familiar signs. Sign production accuracy rates revealed that high sonority signs were more accurate than low sonority signs. Similarly, signs with unmarked handshapes were produced more accurately than those with marked handshapes. Together, results from Experiments 1 and 2 suggested that signs that contain high sonority movements are more easily processed, both perceptually and productively, and handshape markedness plays a differential role in perception and production. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Evaluating traffic informers: testing the behavioral and social-cognitive effects of an adolescent bicycle safety education program.

Science.gov (United States)

Feenstra, Hans; Ruiter, Robert A C; Kok, Gerjo

2014-12-01

In The Netherlands, 12-24 years old are over-represented in the total number of traffic fatalities and injuries. In this study, the traffic informer program - designed to promote safe traffic behavior in the pre-driver population - was experimentally evaluated, with a specific focus on bicycle use. Students were subjected to graphic videos of traffic accidents and listened to a first-person narrative provided by a traffic accident victim. The influence of the program on concepts derived from the theory of planned behavior and protection motivation theory (attitudes, norms, self-efficacy, risk-perception, intention and behavior) was assessed. Students from various schools (N=1593;M age=15 years, SD=.84) participated in a quasi-experimental study, either in an experimental or a control group, completing self-report questionnaires one week prior to the program implementation and approximately one month after the program implementation. Mixed regression analyses showed significant positive and negative time × intervention interaction effects on attitude toward traffic violations, relative attitude toward traffic safety, and risk comparison, but not on intention and behavior. More research is needed to find effective behavioral change techniques (other than increasing risk awareness) for promoting safe traffic behavior in adolescents. Research is also needed to address how these can be translated into effective interventions and educational programs. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The Development of the Forensic Early Warning Signs of Aggression Inventory: Preliminary findings: Toward a Better Management of Inpatient Aggression

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fluttert, F.A.J.; Meijel, B.K.G. van; Leeuwen, M. van; Björkly, S.; Nijman, H.L.I.; Grypdonck, M.H.F.

2011-01-01

Objective: Early warning signs of aggression refers to recurring changes in behaviors, thoughts, perceptions, and feelings of the patient that are considered to be precursors of aggressive behavior. The early recognition of these signs offers possibilities for early intervention and prevention of

The Development of the Forensic Early Warning Signs of Aggression lnventory: Preliminary findings: Toward a Better Management of Inpatient Aggression

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stål Bjørkly; prof Berno van Meijel; Henk Nijman; Mieke Grypdonck; Frans Fluttert; Mirjam van Leeuwen

2011-01-01

“Early warning signs of aggression” refers to recurring changes in behaviors, thoughts, perceptions, and feelings of the patient that are considered to be precursors of aggressive behavior. The early recognition of these signs offers possibilities for early intervention and prevention of aggressive

Using bayesian model to estimate the cost of traffic injuries in Iran in 2013.

Science.gov (United States)

Ainy, Elaheh; Soori, Hamid; Ganjali, Mojtaba; Bahadorimonfared, Ayad

2017-01-01

A significant social and economic burden inflicts by road traffic injuries (RTIs). We aimed to use Bayesian model, to present the precise method, and to estimate the cost of RTIs in Iran in 2013. In a cross-sectional study on costs resulting from traffic injuries, 846 people per road user were randomly selected and investigated during 3 months (1 st September-1 st December) in 2013. The research questionnaire was prepared based on the standard for willingness to pay (WTP) method considering perceived risks, especially in Iran. Data were collected along with four scenarios for occupants, pedestrians, vehicle drivers, and motorcyclists. Inclusion criterion was having at least high school education and being in the age range of 18-65 years old; risk perception was an important factor to the study and measured by visual tool. Samples who did not have risk perception were excluded from the study. Main outcome measure was cost estimation of traffic injuries using WTP method. Mean WTP was 2,612,050 internal rate of return (IRR) among these road users. Statistical value of life was estimated according to 20,408 death cases 402,314,106,073,648 IRR, equivalent to 13,410,470,202$ based on the dollar free market rate of 30,000 IRR (purchase power parity). In sum, injury and death cases came to 1,171,450,232,238,648 IRR equivalents to 39,048,341,074$. Moreover, in 2013, costs of traffic accident constituted 6.46% of gross national income, which was 604,300,000,000$. WTP had a significant relationship with age, middle and high income, daily payment to injury reduction, more payment to time reduction, trip mileage, private cars drivers, bus, minibus vehicles, and occupants ( P < 0.01). Costs of traffic injuries included noticeable portion of gross national income. If policy-making and resource allocation are made based on the scientific pieces of evidence, an enormous amount of capital can be saved through reducing death and injury rates.

Nurse practitioner perceptions of barriers and facilitators in providing health care for deaf American Sign Language users: A qualitative socio-ecological approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Pendergrass, Kathy M; Nemeth, Lynne; Newman, Susan D; Jenkins, Carolyn M; Jones, Elaine G

2017-06-01

Nurse practitioners (NPs), as well as all healthcare clinicians, have a legal and ethical responsibility to provide health care for deaf American Sign Language (ASL) users equal to that of other patients, including effective communication, autonomy, and confidentiality. However, very little is known about the feasibility to provide equitable health care. The purpose of this study was to examine NP perceptions of barriers and facilitators in providing health care for deaf ASL users. Semistructured interviews in a qualitative design using a socio-ecological model (SEM). Barriers were identified at all levels of the SEM. NPs preferred interpreters to facilitate the visit, but were unaware of their role in assuring effective communication is achieved. A professional sign language interpreter was considered a last resort when all other means of communication failed. Gesturing, note-writing, lip-reading, and use of a familial interpreter were all considered facilitators. Interventions are needed at all levels of the SEM. Resources are needed to provide awareness of deaf communication issues and legal requirements for caring for deaf signers for practicing and student NPs. Protocols need to be developed and present in all healthcare facilities for hiring interpreters as well as quick access to contact information for these interpreters. ©2017 American Association of Nurse Practitioners.

Perceptions of the road transport management system (RTMS): promoting voluntary certification

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Kamdar, A

2017-07-01

Full Text Available infrastructure, improving road safety and increasing productivity. The surveyed views of the road traffic authorities, banks, insurance companies, the RTMS steering committee, and road transport operators provide insights into the perceptions and experiences...

Quality assurance in road traffic analyses in Switzerland.

Science.gov (United States)

Briellmann, Thomas A; Sigrist, Thomas; Augsburger, Marc; Favrat, Bernard; Oestreich, Andrea; Deom, André

2010-05-20

Swiss laboratories performing toxicological road traffic analyses have been authorized for many years by the Swiss Federal Roads Office (FEDRO). In 2003 FEDRO signed a contract with the Swiss Society of Legal Medicine (SSLM) to organize the complete quality management concerning road traffic analyses. For this purpose a multidisciplinary working group was established under the name of "road traffic commission (RTC)". RTC has to organize external quality control, to interpret the results of these controls, to perform audits in the laboratories and to report all results to FEDRO. Furthermore the working group can be mandated for special tasks by FEDRO. As an independent organization the Swiss Center for Quality Control (CSCQ) in Geneva manages the external quality controls in the laboratory over the past years. All tested drugs and psychoactive substances are listed in a federal instruction. The so-called 'zero tolerance substances' (THC, morphine, cocaine, amphetamine, methamphetamine, MDMA and MDEA) and their metabolites have to be tested once a year, all other substances (benzodiazepines, zolpidem, phenobarbital, etc.) periodically. Results over the last years show that all laboratories are generally within the confidence interval of +/-30% of the mean value. In cases of non-conformities measures have to be taken immediately and reported to the working group. External audits are performed triennially but accredited laboratories can combine this audit with the approval of the Swiss Accreditation Service (SAS). During the audits a special checklist filled in by the laboratory director is assessed. Non-conformities have to be corrected. During the process of establishing a new legislation, RTC had an opportunity of advising FEDRO. In collaboration with FEDRO, RTC and hence SSLM can work actively on improving of quality assurance in road traffic toxicological analyses, and has an opportunity to bring its professional requests to the federal authorities.

The relationship between observed signs of impairment and THC concentration in oral fluid.

Science.gov (United States)

Fierro, Inmaculada; González-Luque, Juan Carlos; Alvarez, F Javier

2014-11-01

Studies have shown that cannabis intake increases the risk of traffic accidents. Controlled experiments support these findings and have shown a positive dose-effect relationship. In this retrospective cross-sectional study of data from a roadside survey, we investigated whether a police officer's judgment regarding signs of impairment is related to the concentration of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the oral fluid (OF). We investigated 2,632 cases from a representative sample of 3,302 Spanish drivers: 253 drivers positive for THC only, 32 positive for THC and ethanol, 201 with only ethanol detected in their breath, and 2,146 drivers who tested negative for ethanol in breath and drugs in OF. Recorded data comprised breath alcohol concentrations, THC concentrations in the OF, and the 31 observed signs of impairment. Subject groups were compared using the chi-square test, and logistic regression was used to examine the risk of being categorized as exhibiting signs of impairment. A relationship was found between the OF THC concentration and some observed signs of impairment. Eye signs were noticeable from a THC concentration >3.0 ng/ml in OF, and >25 ng/ml was related to behavior, facial expression, and speech signs. Alcohol and THC contribute to impairment independently and, when taken simultaneously, the effects are comparable to the sum of the effects when consumed separately. The observation of signs of impairment due to cannabis occurs in an OF concentration-related manner but, as a clinical test, OF has low sensitivity and specificity in a random roadside survey. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neural systems supporting linguistic structure, linguistic experience, and symbolic communication in sign language and gesture.

Science.gov (United States)

Newman, Aaron J; Supalla, Ted; Fernandez, Nina; Newport, Elissa L; Bavelier, Daphne

2015-09-15

Sign languages used by deaf communities around the world possess the same structural and organizational properties as spoken languages: In particular, they are richly expressive and also tightly grammatically constrained. They therefore offer the opportunity to investigate the extent to which the neural organization for language is modality independent, as well as to identify ways in which modality influences this organization. The fact that sign languages share the visual-manual modality with a nonlinguistic symbolic communicative system-gesture-further allows us to investigate where the boundaries lie between language and symbolic communication more generally. In the present study, we had three goals: to investigate the neural processing of linguistic structure in American Sign Language (using verbs of motion classifier constructions, which may lie at the boundary between language and gesture); to determine whether we could dissociate the brain systems involved in deriving meaning from symbolic communication (including both language and gesture) from those specifically engaged by linguistically structured content (sign language); and to assess whether sign language experience influences the neural systems used for understanding nonlinguistic gesture. The results demonstrated that even sign language constructions that appear on the surface to be similar to gesture are processed within the left-lateralized frontal-temporal network used for spoken languages-supporting claims that these constructions are linguistically structured. Moreover, although nonsigners engage regions involved in human action perception to process communicative, symbolic gestures, signers instead engage parts of the language-processing network-demonstrating an influence of experience on the perception of nonlinguistic stimuli.

Impacts of Traffic Noise and Traffic Volume on Birds of Roadside Habitats

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kirsten M. Parris

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Roadside habitats are important for a range of taxa including plants, insects, mammals, and birds, particularly in developed countries in which large expanses of native vegetation have been cleared for agriculture or urban development. Although roadside vegetation may provide suitable habitat for many species, resident animals can be exposed to high levels of traffic noise, visual disturbance from passing vehicles, and the risk of collision with cars and trucks. Traffic noise can reduce the distance over which acoustic signals such as song can be detected, an effect known as acoustic interference or masking. Studies from the northern hemisphere show that the singing behavior of birds changes in the presence of traffic noise. We investigated the impact of traffic noise and traffic volume on two species of birds, the Grey Shrike-thrush (Colluricincla harmonica and the Grey Fantail (Rhipidura fuliginosa, at 58 roadside sites on the Mornington Peninsula, southeastern Australia. The lower singing Grey Shrike-thrush sang at a higher frequency in the presence of traffic noise, with a predicted increase in dominant frequency of 5.8 Hz/dB of traffic noise, and a total effect size of 209 Hz. In contrast, the higher singing Grey Fantail did not appear to change its song in traffic noise. The probability of detecting each species on a visit to a site declined substantially with increasing traffic noise and traffic volume, with several lines of evidence supporting a larger effect of traffic noise. Traffic noise could hamper detection of song by conspecifics, making it more difficult for birds to establish and maintain territories, attract mates and maintain pair bonds, and possibly leading to reduced breeding success in noisy roadside habitats. Closing key roads during the breeding season is a potential, but untested, management strategy to protect threatened bird species from traffic noise and collision with vehicles at the time of year when they are most

Modeling the heterogeneous traffic correlations in urban road systems using traffic-enhanced community detection approach

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Feng; Liu, Kang; Duan, Yingying; Cheng, Shifen; Du, Fei

2018-07-01

A better characterization of the traffic influence among urban roads is crucial for traffic control and traffic forecasting. The existence of spatial heterogeneity imposes great influence on modeling the extent and degree of road traffic correlation, which is usually neglected by the traditional distance based method. In this paper, we propose a traffic-enhanced community detection approach to spatially reveal the traffic correlation in city road networks. First, the road network is modeled as a traffic-enhanced dual graph with the closeness between two road segments determined not only by their topological connection, but also by the traffic correlation between them. Then a flow-based community detection algorithm called Infomap is utilized to identify the road segment clusters. Evaluated by Moran's I, Calinski-Harabaz Index and the traffic interpolation application, we find that compared to the distance based method and the community based method, our proposed traffic-enhanced community based method behaves better in capturing the extent of traffic relevance as both the topological structure of the road network and the traffic correlations among urban roads are considered. It can be used in more traffic-related applications, such as traffic forecasting, traffic control and guidance.

Traffic risk behaviors at nightlife: drinking, taking drugs, driving, and use of public transport by young people.

Science.gov (United States)

Calafat, A; Blay, N; Juan, M; Adrover, D; Bellis, M A; Hughes, K; Stocco, P; Siamou, I; Mendes, F; Bohrn, K

2009-04-01

Road traffic crashes associated with nightlife alcohol and recreational drug use are a major health problem for young people. This study explores use of different forms of transport to and from nightlife environments and the relationships between traffic risk behaviors, drunkenness, and drug consumption. 1363 regular nightlife users from nine European cities in 2006 completed a self-administered and anonymous questionnaire. Sampling utilized a variation of respondent-driven sampling. Private car was the most frequent form of transport used when going out, especially by males and older individuals. Drug use was related to crashes and traffic risk behaviors, including having a lift from someone drunk or driving drunk or driving having taken drugs; drunkenness was related to risk behaviors but not to crashes (possibly because drunk people tend to use the private car less). Males showed higher levels of drunkenness and drug consumption, traffic risk behaviors, and traffic crashes. Age is not related to the traffic risk behaviors, but older individuals had less crashes. There are serious health problems related to transport and recreational nightlife activities. It is necessary to improve later public transport services, complemented by actions that deter the use of private cars. The relationships of both drunkenness and cannabis/cocaine use with traffic risk behaviors should be addressed and programs implemented to change risk perceptions on the effects of illegal drugs on driving.

Adaptive traffic signal control with actor-critic methods in a real-world traffic network with different traffic disruption events

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Aslani, Mohammad; Mesgari, Mohammad Saadi; Wiering, Marco

2017-01-01

The transportation demand is rapidly growing in metropolises, resulting in chronic traffic con-gestions in dense downtown areas. Adaptive traffic signal control as the principle part of in-telligent transportation systems has a primary role to effectively reduce traffic congestion by making a

Orange County Transit/traffic Management Integration And Traveler Information Project: Evaluation Plan

OpenAIRE

Hall, R.; Hickman, M.

1996-01-01

This document focuses on a Field Operational Test (FOT) to develop an integrated information system for transit and traffic management and for traveler information that relies on Global Positioning System (GPS) equipped buses as probe vehicles. The document provides the evaluation plan for the FOT. The plan covers three principal elements: 1) Institutional, TMC Operator and Bus Operator, 2) Public Knowledge and Perceptions, and 3) System performance. The document provides an overall evaluatio...

From Goods to Traffic:First Steps Toward an Auction-based Traffic Signal Controller

OpenAIRE

Raphael, Jeffery; Maskell, Simon; Sklar, Elizabeth Ida

2015-01-01

Traffic congestion is a major issue that plagues many urban road networks large and small. Traffic engineers are now leaning towards Intelligent Traffic Systems as many physical changes to road networks are costly or infeasible. Multi-Agent Systems (MAS) have become a popular paradigm for intelligent solutions to traffic management problems. There are many MAS approaches to traffic management that utilise market mechanisms. In market-based approaches, drivers “pay” to use the roadways. Howeve...

A Two-Stage Fuzzy Logic Control Method of Traffic Signal Based on Traffic Urgency Degree

OpenAIRE

Yan Ge

2014-01-01

City intersection traffic signal control is an important method to improve the efficiency of road network and alleviate traffic congestion. This paper researches traffic signal fuzzy control method on a single intersection. A two-stage traffic signal control method based on traffic urgency degree is proposed according to two-stage fuzzy inference on single intersection. At the first stage, calculate traffic urgency degree for all red phases using traffic urgency evaluation module and select t...

Modelling an Interactive Road Signs System, Using Petri Nets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kombe Timothee

2017-03-01

Full Text Available This paper is a contribution to the problems of road insecurity in Africa. Due to non-respect of road sign and to the lack of signing, roads have become places of all dangers. It becomes imperative to establish an interaction between the authorities and the offending drivers. To reach this goal, we modelled an interactive road-vehicle-signage system, who locally informs the driver on the requirements of traffic signs. This model having interest only in the event of driving by bad weather or deterioration of panels, we are amending by inserting functions aimed to warn and punish the driver in the event of maintenance of an offense. Indeed, when the driver is about to commit a fault, firstly the system issues a warming (visual, audible or mechanical. Then, a message (SMS is sent to the authorities. We include the concept of floating process engaged by devices other than the signage. We show that, with a few considerations, from the functional point of view, they are identical to the process engaged by the signage. Furthermore, in terms of performance, the model renewed warnings that occurred just before the end panel of prohibitions. It stores messages of offenses occurred without the network, then notifies them when a network is detected. We propose algorithms for incremental design and analysis of the model, whose processes are activated and / or are extinguished, according to the type of sign or tag encountered. We show by simulation and by linear algebra that, the model retains its properties of absence of blocking and boundedness during the evolution of the system, hence its validation.

Properties of Traffic Risk Coefficient

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Tie-Qiao; Huang, Hai-Jun; Shang, Hua-Yan; Xue, Yu

2009-10-01

We use the model with the consideration of the traffic interruption probability (Physica A 387(2008)6845) to study the relationship between the traffic risk coefficient and the traffic interruption probability. The analytical and numerical results show that the traffic interruption probability will reduce the traffic risk coefficient and that the reduction is related to the density, which shows that this model can improve traffic security.

Sign Lowering and Phonetic Reduction in American Sign Language.

Science.gov (United States)

Tyrone, Martha E; Mauk, Claude E

2010-04-01

This study examines sign lowering as a form of phonetic reduction in American Sign Language. Phonetic reduction occurs in the course of normal language production, when instead of producing a carefully articulated form of a word, the language user produces a less clearly articulated form. When signs are produced in context by native signers, they often differ from the citation forms of signs. In some cases, phonetic reduction is manifested as a sign being produced at a lower location than in the citation form. Sign lowering has been documented previously, but this is the first study to examine it in phonetic detail. The data presented here are tokens of the sign WONDER, as produced by six native signers, in two phonetic contexts and at three signing rates, which were captured by optoelectronic motion capture. The results indicate that sign lowering occurred for all signers, according to the factors we manipulated. Sign production was affected by several phonetic factors that also influence speech production, namely, production rate, phonetic context, and position within an utterance. In addition, we have discovered interesting variations in sign production, which could underlie distinctions in signing style, analogous to accent or voice quality in speech.

Analysis of vehicular traffic flow in the major areas of Kuala Lumpur utilizing open-traffic

Science.gov (United States)

Manogaran, Saargunawathy; Ali, Muhammad; Yusof, Kamaludin Mohamad; Suhaili, Ramdhan

2017-09-01

Vehicular traffic congestion occurs when a large number of drivers are overcrowded on the road and the traffic flow does not run smoothly. Traffic congestion causes chaos on the road and interruption to daily activities of users. Time consumed on road give lots of negative effects on productivity, social behavior, environmental and cost to economy. Congestion is worsens and leads to havoc during the emergency such as flood, accidents, road maintenance and etc., where behavior of traffic flow is always unpredictable and uncontrollable. Real-time and historical traffic data are critical inputs for most traffic flow analysis applications. Researcher attempt to predict traffic using simulations as there is no exact model of traffic flow exists due to its high complexity. Open Traffic is an open source platform available for traffic data analysis linked to Open Street Map (OSM). This research is aimed to study and understand the Open Traffic platform. The real-time traffic flow pattern in Kuala Lumpur area was successfully been extracted and analyzed using Open Traffic. It was observed that the congestion occurs on every major road in Kuala Lumpur and most of it owes to the offices and the economic and commercial centers during rush hours. At some roads the congestion occurs at night due to the tourism activities.

American Sign Language Interpreters Perceptions of Barriers to Healthcare Communication in Deaf and Hard of Hearing Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Hommes, Rachel E; Borash, Amy I; Hartwig, Kari; DeGracia, Donna

2018-04-25

Communication barriers between healthcare providers and patients contribute to health disparities and the effectiveness of health promotion messages. This is especially true regarding communication between providers and deaf and hard of hearing (HOH) patients due to lack of understanding of cultural and linguistic differences, ineffectiveness of various means of communication and level of health literacy within that population. This research aimed to identify American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters' perceptions of barriers to effective communication between deaf and HOH patients and healthcare providers. We conducted a survey of ASL interpreters attending the 2015 National Symposium on Healthcare Interpreting with an overall response rate of 25%. Results indicated a significant difference (p communication between providers and deaf/HOH patients as perceived by interpreters. ASL interpreters observed that patients did not understand provider instructions in nearly half of appointments. Eighty-one percent of interpreters said that providers "hardly ever" use "teach-back" methods with patients to ensure understanding. A focus on improving health care and health promotion efforts in the deaf/HOH community depends on improving communication, health literacy, and patient empowerment and involves holding health care organizations accountable for assuring adequate staffing of ASL interpreters and communication resources in order to reduce health disparities in this population.

[SPECIFIC DIAGNOSTIC SIGNIFICANCE OF "RIPPLE SIGN" OF MEDIAL FEMORAL CONDYLE UNDER ARTHROSCOPE IN MEDIAL LONGITUDINAL MENISCAL TEARS].

Science.gov (United States)

Ren Shiyou; Sun, Limang; Chen, Guofei; Jiang, Changqing; Zhang, Xintao; Zhang Wentao

2015-01-01

To investigate the reliability of the "ripple sign" on the upper surface of the medial femoral condyle in the diagnosis of medial longitudinal meniscal tears under arthroscope. Between June 2013 and June 2014, 56 patients with knee injuries were included. There were 35 males and 21 females with an average age of 22.2 years (range, 12-38 years). The causes of injury were sports in 40 cases, falling in 10 cases, and traffic accident in 6 cases. The injury was located at the left knee in 22 cases and at the right knee in 34 cases. The disease duration was 10-40 days (mean, 20.2 days). Of 56 patients, 15 cases had simple medial meniscal injury; 41 cases had combined injuries, including anterior cruciate ligament injury in 38 cases, posterior cruciate ligament injury in 2 cases, and patellar dislocation in 1 case. The "ripple sign" was observed under arthroscope before operation. Repair of medial meniscal injury and reconstruction of cruciate ligament were performed. The positive "ripple sign" was seen under arthroscope in all patients, who were diagnosed to have longitudinal meniscal tears, including 23 cases of mild "ripple sign" , 28 cases of moderate "ripple sign", and 5 cases of severe "ripple sign". The "ripple sign" on the upper surface of the medial femoral condyle is a reliable diagnostic evidence of medial longitudinal meniscal tears.

Short-Term Memory Stages in Sign vs. Speech: The Source of the Serial Span Discrepancy

OpenAIRE

Hall, Matthew L.

2011-01-01

Speakers generally outperform signers when asked to recall a list of unrelated verbal items. This phenomenon is well established, but its source has remained unclear. In this study, we evaluate the relative contribution of the three main processing stages of short-term memory – perception, encoding, and recall – in this effect. The present study factorially manipulates whether American Sign Language (ASL) or English was used for perception, memory encoding, and recall in hearing ASL-English b...

Short-term memory stages in sign vs. speech: The source of the serial span discrepancy

OpenAIRE

Hall, Matthew L.; Bavelier, Daphné

2011-01-01

Speakers generally outperform signers when asked to recall a list of unrelated verbal items. This phenomenon is well established, but its source has remained unclear. In this study, we evaluate the relative contribution of the three main processing stages of short-term memory – perception, encoding, and recall – in this effect. The present study factorially manipulates whether American Sign Language (ASL) or English is used for perception, memory encoding, and recall in hearing ASL-English bi...

Traffic safety strategies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. Sadauskas

2003-04-01

Full Text Available Fast development of the number of vehicles is closely related not only to large benefit for the public but also to certain undesirable social and economic consequences. Firstly - large numbers of injured and killed people are involved into the accidents. The target to improve traffic safety situation in Lithuania can be reached only after the detailed evaluation of transport system, environment, traffic participants, road and vehicle. Taking into consideration the accident situation in Lithuania and its causes the followings priority trends are suggested: The improvement of the coordination of road traffic safety system, the training and education of road users, the explanation of the importance of traffic safety and its propagation, the improvement of traffic conditions. Recommendations and proposals for differentiated criterion of maximum speed limit selection taking into account different factors are provided in the work.

Risk levels for suffering a traffic injury in primary health care. The LESIONAT* project

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bel Jordi

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Literature shows that not only are traffic injuries due to accidents, but that there is also a correlation between different chronic conditions, the consumption of certain types of drugs, the intake of psychoactive substances and the self perception of risk (Health Belief Model and the impact/incidence of traffic accidents. There are few studies on these aspects in primary health care. The objectives of our study are: Main aim: To outline the distribution of risk factors associated with Road Traffic Injuries (RTI in a driving population assigned to a group of primary health care centres in Barcelona province. Secondly, we aim to study the distribution of diverse risk factors related to the possibility of suffering an RTI according to age, sex and population groups, to assess the relationship between these same risk factors and self risk perception for suffering an RTI, and to outline the association between the number of risk factors and the history of reported collisions. Methods/Design Design: Cross-sectional, multicentre study. Setting: 25 urban health care centres. Study population: Randomly selected sample of Spanish/Catalan speakers age 16 or above with a medical register in any of the 25 participating primary health care centres. N = 1540. Unit of study: Basic unit of care, consisting of a general practitioner and a nurse, both of whom caring for the same population (1,500 to 2,000 people per unit. Instruments of measurement: Data collection will be performed using a survey carried out by health professionals, who will use the clinical registers and the information reported by the patient during the visit to collect the baseline data: illnesses, medication intake, alcohol and psychoactive consumption, and self perception of risk. Discussion We expect to obtain a risk profile of the subjects in relation to RTI in the primary health care field, and to create a group for a prospective follow-up. Trial Registration

Travelers ability to observe changes in traffic intensities and traffic light settings

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vreeswijk, Jacob Dirk; Do, Michael; Middag, Wilco; Martens, Marieke Hendrikje; van Berkum, Eric C.; van Arem, Bart; ITSC,

2011-01-01

Travel choice behavior is an important determinant in traffic and subject to human imperfection and bounded rationality. In decision-making processes travelers seldom act perfectly rational. Traffic models and traffic network management measure could become more realistic and effective, if

Traffic breakdown at a signal: classical theory versus the three-phase theory of city traffic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kerner, Boris S; Schreckenberg, Michael; Klenov, Sergey L

2014-01-01

Physical reasons for a crucial difference between the results of a three-phase theory developed recently (Kerner 2011 Phys. Rev. E 84 045102(R); 2013 Europhys. Lett. 102 28010; 2014 Physica A 397 76) and the classical theory are explained. Microscopic characteristics of traffic passing a traffic signal during the green signal phase and their dependence on the duration of the green phase have been found. It turns out that a moving synchronized flow pattern (MSP), which occurs in under-saturated traffic at the signal, causes ‘compression’ of traffic flow: the rate of MSP discharge can be considerably larger than the saturation flow rate of the classical traffic theory of city traffic. This leads to a considerably larger rate of traffic passing the signal in comparison with the saturation flow rate. This effect together with traffic behavior at the upstream queue front explains the metastability of under-saturated traffic with respect to a random time-delayed traffic breakdown. (paper)

Real time traffic models, decision support for traffic management

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wismans, Luc Johannes Josephus; de Romph, E.; Friso, K.; Zantema, K.

2014-01-01

Reliable and accurate short-term traffic state prediction can improve the performance of real-time traffic management systems significantly. Using this short-time prediction based on current measurements delivered by advanced surveillance systems will support decision-making processes on various

Real Time Traffic Models, Decision Support for Traffic Management

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wismans, L.; De Romph, E.; Friso, K.; Zantema, K.

2014-01-01

Reliable and accurate short-term traffic state prediction can improve the performance of real-time traffic management systems significantly. Using this short-time prediction based on current measurements delivered by advanced surveillance systems will support decision-making processes on various

Remark on the Causes of Traffic Accidents and Traffic Awareness: Examples of Usak Province

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ercan ÖZEN

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Traffic accidents cause important losses on the social and economics structure of countries. While economic losses are able to be compensated in a short time, it isn’t possible to compensate social and communal losses. This study tackles with not the economic aspect of traffic accidents but the social dimension, evaluates the causes of the traffic accidents with respect to views of individuals on traffic and aims to measure the levels of awareness of individuals about traffic. To achieve these goals, a group of 506 people were surveyed in Uşak province and the acquired data were analyzed via one-way ANOVA test in SPSS 16 program. According to the analysis results, drivers and pedestrians are considered to have significant flaws in traffic accidents. But alongside this thought, the idea that traffic accidents are caused by the road having technical and physical problems has come to the fore. This results present a valid motive for the established approach “Vision Zero” , being practised in Sweden, to be adopted in Turkey. When the level of awareness about traffic is examined, it is seen that individuals generally have got inadequate information related traffic rules and traffic authorities. Besides, the fact that individuals are inadequate in terms of courtesy and respect in traffic and that more serious efforts on traffic education is needed to be spent come out as the important findings of this study. The findings of this study can be thought as a directive tool to the policy makers.

Evaluation of diversion strategies in the context of advanced traffic management systems (ATMS) for an urban traffic corridor with heterogeneous traffic

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Korlapati, D.R.

2007-07-01

Due to urbanization and accelerated growth in vehicular traffic, most big cities in India face problems related to traffic management resulting in severe congestion, pollution, and a high rate of accidents during peak hours. Lane blocking incidents on arterials or urban traffic corridors cause major disruption to traffic flow. Peak hour congestion with low average speeds and high accident rates are commonly associated with traffic in major cities in India. The situation is deteriorating further as creation of new facilities are almost impossible, with resource and space constraints. In such scenarios, application of advanced technologies seems to offer hope. One such application area is Advanced Traffic Management Systems (ATMS), a component of intelligent transportation system (ITS). Due to the unique traffic characteristics prevailing in India, the application of such systems needs to first be evaluated before implementation. This paper proposed a research methodology for the evaluation of diversion strategies in the context of ATMS for an urban corridor in India. The evaluation framework combined several relevant modules related to various aspects of traffic control, surveillance and advisory. As part of this study, a simulation model and a simulation optimization model were developed. The simulation model was microscopic in nature and captured the driver behaviour and traffic characteristics realistically by modeling the complex interactions among vehicles traversing a corridor. It was concluded that the results and observations were useful indicators to gauge the potential success of diversion plans. 10 refs., 1 tab., 2 figs.

Examining perimeter gating control of urban traffic networkswith locally adaptive traffic signals

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Keyvan Ekbatani, M.; Gao, X.; Gayah, V.V.; Knoop, V.L.

2015-01-01

Traditionally, urban traffic is controlled by traffic lights. Recent findings of the Macroscopic or Network Fundamental Diagram (MFD or NFD) have led to the development of novel traffic control strategies that can be applied at a networkwide level. One pertinent example is perimeter flow control

Studies on the Driver Violations via Collaborative Perception

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuan Chao

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Aiming at the general phenomena of drivers’ illegal behaviors in urban road traffic, this paper adopts the advanced computer technology for collaborative perception and monitoring of drivers’ major illegal behaviors in the process of driving to lower the incidence rates of traffic accidents. It has presented a method based on embedded multi-source information fusion technology to deal with driver’s main illegal behaviors. It mainly uses the speed sensors, alcohol sensors and CCD camera to acquire the data of drivers’ major illegal behaviors such as speeding, drunk driving and fatigue driving. Then it uses the GPS to locate the vehicle, warning and disposing driver’s illegal behaviors real-timely. And it will also send the driver’s information to the administration of traffic information database by the means of 3G network. Finally, a simulation experiment has been presented to prove the correctness and effectiveness of the method on the development board with the kernel of Cortex-A8.

Traffic management simulation development : summary.

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Increasingly, Florida traffic is monitored electronically by components of the Intelligent Traffic System (ITS), which send data to regional traffic management centers and assist management of traffic flows and incident response using software called...

High-risk behaviors and experiences with traffic law among night drivers in Curitiba, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandra L. Ulinski

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: To explore high-risk behaviors and experiences with traffic law among night drivers in Curitiba, Brazil. Method: Data from 398 drivers on sociodemographic parameters, high-risk behaviors, experiences with traffic law, and traffic law violations were collected through interviews conducted at sobriety checkpoints. Exploratory-descriptive and analytical statistics were used. Results: The mean age of the participants was 32.6±11.2 years (range, 18 to 75 years. Half of the drivers reported having driven after drinking in the last year, predominantly single men aged 18 to 29 years who drive cars and drink alcohol frequently. Only 55% of the drivers who had driven after drinking in the last year self-reported some concern about being detected in a police operation. Conclusions: A significant association was found between sociodemographic variables and behavior, which can help tailor public interventions to a specific group of drivers: young men who exhibit high-risk behaviors in traffic, such as driving after drinking alcohol, some of whom report heavy alcohol consumption. This group represents a challenge for educational and enforcement interventions, particularly because they admit to violating current laws and have a low perception of punishment due to the low risk of being detected by the police.

High-risk behaviors and experiences with traffic law among night drivers in Curitiba, Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Ulinski, Sandra L; Moysés, Simone T; Werneck, Renata I; Moysés, Samuel J

2016-01-08

To explore high-risk behaviors and experiences with traffic law among night drivers in Curitiba, Brazil. Data from 398 drivers on sociodemographic parameters, high-risk behaviors, experiences with traffic law, and traffic law violations were collected through interviews conducted at sobriety checkpoints. Exploratory-descriptive and analytical statistics were used. The mean age of the participants was 32.6±11.2 years (range, 18 to 75 years). Half of the drivers reported having driven after drinking in the last year, predominantly single men aged 18 to 29 years who drive cars and drink alcohol frequently. Only 55% of the drivers who had driven after drinking in the last year self-reported some concern about being detected in a police operation. A significant association was found between sociodemographic variables and behavior, which can help tailor public interventions to a specific group of drivers: young men who exhibit high-risk behaviors in traffic, such as driving after drinking alcohol, some of whom report heavy alcohol consumption. This group represents a challenge for educational and enforcement interventions, particularly because they admit to violating current laws and have a low perception of punishment due to the low risk of being detected by the police.

A qualitative study of consumer perceptions and use of traffic light food labelling in Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Freire, Wilma B; Waters, William F; Rivas-Mariño, Gabriela; Nguyen, Tien; Rivas, Patricio

2017-04-01

To analyse patterns of knowledge, comprehension, attitudes and practices regarding the traffic light label placed on processed food packages to inform Ecuadorian consumers about levels of added fat, sugar and salt. Twenty-one focus group discussions organized by age group, sex and place of residence. Interviews with representatives of companies that manufacture or market processed foods. Analysis of regulations and structured observations of processed food labels. Cities and towns in Ecuador's coastal, highland and eastern lowland regions. One hundred and seventy-eight participants in twenty-one focus group discussions and nine key informants. Focus group participants knew about the traffic light label and understood the information it conveys, but not all changed their attitudes and practices related to the purchase and consumption of processed foods. Children, adolescents and adult males reported using the information infrequently; adolescents interested in health and adult women used the label the most to select products. Representatives of companies that manufacture or market processed foods generally opposed the policy, stating that the information is misleading. Nevertheless, some companies have reduced levels of added fat, sugar or salt in their products. The traffic light label is an effective tool for conveying complex information. Its potential contribution to reduce consumption of products with high levels of fat, sugar and salt could be enhanced by promoting healthy diets among consumers who have not changed purchasing and consumption behaviour, by placing the label on front panels and by monitoring the production and marketing of processed foods.

Perception of biological motion in visual agnosia

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Elisabeth eHuberle

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Over the past twenty-five years, visual processing has been discussed in the context of the dual stream hypothesis consisting of a ventral (‘what' and a dorsal ('where' visual information processing pathway. Patients with brain damage of the ventral pathway typically present with signs of visual agnosia, the inability to identify and discriminate objects by visual exploration, but show normal perception of motion perception. A dissociation between the perception of biological motion and non-biological motion has been suggested: Perception of biological motion might be impaired when 'non-biological' motion perception is intact and vice versa. The impact of object recognition on the perception of biological motion remains unclear. We thus investigated this question in a patient with severe visual agnosia, who showed normal perception of non-biological motion. The data suggested that the patient's perception of biological motion remained largely intact. However, when tested with objects constructed of coherently moving dots (‘Shape-from-Motion’, recognition was severely impaired. The results are discussed in the context of possible mechanisms of biological motion perception.

High-level traffic-violation detection for embedded traffic analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vijverberg, J.A.; de Koning, A.H.M.; Han, Jungong; de With, P.H.N.; Cornelissen, D.

2007-01-01

This paper presents the design of a robust and real-time traffic-violation detection system for cameras on intersections. We use background segmentation and a novel road-model to obtain the candidate traffic participants. A region-based tracking system, equipped with static occlusion-reasoning,

Trajectory Based Traffic Analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krogh, Benjamin Bjerre; Andersen, Ove; Lewis-Kelham, Edwin

2013-01-01

We present the INTRA system for interactive path-based traffic analysis. The analyses are developed in collaboration with traffic researchers and provide novel insights into conditions such as congestion, travel-time, choice of route, and traffic-flow. INTRA supports interactive point-and-click a......We present the INTRA system for interactive path-based traffic analysis. The analyses are developed in collaboration with traffic researchers and provide novel insights into conditions such as congestion, travel-time, choice of route, and traffic-flow. INTRA supports interactive point......-and-click analysis, due to a novel and efficient indexing structure. With the web-site daisy.aau.dk/its/spqdemo/we will demonstrate several analyses, using a very large real-world data set consisting of 1.9 billion GPS records (1.5 million trajectories) recorded from more than 13000 vehicles, and touching most...

Right-­turn traffic volume adjustment in traffic signal warrant analysis : final report.

Science.gov (United States)

2016-05-06

This report was based on the research project, Right-Turn Traffic Volume Adjustment in Traffic Signal Warrants, sponsored by the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) and SOLARIS. Right-turn traffic does not affect intersection performance in th...

Relationship of community traffic rights and international conventions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Đurđev Dušanka

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The Lisbon Treaty has established the Union as a legal personality. It opens for mixed agreements on foreign policy and community topics. In areas where the Union legislates, the EU can sign various kinds of agreements on behalf of the member states, who are consequently not allowed to negotiate international agreements on their own (autonomously in these areas. The European Union's accession to the Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF represents a historic step for the railway community. This relationship is now clear: a disconnection clause in the accession agreement in principle allows EU law precedence for traffic internal to the EU. The relationship between EU law and COTIF law is there more about coordination than disconnection.

Early stages of Alzheimer's disease are alarming signs in injury deaths caused by traffic accidents in elderly people (≥60 years of age): A neuropathological study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wijesinghe, Printha; Gorrie, Catherine; Shankar, S K; Chickabasaviah, Yasha T; Amaratunga, Dhammika; Hulathduwa, Sanjayah; Kumara, K Sunil; Samarasinghe, Kamani; Suh, Yoo-Hun; Steinbusch, H W M; De Silva, K Ranil D

2017-01-01

There is little information available in the literature concerning the contribution of dementia in injury deaths in elderly people (≥60 years). This study was intended to investigate the extent of dementia-related pathologies in the brains of elderly people who died in traffic accidents or by suicide and to compare our findings with age- and sex-matched natural deaths in an elderly population. Autopsy-derived human brain samples from nine injury death victims (5 suicide and 4 traffic accidents) and nine age- and sex-matched natural death victims were screened for neurodegenerative and cerebrovascular pathologies using histopathological and immunohistochemical techniques. For the analysis, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.0 was used. There was a greater likelihood for Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related changes in the elders who succumbed to traffic accidents (1 out of 4) compared to age- and sex-matched suicides (0 out of 5) or natural deaths (0 out of 9) as assessed by the National Institute on Aging - Alzheimer's Association guidelines. Actual burden of both neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and (SPs) was comparatively higher in the brains of traffic accidents, and the mean NFT counts were significantly higher in the region of entorhinal cortex ( P traffic accidents in elderly people whereas suicidal brain neuropathologies resembled natural deaths.

SOME EMPIRICAL RELATIONS BETWEEN TRAVEL SPEED, TRAFFIC VOLUME AND TRAFFIC COMPOSITION IN URBAN ARTERIALS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eleni I. VLAHOGIANNI, Ph.D.

2007-01-01

Full Text Available The effects of traffic mix (the percentage of cars, trucks, buses and so on are of particular interest in the speed-volume relationship in urban signalized arterials under various geometric and control characteristics. The paper presents some empirical observations on the relation between travel speed, traffic volume and traffic composition in urban signalized arterials. A methodology based on emerging self-organizing structures of neural networks to identify regions in the speed-volume relationship with respect to traffic composition and Bayesian networks to evaluate the effect of different types of motorized vehicles on prevailing traffic conditions is proposed. Results based on data from a large urban network indicate that the variability in traffic conditions can be described by eight regions in speed-volume relationship with respect to traffic composition. Further evaluation of the effect of motorized vehicles in each region separately indicates that the effect of traffic composition decreases with the onset of congestion. Moreover, taxis and motorcycles are the primary affecting parameter of the form of the speed-volume relationship in urban arterials.

Using Traffic Conflict Method in Evaluating Traffic Safety at the Reconstructed Intersection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zdravko Bukljaš

2002-05-01

Full Text Available As part of organised social system, traffic is subjected togeneral social tendency towards adequate safety and sustainabilityof relations in such a system, probabilistically marked bythe risk of danger. Inte1polation of subjective factor facilitatesthe occwTence of negative phenomena. Road traffic system ischaracterised by extremely massive participation in traffic, contributingthus to a greater possibility of negative features characteristicfor imperfect human mechanism. This is precisely thereason why this paper deals with the problem of traffic safety onthe concrete example of the intersection between the SavskaStreet and the Slavonska and LjubljanskaAvenues over the periodof time prior to constmcting the new unde1pass solution,and the period of time immediately after the construction workswere completed. The used data have been provided by the TrafficPolice Department - Lucko.

Magnetic field control of 90 Degree-Sign , 180 Degree-Sign , and 360 Degree-Sign domain wall resistance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Majidi, Roya, E-mail: royamajidi@gmail.com [Department of Physics, Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, Lavizan, 16788-15811 Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2012-10-01

In the present work, we have compared the resistance of the 90 Degree-Sign , 180 Degree-Sign , and 360 Degree-Sign domain walls in the presence of external magnetic field. The calculations are based on the Boltzmann transport equation within the relaxation time approximation. One-dimensional Neel-type domain walls between two domains whose magnetization differs by angle of 90 Degree-Sign , 180 Degree-Sign , and 360 Degree-Sign are considered. The results indicate that the resistance of the 360 Degree-Sign DW is more considerable than that of the 90 Degree-Sign and 180 Degree-Sign DWs. It is also found that the domain wall resistance can be controlled by applying transverse magnetic field. Increasing the strength of the external magnetic field enhances the domain wall resistance. In providing spintronic devices based on magnetic nanomaterials, considering and controlling the effect of domain wall on resistivity are essential.

Traffic restrictions: Meyrin site and entrance of Prévessin site

CERN Multimedia

GS Department

2010-01-01

Between 10 April and 19 April 2010 a number of roads on the Meyrin site and at the entrance of the Prévessin site will be resurfaced. The work will be done by zones, as shown below: 12-14 April Intersection of Route Fermi and Route Gregory. Route Fermi, between Building 268 and Route Jentschke Route Fermi, Route Jentschke and Route Einstein, up to Building 593 and between Buildings 194 and 555. Plus Route Oppenheimer. 15 April Intersection of Route Bloch and Route Maxwell, and Route Maxwell itself. Route Sherrer between the overhead walkway (Building 50) and the exit from the carpark behind Building 4. 16 April and 19 April Route Fermi, Route Jentschke and Route Einstein, up to Building 593 and between Buildings 194 and 555. Prévessin site: from Route Adams to the access control Building. The construction works may result in some disruption to traffic. Users are requested to comply with the temporary traffic signs and arrangements.  Thank you for your understanding. GS/...

Web traffic and firm performance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Farooq, Omar; Aguenaou, Samir

2013-01-01

Does the traffic generated by websites of firms signal anything to stock market participants? Does higher web-traffic translate into availability of more information and therefore lower agency problems? And if answers to above questions are in affirmative, does higher web-traffic traffic translate...... into better firm performance? This paper aims to answer these questions by documenting a positive relationship between the extent of web-traffic and firm performance in the MENA region during the 2010. We argue that higher web-traffic lowers the agency problems in firms by disseminating more information...... to stock market participants. Consequently, lower agency problems translate into better performance. Furthermore, we also show that agency reducing role of web-traffic is more pronounced in regimes where information environment is already bad. For example, our results show stronger impact of web...

Research on the Method of Traffic Organization and Optimization Based on Dynamic Traffic Flow Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shu-bin Li

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The modern transportation system is becoming sluggish by traffic jams, so much so that it can harm the economic and society in our country. One of the reasons is the surging vehicles day by day. Another reason is the shortage of the traffic supply seriously. But the most important reason is that the traffic organization and optimization hardly met the conditions of modern transport development. In this paper, the practical method of the traffic organization and optimization used in regional area is explored by the dynamic traffic network analysis method. Firstly, the operational states of the regional traffic network are obtained by simulation method based on the self-developed traffic simulation software DynaCHINA, in which the improved traffic flow simulation model was proposed in order to be more suitable for actual domestic urban transport situation. Then the appropriated optimization model and algorithm were proposed according to different optimized content and organization goals, and the traffic simulation processes more suitable to regional optimization were designed exactly. Finally, a regional network in Tai’an city was selected as an example. The simulation results show that the proposed method is effective and feasible. It can provide strong scientific and technological support for the traffic management department.

Mobile phone conversations, listening to music and quiet (electric) cars: Are traffic sounds important for safe cycling?

Science.gov (United States)

Stelling-Konczak, A; van Wee, G P; Commandeur, J J F; Hagenzieker, M

2017-09-01

Listening to music or talking on the phone while cycling as well as the growing number of quiet (electric) cars on the road can make the use of auditory cues challenging for cyclists. The present study examined to what extent and in which traffic situations traffic sounds are important for safe cycling. Furthermore, the study investigated the potential safety implications of limited auditory information caused by quiet (electric) cars and by cyclists listening to music or talking on the phone. An Internet survey among 2249 cyclists in three age groups (16-18, 30-40 and 65-70year old) was carried out to collect information on the following aspects: 1) the auditory perception of traffic sounds, including the sounds of quiet (electric) cars; 2) the possible compensatory behaviours of cyclists who listen to music or talk on their mobile phones; 3) the possible contribution of listening to music and talking on the phone to cycling crashes and incidents. Age differences with respect to those three aspects were analysed. Results show that listening to music and talking on the phone negatively affects perception of sounds crucial for safe cycling. However, taking into account the influence of confounding variables, no relationship was found between the frequency of listening to music or talking on the phone and the frequency of incidents among teenage cyclists. This may be due to cyclists' compensating for the use of portable devices. Listening to music or talking on the phone whilst cycling may still pose a risk in the absence of compensatory behaviour or in a traffic environment with less extensive and less safe cycling infrastructure than the Dutch setting. With the increasing number of quiet (electric) cars on the road, cyclists in the future may also need to compensate for the limited auditory input of these cars. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Levels and properties of map perception

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Żyszkowska Wiesława

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Map perception consists of numerous processes of information processing, taking place almost simultaneously at different levels and stages which makes it conditioned by many factors. In the article, a review of processes related to the perception of a map as well as levels and properties of perception which impact its course and the nature of information obtained from a map is presented. The most important process constituting the basis of a map perception is a visual search (eye movement. However, as stated based on the studies, the process is individual depending on the purpose of map perception and it may be guided by its image (visual search guidance or by the knowledge of users (cognitive search guidance. Perception can take place according to various schemes – “local-to-global” or “global-to-local”, or in accordance with the guided search theory. Perception is divided into three processes: perceiving, distinguishing and identifying, which constitute the basis to interpret and understand a map. They are related to various degrees of intellectual involvement of the user and to various levels of questions concerning the relations between signs and their content. Identification involves referring a sign to its explanation in the legend. Interpretation means transformation of the initial information collected from the map into derivative information in which two basic types of understanding take place: deductive and inductive. Identification of geographical space objects on the map and the interpretation of its content constitute the basis to introduce information into memory structures. In the brain a resource of information is generated called geographic knowledge or spatial representation (mental map which may have a double nature – verbal or pictorial. An important feature of mental maps is organization of spatial information into hierarchical structures, e.g. grouping towns into regions as well as deformation of spatial

[Traffic deaths and traffic injuries: also an economic problem for society].

Science.gov (United States)

Martinoli, S

1993-02-09

Based on an epidemiological observation on traffic accidents in the Swiss canton of Ticino, 1985, the following statement is possible: In Switzerland, 900 people die every year as a result of traffic casualties. Many victims of these accidents will be disabled for life. Direct and indirect costs of traffic injuries reach 3 billion Swiss francs a year. Only a small amount (6%) is devoted to medical treatment. The biggest part is due as compensation for lost income, disability allocations and loss of productivity. Among the avoidable fatalities those caused by traffic accidents have a very undesirable effect, because they involve mainly the young. More efforts should be undertaken to lower the mortality on the road, because it changes the Swiss population pyramid in a significant manner.

Visualization of Traffic Accidents

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jie; Shen, Yuzhong; Khattak, Asad

2010-01-01

Traffic accidents have tremendous impact on society. Annually approximately 6.4 million vehicle accidents are reported by police in the US and nearly half of them result in catastrophic injuries. Visualizations of traffic accidents using geographic information systems (GIS) greatly facilitate handling and analysis of traffic accidents in many aspects. Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI), Inc. is the world leader in GIS research and development. ArcGIS, a software package developed by ESRI, has the capabilities to display events associated with a road network, such as accident locations, and pavement quality. But when event locations related to a road network are processed, the existing algorithm used by ArcGIS does not utilize all the information related to the routes of the road network and produces erroneous visualization results of event locations. This software bug causes serious problems for applications in which accurate location information is critical for emergency responses, such as traffic accidents. This paper aims to address this problem and proposes an improved method that utilizes all relevant information of traffic accidents, namely, route number, direction, and mile post, and extracts correct event locations for accurate traffic accident visualization and analysis. The proposed method generates a new shape file for traffic accidents and displays them on top of the existing road network in ArcGIS. Visualization of traffic accidents along Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel is included to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Right-\\0xADturn traffic volume adjustment in traffic signal warrant analysis : final report.

Science.gov (United States)

2016-05-06

This report was based on the research project, Right-Turn Traffic Volume Adjustment in : Traffic Signal Warrants, sponsored by the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) : and SOLARIS. Right-turn traffic does not affect intersection performance i...

Traffic & rural intersection monitoring with a solar-based infrared wireless system : phase 2 final report, long term effect and justification for further analysis, May 2008 [summary].

Science.gov (United States)

2008-05-01

This study concerns the development and evaluation of a dynamic speed monitoring (DSM) system for use at rural intersections. The purpose of the DSM system is to give traffic speed feedback to drivers via an advisory sign, with the goals of improving...

Traffic Flow Visualization and Control

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Larson, Robert

1999-01-01

.... Air Force Research Laboratory. It is a video-camera-based, wide-area, traffic surveillance and detection system that provides real-time traffic information to traffic management center operators...

Intelligent Traffic Information System a Real-Time Traffic Information System on the Shiraz Bypass

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sodagaran Amir

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Real-time traffic information system is an Intelligent Transportation System (ITS that allows commuters to make their traveling plan better. In this regard, an intelligent and real-time traffic information system was developed based on the video detection and an image processing algorithm was applied to measure traffic-flow according to the average speed of vehicles. Then, traffic status of each pass way is broadcasted to the electronic boards installed on all decision making entrance / exit. Different levels of congestion related to the routes ahead are shown on the boards with different colors in order to assist commuters. This system was implemented on the Shiraz Dry River’s bypasses which account as vital routes to moderate traffic of city center. Experimental results are promising due to the proximity of determined traffic status by the system compared to the detection done by traffic experts. Average speed improvement is another result of using this system. This intelligent system developed and implemented in Shiraz city for the first time in Iran.s.

Stormwater Management: Calculation of Traffic Area Runoff Loads and Traffic Related Emissions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maximilian Huber

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Metals such as antimony, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc can be highly relevant pollutants in stormwater runoff from traffic areas because of their occurrence, toxicity, and non-degradability. Long-term measurements of their concentrations, the corresponding water volumes, the catchment areas, and the traffic volumes can be used to calculate specific emission loads and annual runoff loads that are necessary for mass balances. In the literature, the annual runoff loads are often specified by a distinct catchment area (e.g., g/ha. These loads were summarized and discussed in this paper for all seven metals and three types of traffic areas (highways, parking lots, and roads; 45 sites. For example, the calculated median annual runoff loads of all sites are 355 g/ha for copper, 110 g/ha for lead (only data of the 21st century, and 1960 g/ha for zinc. In addition, historical trends, annual variations, and site-specific factors were evaluated for the runoff loads. For Germany, mass balances of traffic related emissions and annual heavy metal runoff loads from highways and total traffic areas were calculated. The influences on the mass fluxes of the heavy metal emissions and the runoff pollution were discussed. However, a statistical analysis of the annual traffic related metal fluxes, in particular for different traffic area categories and land uses, is currently not possible because of a lack of monitoring data.

A neurophysiological training evaluation metric for air traffic management.

Science.gov (United States)

Borghini, G; Aricò, P; Ferri, F; Graziani, I; Pozzi, S; Napoletano, L; Imbert, J P; Granger, G; Benhacene, R; Babiloni, F

2014-01-01

The aim of this work was to analyze the possibility to apply a neuroelectrical cognitive metrics for the evaluation of the training level of subjects during the learning of a task employed by Air Traffic Controllers (ATCos). In particular, the Electroencephalogram (EEG), the Electrocardiogram (ECG) and the Electrooculogram (EOG) signals were gathered from a group of students during the execution of an Air Traffic Management (ATM) task, proposed at three different levels of difficulty. The neuroelectrical results were compared with the subjective perception of the task difficulty obtained by the NASA-TLX questionnaires. From these analyses, we suggest that the integration of information derived from the power spectral density (PSD) of the EEG signals, the heart rate (HR) and the eye-blink rate (EBR) return important quantitative information about the training level of the subjects. In particular, by focusing the analysis on the direct and inverse correlation of the frontal PSD theta (4-7 (Hz)) and HR, and of the parietal PSD alpha (10-12 (Hz)) and EBR, respectively, with the degree of mental and emotive engagement, it is possible to obtain useful information about the training improvement across the training sessions.

Synchronized flow in oversaturated city traffic.

Science.gov (United States)

Kerner, Boris S; Klenov, Sergey L; Hermanns, Gerhard; Hemmerle, Peter; Rehborn, Hubert; Schreckenberg, Michael

2013-11-01

Based on numerical simulations with a stochastic three-phase traffic flow model, we reveal that moving queues (moving jams) in oversaturated city traffic dissolve at some distance upstream of the traffic signal while transforming into synchronized flow. It is found that, as in highway traffic [Kerner, Phys. Rev. E 85, 036110 (2012)], such a jam-absorption effect in city traffic is explained by a strong driver's speed adaptation: Time headways (space gaps) between vehicles increase upstream of a moving queue (moving jam), resulting in moving queue dissolution. It turns out that at given traffic signal parameters, the stronger the speed adaptation effect, the shorter the mean distance between the signal location and the road location at which moving queues dissolve fully and oversaturated traffic consists of synchronized flow only. A comparison of the synchronized flow in city traffic found in this Brief Report with synchronized flow in highway traffic is made.

Is it traffic type, volume, or distance? Wheezing in infants living near truck and bus traffic.

Science.gov (United States)

Ryan, Patrick H; LeMasters, Grace; Biagini, Jocelyn; Bernstein, David; Grinshpun, Sergey A; Shukla, Rakesh; Wilson, Kimberly; Villareal, Manuel; Burkle, Jeff; Lockey, James

2005-08-01

Previous studies of air pollution have not examined the association between exposure to varying types, distance, and amounts of traffic and wheezing in very young infants. We sought to determine the relationship between types of traffic, traffic volume, and distance and wheezing among infants less than 1 year of age. A geographic information system and a classification scheme were developed to categorize infants enrolled in the study as living near moving truck and bus traffic (highway >50 miles per hour, >1000 trucks daily, bus traffic (bus and truck traffic had a significantly increased prevalence of wheezing (adjusted odds ratio, 2.50; 95% CI, 1.15-5.42) when compared with unexposed infants. The prevalence of wheezing among nonwhite infants was at least twice that of white infants, regardless of exposure. Infants living less than 400 m from a high volume of moving traffic, however, did not have an increased prevalence of wheezing. These results suggest that the distance from and type of traffic exposures are more significant risk factors than traffic volume for wheezing in early infancy.

A rapid appraisal of traffic policemen about auditory effects of traffic noise pollution from Ambala city

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abhishek Singh

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Context: Traffic policemen are at an increased risk of suffering from hazards of noise pollution because they are engaged in controlling traffic noise, particularly at heavy traffic junctions. The effect is more in this subgroup because they are continuously exposed to it. Aim: The present study was aimed at assessing the knowledge, attitude and practices of traffic policemen regarding auditory effects of traffic noise pollution in Ambala city. Settings and Design: Cross-sectional workplace survey. Materials and Methods: The present descriptive study was carried out in different traffic zones of Ambala city during April-June 2013. The study population consisted of 100 traffic policemen working in different traffic intersections of Ambala city. Statistical Analysis Used: Structured interview schedule was used to collect the data. SPSS version 17.0 was used for analysis. Interpretation of data was performed using percentages and proportions. Results: Majority (75% of the study subjects were exposed to traffic noise pollution for more than 5 years. Of the total subjects, 5% of respondents reported below-average hearing on self-assessment of hearing ability. Seventeen percent of the study population accepted that while hearing over phone they do miss some conversation. Most (98% of the traffic police did not use any personal protective equipment (PPEs like earplugs/earmuffs, and the non-availability of these PPEs (90% is the common reason for the hearing loss. Conclusions: The study concludes that traffic policemen are not much aware regarding impending auditory effects of traffic noise pollution. Duty rotation, duty scheduling and other forms of preventive modalities for exposure limitation are suggested.

Road Traffic Injuries

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

WANG Zheng-guo

2005-01-01

@@ As everybody knows that automobiles have been greatly changing our life. However, everything has two sides, motor vehicles have also caused a huge number of people's deaths, injuries and property damage. Traffic crashes are perhaps the number one public health problem in developed countries [1]. In the United States, pre-retirement years of life lost in traffic crashes are more than that of the two combined leading diseases: cancer and heart disease [1]. Today road traffic crash (RTC) ranks 11th in leading cause of death and accounts for 2.1% of all deaths globally.

Packet traffic features of IPv6 and IPv4 protocol traffic

OpenAIRE

ÇİFLİKLİ, Cebrail; GEZER, Ali; ÖZŞAHİN, Abdullah Tuncay

2012-01-01

Nowadays, the IPv6 protocol is in a transition phase in operational networks. The ratio of its traffic volume is increasing day by day. The many provided facilities for IPv6 connection increasethe total IPv6 traffic load. IPv6-over-IPv4 tunnels, pilot programsto provide IPv6 connections, IPv6/IPv4 dual stack operating systems,and free IPv6 tunnel brokers cause the IPv6 protocol to expand quickly. For efficient resource utilization, the characteristics of network traffic should be determ...

Metacarpal sign

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barbara Nieradko-Iwanicka

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Background Archibald's sign, or metacarpal sign is defined as shortening of the IV and V metacarpal bones, is a rare phenomenon found in the Turner syndrome, homocystinuria and in Albright's osteodystrophy. Objectives The aim of the article was to show a rare case of metacarpal sign with atypical shortening of the III and IV metacarpal bones not connected with gonadal dysgenesia, genetic disorders nor osteodystrophy. Material and methods Case report of a 60-year-old female patient. Results Artchibald's metacarpal sign in the described case was accompanied by erosive arthritis in the left lower extremity. No features of genetic disorders nor gonadal disgenesia were found in the patient. Undifferentiated seronegative asymmetric erosive arthritis developed in the patient. The level of parathormon was within the normal range. No signs of tumor were seen in bone scintigraphy. Conclusions Archibald's metacarpal sign may be present in patients without genetic disorders.

Sign language comprehension: the case of Spanish sign language.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez Ortiz, I R

2008-01-01

This study aims to answer the question, how much of Spanish Sign Language interpreting deaf individuals really understand. Study sampling included 36 deaf people (deafness ranging from severe to profound; variety depending on the age at which they learned sign language) and 36 hearing people who had good knowledge of sign language (most were interpreters). Sign language comprehension was assessed using passages of secondary level. After being exposed to the passages, the participants had to tell what they had understood about them, answer a set of related questions, and offer a title for the passage. Sign language comprehension by deaf participants was quite acceptable but not as good as that by hearing signers who, unlike deaf participants, were not only late learners of sign language as a second language but had also learned it through formal training.

Urban Road Traffic Simulation Techniques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Maria Nicoleta Mocofan

2011-09-01

Full Text Available For achieving a reliable traffic control system it is necessary to first establish a network parameter evaluation system and also a simulation system for the traffic lights plan. In 40 years of history, the computer aided traffic simulation has developed from a small research group to a large scale technology for traffic systems planning and development. In the following thesis, a presentation of the main modeling and simulation road traffic applications will be provided, along with their utility, as well as the practical application of one of the models in a case study.

Traffic Flow Management Wrap-Up

Science.gov (United States)

Grabbe, Shon

2011-01-01

Traffic Flow Management involves the scheduling and routing of air traffic subject to airport and airspace capacity constraints, and the efficient use of available airspace. Significant challenges in this area include: (1) weather integration and forecasting, (2) accounting for user preferences in the Traffic Flow Management decision making process, and (3) understanding and mitigating the environmental impacts of air traffic on the environment. To address these challenges, researchers in the Traffic Flow Management area are developing modeling, simulation and optimization techniques to route and schedule air traffic flights and flows while accommodating user preferences, accounting for system uncertainties and considering the environmental impacts of aviation. This presentation will highlight some of the major challenges facing researchers in this domain, while also showcasing recent innovations designed to address these challenges.

Monitoring road traffic congestion using a macroscopic traffic model and a statistical monitoring scheme

KAUST Repository

Zeroual, Abdelhafid; Harrou, Fouzi; Sun, Ying; Messai, Nadhir

2017-01-01

Monitoring vehicle traffic flow plays a central role in enhancing traffic management, transportation safety and cost savings. In this paper, we propose an innovative approach for detection of traffic congestion. Specifically, we combine the flexibility and simplicity of a piecewise switched linear (PWSL) macroscopic traffic model and the greater capacity of the exponentially-weighted moving average (EWMA) monitoring chart. Macroscopic models, which have few, easily calibrated parameters, are employed to describe a free traffic flow at the macroscopic level. Then, we apply the EWMA monitoring chart to the uncorrelated residuals obtained from the constructed PWSL model to detect congested situations. In this strategy, wavelet-based multiscale filtering of data has been used before the application of the EWMA scheme to improve further the robustness of this method to measurement noise and reduce the false alarms due to modeling errors. The performance of the PWSL-EWMA approach is successfully tested on traffic data from the three lane highway portion of the Interstate 210 (I-210) highway of the west of California and the four lane highway portion of the State Route 60 (SR60) highway from the east of California, provided by the Caltrans Performance Measurement System (PeMS). Results show the ability of the PWSL-EWMA approach to monitor vehicle traffic, confirming the promising application of this statistical tool to the supervision of traffic flow congestion.

Monitoring road traffic congestion using a macroscopic traffic model and a statistical monitoring scheme

KAUST Repository

Zeroual, Abdelhafid

2017-08-19

Monitoring vehicle traffic flow plays a central role in enhancing traffic management, transportation safety and cost savings. In this paper, we propose an innovative approach for detection of traffic congestion. Specifically, we combine the flexibility and simplicity of a piecewise switched linear (PWSL) macroscopic traffic model and the greater capacity of the exponentially-weighted moving average (EWMA) monitoring chart. Macroscopic models, which have few, easily calibrated parameters, are employed to describe a free traffic flow at the macroscopic level. Then, we apply the EWMA monitoring chart to the uncorrelated residuals obtained from the constructed PWSL model to detect congested situations. In this strategy, wavelet-based multiscale filtering of data has been used before the application of the EWMA scheme to improve further the robustness of this method to measurement noise and reduce the false alarms due to modeling errors. The performance of the PWSL-EWMA approach is successfully tested on traffic data from the three lane highway portion of the Interstate 210 (I-210) highway of the west of California and the four lane highway portion of the State Route 60 (SR60) highway from the east of California, provided by the Caltrans Performance Measurement System (PeMS). Results show the ability of the PWSL-EWMA approach to monitor vehicle traffic, confirming the promising application of this statistical tool to the supervision of traffic flow congestion.

Children's Perception of Gap Affordances: Bicycling Across Traffic-Filled Intersections in an Immersive Virtual Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Plumert, Jodie M.; Kearney, Joseph K.; Cremer, James F.

2004-01-01

This study examined gap choices and crossing behavior in children and adults using an immersive, interactive bicycling simulator. Ten- and 12-year-olds and adults rode a bicycle mounted on a stationary trainer through a virtual environment consisting of a street with 6 intersections. Participants faced continuous cross traffic traveling at 25mph…

Pedestrian Friendly Traffic Signal Control.

Science.gov (United States)

2016-01-01

This project continues research aimed at real-time detection and use of pedestrian : traffic flow information to enhance adaptive traffic signal control in urban areas : where pedestrian traffic is substantial and must be given appropriate attention ...

Headaches - danger signs

Science.gov (United States)

Migraine headache - danger signs; Tension headache - danger signs; Cluster headache - danger signs; Vascular headache - danger signs ... and other head pain. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine . 25th ed. Philadelphia, PA: ...

Costs of traffic injuries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kruse, Marie

2015-01-01

assessed using Danish national healthcare registers. Productivity costs were computed using duration analysis (Cox regression models). In a subanalysis, cost per severe traffic injury was computed for the 12 995 individuals that experienced a severe injury. RESULTS: The socioeconomic cost of a traffic...... injury was €1406 (2009 price level) in the first year, and €8950 over a 10-year period. Per 100 000 population, the 10-year cost was €6 565 668. A severe traffic injury costs €4969 per person in the first year, and €4 006 685 per 100 000 population over a 10-year period. Victims of traffic injuries...

Memory of opponents is more potent than visual sign stimuli after social hierarchy has been established

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Korzan, W.J.; Höglund, Erik; Watt, M.J.

2007-01-01

During agonistic interactions between male Anolis carolinensis, perception of a visual sign stimulus (darkened eyespots) not only inhibits aggression and promotes initial attainment of dominant social status, but also evokes distinct neuroendocrine responses in each opponent. This study was desig......During agonistic interactions between male Anolis carolinensis, perception of a visual sign stimulus (darkened eyespots) not only inhibits aggression and promotes initial attainment of dominant social status, but also evokes distinct neuroendocrine responses in each opponent. This study...... was designed to examine the effect of eyespot manipulation on behavior and social rank during a second interaction between opponents that had previously established a natural dyadic social hierarchy. Prior to a second interaction, eyespots of familiar size-matched combatants were manipulated to reverse...... information conveyed by this visual signal. Eyespots on the previously dominant male were masked with green paint to indicate low aggression and social status. Previously subordinate males had their eyespots permanently marked with black paint to convey high aggression and status. Opponents were then re...

Traffic simulation for mixed traffic systems | Mbam | Global Journal of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Traffic problem is classified into single and mixed, especially in most developing countries, where motorbikes are used as the most popular transportation system. The aim of this paper is to introduce the motorbike symbol into the traffic light control system to separate cars/lorries indicator from that of motorbike. This is likely ...

Traffic information computing platform for big data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Duan, Zongtao, E-mail: ztduan@chd.edu.cn; Li, Ying, E-mail: ztduan@chd.edu.cn; Zheng, Xibin, E-mail: ztduan@chd.edu.cn; Liu, Yan, E-mail: ztduan@chd.edu.cn; Dai, Jiting, E-mail: ztduan@chd.edu.cn; Kang, Jun, E-mail: ztduan@chd.edu.cn [Chang' an University School of Information Engineering, Xi' an, China and Shaanxi Engineering and Technical Research Center for Road and Traffic Detection, Xi' an (China)

2014-10-06

Big data environment create data conditions for improving the quality of traffic information service. The target of this article is to construct a traffic information computing platform for big data environment. Through in-depth analysis the connotation and technology characteristics of big data and traffic information service, a distributed traffic atomic information computing platform architecture is proposed. Under the big data environment, this type of traffic atomic information computing architecture helps to guarantee the traffic safety and efficient operation, more intelligent and personalized traffic information service can be used for the traffic information users.

Traffic information computing platform for big data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duan, Zongtao; Li, Ying; Zheng, Xibin; Liu, Yan; Dai, Jiting; Kang, Jun

2014-01-01

Big data environment create data conditions for improving the quality of traffic information service. The target of this article is to construct a traffic information computing platform for big data environment. Through in-depth analysis the connotation and technology characteristics of big data and traffic information service, a distributed traffic atomic information computing platform architecture is proposed. Under the big data environment, this type of traffic atomic information computing architecture helps to guarantee the traffic safety and efficient operation, more intelligent and personalized traffic information service can be used for the traffic information users

Traffic forecasts ignoring induced demand

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Næss, Petter; Nicolaisen, Morten Skou; Strand, Arvid

2012-01-01

the model calculations included only a part of the induced traffic, the difference in cost-benefit results compared to the model excluding all induced traffic was substantial. The results show lower travel time savings, more adverse environmental impacts and a considerably lower benefitcost ratio when...... induced traffic is partly accounted for than when it is ignored. By exaggerating the economic benefits of road capacity increase and underestimating its negative effects, omission of induced traffic can result in over-allocation of public money on road construction and correspondingly less focus on other...... performance of a proposed road project in Copenhagen with and without short-term induced traffic included in the transport model. The available transport model was not able to include long-term induced traffic resulting from changes in land use and in the level of service of public transport. Even though...

The Effect of Advertising Signs on the Urban Scene of Cities Centers (Al Bab Al Sharqi – Al Tahrir Square Case Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Inaam Albazzaz

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The research represents an applied study to the urban scene of Baghdad city center within the area of (Al Bab Al Sharqi – Al Tahrir Square through studying and identifying the levels of the reciprocal correlation of advertising signs impact on urban scene , then finding out the indicators and potential values which have made advertising signs as positive value by achieving the mechanisms of visual quality or a negative value by achieving mechanisms of visual pollution. And then examining the resulted visual perception defect reforming mechanism from it and identify the basic elements represented of the laws and legislation known worldwide. When presenting the problem, The research depends on: (Lack of clear perception about the definition of advertising signs concept and their design characteristics (Semantic impact on achieving the relationship of perceptual contact with the individual (recipient in addition to its contribution in enhancing the visual quality and reducing the visual pollution situation on urban scene of the cities centers. In order to solve the research problem, the objective outlined as follows: (Reaching to building up an integrated theoretical model, by which the foundations and mechanisms of the main act of advertising signs are determined as communication and perception act between the individual (recipient and urban scene , and their impact level on the scene in accordance with the concept of visual quality and visual pollution. The research hypothesis is as follows: (Lack of harmony in the advertising signs' design characteristics (Semantic affects the efficiency of their performance as a communicational and perceptual act, and on diminishing the visual quality and increasing the visual pollution situation in urban scene of cities centers. The research reached to a number of conclusions, mainly: Baghdad city center (represented by study area suffers visual pollution caused by misuse of advertising signs as a result of

Sign language typology: The contribution of rural sign languages

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Vos, C.; Pfau, R.

2015-01-01

Since the 1990s, the field of sign language typology has shown that sign languages exhibit typological variation at all relevant levels of linguistic description. These initial typological comparisons were heavily skewed toward the urban sign languages of developed countries, mostly in the Western

Traffic intensity monitoring using multiple object detection with traffic surveillance cameras

Science.gov (United States)

Hamdan, H. G. Muhammad; Khalifah, O. O.

2017-11-01

Object detection and tracking is a field of research that has many applications in the current generation with increasing number of cameras on the streets and lower cost for Internet of Things(IoT). In this paper, a traffic intensity monitoring system is implemented based on the Macroscopic Urban Traffic model is proposed using computer vision as its source. The input of this program is extracted from a traffic surveillance camera which has another program running a neural network classification which can identify and differentiate the vehicle type is implanted. The neural network toolbox is trained with positive and negative input to increase accuracy. The accuracy of the program is compared to other related works done and the trends of the traffic intensity from a road is also calculated. relevant articles in literature searches, great care should be taken in constructing both. Lastly the limitation and the future work is concluded.

Intelligent Traffic Light Based on PLC Control

Science.gov (United States)

Mei, Lin; Zhang, Lijian; Wang, Lingling

2017-11-01

The traditional traffic light system with a fixed control mode and single control function is contradicted with the current traffic section. The traditional one has been unable to meet the functional requirements of the existing flexible traffic control system. This paper research and develop an intelligent traffic light called PLC control system. It uses PLC as control core, using a sensor module for receiving real-time information of vehicles, traffic control mode for information to select the traffic lights. Of which control mode is flexible and changeable, and it also set the countdown reminder to improve the effectiveness of traffic lights, which can realize the goal of intelligent traffic diversion, intelligent traffic diversion.

Influence of Personal Factors on Sound Perception and Overall Experience in Urban Green Areas. A Case Study of a Cycling Path Highly Exposed to Road Traffic Noise.

Science.gov (United States)

Aletta, Francesco; Van Renterghem, Timothy; Botteldooren, Dick

2018-05-30

In contemporary urban design, green public areas play a vital role. They have great societal value, but if exposed to undue environmental noise their restorative potential might be compromised. On the other hand, research has shown that the presence of greenery can moderate noise annoyance in areas with high sound levels, while personal factors are expected to play an important role too. A cycling path bordered by vegetation, but highly exposed to road traffic noise, was here considered as a case study. A sound perception survey was submitted to participants on site and they were subsequently sorted into groups according to their noise sensitivity, visual attention and attitude towards greenery. The aim of this study was testing whether these three personal factors could affect their noise perception and overall experience of the place. Results showed that people highly sensitive to noise and more sceptical towards greenery's potential as an environmental moderator reported worse soundscape quality, while visually attentive people reported better quality. These three personal factors were found to be statistically independent. This study shows that several person-related factors impact the assessment of the sound environment in green areas. Although the majority of the respondents benefit from the presence of visual green, policy-makers and planners should be aware that for a significant subset of the population, it should be accompanied by a tranquil soundscape to be fully appreciated.

ITSA: Internet Traffic Statistics Archive

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoogesteger, Martijn; de Oliveira Schmidt, R.; Pras, Aiko

Motivated by the fact that comprehensive and long term Internet traffic measurements can be hard to obtain, we have proposed and developed the Internet Traffic Statistics Archive (ITSA). Since 2013, ITSA concentrates reports on high-level statistics of Internet traffic worldwide. Examples of

Fuzzy Multiobjective Traffic Light Signal Optimization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. Shahsavari Pour

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Traffic congestion is a major concern for many cities throughout the world. In a general traffic light controller, the traffic lights change at a constant cycle time. Hence it does not provide an optimal solution. Many traffic light controllers in current use are based on the “time-of-the-day” scheme, which use a limited number of predetermined traffic light patterns and implement these patterns depending upon the time of the day. These automated systems do not provide an optimal control for fluctuating traffic volumes. In this paper, the fuzzy traffic light controller is used to optimize the control of fluctuating traffic volumes such as oversaturated or unusual load conditions. The problem is solved by genetic algorithm, and a new defuzzification method is introduced. The performance of the new defuzzification method (NDM is compared with the centroid point defuzzification method (CPDM by using ANOVA. Finally, an illustrative example is presented to show the competency of proposed algorithm.

Traffic Management as a Service: The Traffic Flow Pattern Classification Problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos T. Calafate

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Intelligent Transportation System (ITS technologies can be implemented to reduce both fuel consumption and the associated emission of greenhouse gases. However, such systems require intelligent and effective route planning solutions to reduce travel time and promote stable traveling speeds. To achieve such goal these systems should account for both estimated and real-time traffic congestion states, but obtaining reliable traffic congestion estimations for all the streets/avenues in a city for the different times of the day, for every day in a year, is a complex task. Modeling such a tremendous amount of data can be time-consuming and, additionally, centralized computation of optimal routes based on such time-dependencies has very high data processing requirements. In this paper we approach this problem through a heuristic to considerably reduce the modeling effort while maintaining the benefits of time-dependent traffic congestion modeling. In particular, we propose grouping streets by taking into account real traces describing the daily traffic pattern. The effectiveness of this heuristic is assessed for the city of Valencia, Spain, and the results obtained show that it is possible to reduce the required number of daily traffic flow patterns by a factor of 4210 while maintaining the essence of time-dependent modeling requirements.

Traffic - Special arrangements for the official ceremony on 19th October

CERN Multimedia

Relations with the Host States Service

2004-01-01

The official ceremony marking CERN's fiftieth anniversary will take place on 19th October 2004 in the presence of Member State delegations and observers. Many VIPs are to attend the ceremony, which will be held in the Globe of Science and Innovation and in the adjacent marquee. The arrival and departure of the official delegations and guests will cause some disruption to traffic on and around the Meyrin site: The Route de Meyrin will probably be closed to traffic by the police between 2.00 p.m. and 3.00 p.m. and between 5.00 p.m. and 7.00 p.m. for the arrival and departure of VIPs. Access to the Saint-Genis-Pouilly roundabout will be difficult between 2.00 p.m. and 2.30 p.m., when the new entrance to the Meyrin site will be inaugurated. Use of the following car parks will be prohibited from 16th to 19th October inclusive (Open day and official ceremony; the appropriate road signs will be erected): the car parks located between the two lines on the drawing below (guests will register in a tent set up oppo...

Lagrangian Multi-Class Traffic State Estimation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Yuan, Y.

2013-01-01

Road traffic is important to everybody in the world. People travel and commute everyday. For those who travel by cars (or other types of road vehicles), traffic congestion is a daily experience. One essential goal of traffic researchers is to reduce traffic congestion and to improve the whole

Association between perception of fault for the crash and function, return to work and health status 1 year after road traffic injury: a registry-based cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Gabbe, Belinda J; Simpson, Pamela M; Cameron, Peter A; Ekegren, Christina L; Edwards, Elton R; Page, Richard; Liew, Susan; Bucknill, Andrew; de Steiger, Richard

2015-11-26

To establish the association between the patient's perception of fault for the crash and 12-month outcomes after non-fatal road traffic injury. Two adult major trauma centres, one regional trauma centre and one metropolitan trauma centre in Victoria, Australia. 2605 adult, orthopaedic trauma patients covered by the state's no-fault third party insurer for road traffic injury, injured between September 2010 and February 2014. EQ-5D-3L, return to work and functional recovery (Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended score of upper good recovery) at 12 months postinjury. After adjusting for key confounders, the adjusted relative risk (ARR) of a functional recovery (0.57, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.69) and return to work (0.92, 95% CI 0.86 to 0.99) were lower for the not at fault compared to the at fault group. The ARR of reporting problems on EQ-5D items was 1.20-1.35 times higher in the not at fault group. Patients who were not at fault, or denied being at fault despite a police report of fault, experienced poorer outcomes than the at fault group. Attributing fault to others was associated with poorer outcomes. Interventions to improve coping, or to resolve negative feelings from the crash, could facilitate better outcomes in the future. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Traffic analysis toolbox volume XI : weather and traffic analysis, modeling and simulation.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-01

This document presents a weather module for the traffic analysis tools program. It provides traffic engineers, transportation modelers and decisions makers with a guide that can incorporate weather impacts into transportation system analysis and mode...

State Traffic Safety Information

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Transportation — The State Traffic Safety Information (STSI) portal is part of the larger Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) Encyclopedia. STSI provides state-by-state traffic...

Dynamic control of traffic lights

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Haijema, Rene; Hendrix, Eligius M.T.; Wal, van der Jan

2017-01-01

Traffic lights are put in place to dynamically change priority between traffic participants. Commonly, the duration of green intervals and the grouping, and ordering in which traffic flows are served are pre-fixed. In this chapter, the problem of minimizing vehicle delay at isolated intersections is

Malaysian sign language dataset for automatic sign language ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Journal of Fundamental and Applied Sciences. Journal Home · ABOUT ... SL recognition system based on the Malaysian Sign Language (MSL). Implementation results are described. Keywords: sign language; pattern classification; database.

Images in pediatrics: the thymic sail sign and thymic wave sign.

Science.gov (United States)

Alves, Nuno D; Sousa, Marta

2013-01-01

The authors present a radiographic image portraying the "thymic sail sign" and the "thymic wave sign," both normal findings in infant radiographs and present a short description of these signs. These are distinguished from pathologic findings such as the "spinnaker-sail sign" in pneumomediastinum.

Consensus-Based Cooperative Control Based on Pollution Sensing and Traffic Information for Urban Traffic Networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Artuñedo, Antonio; Del Toro, Raúl M; Haber, Rodolfo E

2017-04-26

Nowadays many studies are being conducted to develop solutions for improving the performance of urban traffic networks. One of the main challenges is the necessary cooperation among different entities such as vehicles or infrastructure systems and how to exploit the information available through networks of sensors deployed as infrastructures for smart cities. In this work an algorithm for cooperative control of urban subsystems is proposed to provide a solution for mobility problems in cities. The interconnected traffic lights controller ( TLC ) network adapts traffic lights cycles, based on traffic and air pollution sensory information, in order to improve the performance of urban traffic networks. The presence of air pollution in cities is not only caused by road traffic but there are other pollution sources that contribute to increase or decrease the pollution level. Due to the distributed and heterogeneous nature of the different components involved, a system of systems engineering approach is applied to design a consensus-based control algorithm. The designed control strategy contains a consensus-based component that uses the information shared in the network for reaching a consensus in the state of TLC network components. Discrete event systems specification is applied for modelling and simulation. The proposed solution is assessed by simulation studies with very promising results to deal with simultaneous responses to both pollution levels and traffic flows in urban traffic networks.

Consensus-Based Cooperative Control Based on Pollution Sensing and Traffic Information for Urban Traffic Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio Artuñedo

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Nowadays many studies are being conducted to develop solutions for improving the performance of urban traffic networks. One of the main challenges is the necessary cooperation among different entities such as vehicles or infrastructure systems and how to exploit the information available through networks of sensors deployed as infrastructures for smart cities. In this work an algorithm for cooperative control of urban subsystems is proposed to provide a solution for mobility problems in cities. The interconnected traffic lights controller (TLC network adapts traffic lights cycles, based on traffic and air pollution sensory information, in order to improve the performance of urban traffic networks. The presence of air pollution in cities is not only caused by road traffic but there are other pollution sources that contribute to increase or decrease the pollution level. Due to the distributed and heterogeneous nature of the different components involved, a system of systems engineering approach is applied to design a consensus-based control algorithm. The designed control strategy contains a consensus-based component that uses the information shared in the network for reaching a consensus in the state of TLC network components. Discrete event systems specification is applied for modelling and simulation. The proposed solution is assessed by simulation studies with very promising results to deal with simultaneous responses to both pollution levels and traffic flows in urban traffic networks.

Dynamic Traffic Congestion Simulation and Dissipation Control Based on Traffic Flow Theory Model and Neural Network Data Calibration Algorithm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Wang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Traffic congestion is a common problem in many countries, especially in big cities. At present, China’s urban road traffic accidents occur frequently, the occurrence frequency is high, the accident causes traffic congestion, and accidents cause traffic congestion and vice versa. The occurrence of traffic accidents usually leads to the reduction of road traffic capacity and the formation of traffic bottlenecks, causing the traffic congestion. In this paper, the formation and propagation of traffic congestion are simulated by using the improved medium traffic model, and the control strategy of congestion dissipation is studied. From the point of view of quantitative traffic congestion, the paper provides the fact that the simulation platform of urban traffic integration is constructed, and a feasible data analysis, learning, and parameter calibration method based on RBF neural network is proposed, which is used to determine the corresponding decision support system. The simulation results prove that the control strategy proposed in this paper is effective and feasible. According to the temporal and spatial evolution of the paper, we can see that the network has been improved on the whole.

Framework for Traffic Congestion Prediction

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zaki, J.F.W.; Ali-Eldin, A.M.T.; Hussein, S.E.; Saraya, S.F.; Areed, F.F.

2016-01-01

Traffic Congestion is a complex dilemma facing most major cities. It has undergone a lot of research since the early 80s in an attempt to predict traffic in the short-term. Recently, Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) became an integral part of traffic research which helped in modeling and

Forecasting Multivariate Road Traffic Flows Using Bayesian Dynamic Graphical Models, Splines and Other Traffic Variables

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Anacleto, Osvaldo; Queen, Catriona; Albers, Casper J.

Traffic flow data are routinely collected for many networks worldwide. These invariably large data sets can be used as part of a traffic management system, for which good traffic flow forecasting models are crucial. The linear multiregression dynamic model (LMDM) has been shown to be promising for

Air traffic control activity increases attention capacity in air traffic controllers.

Science.gov (United States)

Ribas, Valdenilson Ribeiro; Martins, Hugo André de Lima; Amorim, Gutemberg Guerra; Ribas, Renata de Melo Guerra; de Almeida, Cláudia Ângela Vilela; Ribas, Valéria Ribeiro; de Vasconcelos, Carlos Augusto Carvalho; Lima, Murilo Duarte Costa; Sougey, Everton Botelho; de Castro, Raul Manhães

2010-01-01

Air traffic controllers simultaneously develop complex and multiple tasks in the course of their activities. In this context, concern is raised over the high level of attention needed by these professionals which can ultimately be affected by stress and fatigue. The objective of this study was to assess attention level in air traffic controllers (ATCo). 45 flight protection professionals were evaluated, comprising 30 ATCo, subdivided into ATCo with ten or more years in the profession (ATCo≥10, n=15) and ATCo with less than ten years in the profession (ATCo air traffic control activity after ten years may be associated with a high level of attention.

Traffic and Granular Flow ’07

CERN Document Server

Chevoir, François; Gondret, Philippe; Lassarre, Sylvain; Lebacque, Jean-Patrick; Schreckenberg, Michael

2009-01-01

This book covers several research fields, all of which deal with transport. Three main topics are treated: road traffic, granular matter, and biological transport. Different points of view, i.e. modelling, simulations, experiments, and phenomenological observations, are considered. Sub-topics include: highway or urban vehicular traffic (dynamics of traffic, macro/micro modelling, measurements, data analysis, security issues, psychological issues), pedestrian traffic, animal traffic (e.g. social insects), collective motion in biological systems (molecular motors...), granular flow (dense flows, intermittent flows, solid/liquid transition, jamming, force networks, fluid and solid friction), networks (biological networks, urban traffic, the internet, vulnerability of networks, optimal transport networks) and cellular automata applied to the various aforementioned fields.

Categorical Perception of Affective and Linguistic Facial Expressions

Science.gov (United States)

McCullough, Stephen; Emmorey, Karen

2009-01-01

Two experiments investigated categorical perception (CP) effects for affective facial expressions and linguistic facial expressions from American Sign Language (ASL) for Deaf native signers and hearing non-signers. Facial expressions were presented in isolation (Experiment 1) or in an ASL verb context (Experiment 2). Participants performed ABX…

32 CFR 634.32 - Traffic violation reports.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Traffic violation reports. 634.32 Section 634.32 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY (CONTINUED) LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS MOTOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC SUPERVISION Traffic Supervision § 634.32 Traffic violation reports. (a) Most traffic violations...

Probabilistic description of traffic flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahnke, R.; Kaupuzs, J.; Lubashevsky, I.

2005-01-01

A stochastic description of traffic flow, called probabilistic traffic flow theory, is developed. The general master equation is applied to relatively simple models to describe the formation and dissolution of traffic congestions. Our approach is mainly based on spatially homogeneous systems like periodically closed circular rings without on- and off-ramps. We consider a stochastic one-step process of growth or shrinkage of a car cluster (jam). As generalization we discuss the coexistence of several car clusters of different sizes. The basic problem is to find a physically motivated ansatz for the transition rates of the attachment and detachment of individual cars to a car cluster consistent with the empirical observations in real traffic. The emphasis is put on the analogy with first-order phase transitions and nucleation phenomena in physical systems like supersaturated vapour. The results are summarized in the flux-density relation, the so-called fundamental diagram of traffic flow, and compared with empirical data. Different regimes of traffic flow are discussed: free flow, congested mode as stop-and-go regime, and heavy viscous traffic. The traffic breakdown is studied based on the master equation as well as the Fokker-Planck approximation to calculate mean first passage times or escape rates. Generalizations are developed to allow for on-ramp effects. The calculated flux-density relation and characteristic breakdown times coincide with empirical data measured on highways. Finally, a brief summary of the stochastic cellular automata approach is given

Traffic Flow Prediction Using MI Algorithm and Considering Noisy and Data Loss Conditions: An Application to Minnesota Traffic Flow Prediction

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Seyed Hadi Hosseini

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Traffic flow forecasting is useful for controlling traffic flow, traffic lights, and travel times. This study uses a multi-layer perceptron neural network and the mutual information (MI technique to forecast traffic flow and compares the prediction results with conventional traffic flow forecasting methods. The MI method is used to calculate the interdependency of historical traffic data and future traffic flow. In numerical case studies, the proposed traffic flow forecasting method was tested against data loss, changes in weather conditions, traffic congestion, and accidents. The outcomes were highly acceptable for all cases and showed the robustness of the proposed flow forecasting method.

On the System of Place Name Signs in Estonian Sign Language

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liina Paales

2011-05-01

Full Text Available A place name sign is a linguistic-cultural marker that includes both memory and landscape. The author regards toponymic signs in Estonian Sign Language as representations of images held by the Estonian Deaf community: they reflect the geographical place, the period, the relationships of the Deaf community with hearing community, and the common and distinguishing features of the two cultures perceived by community's members. Name signs represent an element of signlore, which includes various types of creative linguistic play. There are stories hidden behind the place name signs that reveal the etymological origin of place name signs and reflect the community's memory. The purpose of this article is twofold. Firstly, it aims to introduce Estonian place name signs as Deaf signlore forms, analyse their structure and specify the main formation methods. Secondly, it interprets place-denoting signs in the light of understanding the foundations of Estonian Sign Language, Estonian Deaf education and education history, the traditions of local Deaf communities, and also of the cultural and local traditions of the dominant hearing communities. Both perspectives - linguistic and folkloristic - are represented in the current article.

Road Traffic Accidents - The Number One Killer in Libya

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdulmajid Ahmed Ali

2007-01-01

and a seatbelt. I had to apologize profusely to the young traffic policeman and explain that I was wearing sunglasses because I was driving facing the sun! The reason for wearing the seatbelt was a habit from living abroad for many years and I was not a "show off" as he put it! This incidence made me wonder how much the traffic police knew about the law?• In Libya the way we behave in the street, the way we drive and our attitude towards pedestrians is not taught in schools at an early age. As a matter of fact, many drivers think it is "cool" to scare pedestrians.• Most of the accidents in Libya occur at school times but unfortunately no measures are taken by the traffic police to help young children to cross roads safely.• Most of the road traffic accidents happen at the same areas but these are never identified as "black spots" to warn drivers of the possible dangers.• Although Zebra Crossings exist in some parts of Libya, they actually do not serve the purpose. We just need to count how many pedestrians (especially foreign visitors have been knocked down at Zebra Crossings.• There is a need for new road signs, clear road markings (lanes, and new traffic lights to replace old and often non-functioning ones.• One study demonstrated that speeding was responsible for about 70% of accidents [4]. There are no speed cameras or road humps to slow down speeding cars, therefore residents who have lost children to road traffic accidents resort to building their own version of street humps made from old pipes, thick ropes or cement.• Most of the main roads are full of holes and in desperate need of maintenance.• Car seats for children are not compulsory.• When accidents happen in Libya, what number do we dial? Do emergency services exist?• It is a known fact that most of the deaths and permanent disabilities in road traffic accidents are caused by people trying to help due to the lack of Advanced Trauma and Life Support (ATLS trained personnel [5,6].• It

Framework for Traffic Congestion Management

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Mahmud Hassan TALUKDAR

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Traffic Congestion is one of many serious global problems in all great cities resulted from rapid urbanization which always exert negative externalities upon society. The solution of traffic congestion is highly geocentric and due to its heterogeneous nature, curbing congestion is one of the hard tasks for transport planners. It is not possible to suggest unique traffic congestion management framework which could be absolutely applied for every great cities. Conversely, it is quite feasible to develop a framework which could be used with or without minor adjustment to deal with congestion problem. So, the main aim of this paper is to prepare a traffic congestion mitigation framework which will be useful for urban planners, transport planners, civil engineers, transport policy makers, congestion management researchers who are directly or indirectly involved or willing to involve in the task of traffic congestion management. Literature review is the main source of information of this study. In this paper, firstly, traffic congestion is defined on the theoretical point of view and then the causes of traffic congestion are briefly described. After describing the causes, common management measures, using world- wide, are described and framework for supply side and demand side congestion management measures are prepared.

Attentional costs and failures in air traffic control notifications.

Science.gov (United States)

Imbert, Jean-Paul; Hodgetts, Helen M; Parise, Robert; Vachon, François; Dehais, Frédéric; Tremblay, Sébastien

2014-01-01

Large display screens are common in supervisory tasks, meaning that alerts are often perceived in peripheral vision. Five air traffic control notification designs were evaluated in their ability to capture attention during an ongoing supervisory task, as well as their impact on the primary task. A range of performance measures, eye-tracking and subjective reports showed that colour, even animated, was less effective than movement, and notifications sometimes went unnoticed. Designs that drew attention to the notified aircraft by a pulsating box, concentric circles or the opacity of the background resulted in faster perception and no missed notifications. However, the latter two designs were intrusive and impaired primary task performance, while the simpler animated box captured attention without an overhead cognitive cost. These results highlight the need for a holistic approach to evaluation, achieving a balance between the benefits for one aspect of performance against the potential costs for another. Practitioner summary: We performed a holistic examination of air traffic control notification designs regarding their ability to capture attention during an ongoing supervisory task. The combination of performance, eye-tracking and subjective measurements demonstrated that the best design achieved a balance between attentional power and the overhead cognitive cost to primary task performance.

Emergent traffic jams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagel, K.; Paczuski, M.

1995-01-01

We study a single-lane traffic model that is based on human driving behavior. The outflow from a traffic jam self-organizes to a critical state of maximum throughput. Small perturbations of the outflow far downstream create emergent traffic jams with a power law distribution P(t)∼t -3/2 of lifetimes t. On varying the vehicle density in a closed system, this critical state separates lamellar and jammed regimes and exhibits 1/f noise in the power spectrum. Using random walk arguments, in conjunction with a cascade equation, we develop a phenomenological theory that predicts the critical exponents for this transition and explains the self-organizing behavior. These predictions are consistent with all of our numerical results

Emergent traffic jams

Science.gov (United States)

Nagel, Kai; Paczuski, Maya

1995-04-01

We study a single-lane traffic model that is based on human driving behavior. The outflow from a traffic jam self-organizes to a critical state of maximum throughput. Small perturbations of the outflow far downstream create emergent traffic jams with a power law distribution P(t)~t-3/2 of lifetimes t. On varying the vehicle density in a closed system, this critical state separates lamellar and jammed regimes and exhibits 1/f noise in the power spectrum. Using random walk arguments, in conjunction with a cascade equation, we develop a phenomenological theory that predicts the critical exponents for this transition and explains the self-organizing behavior. These predictions are consistent with all of our numerical results.

Simulation of traffic control signal systems

Science.gov (United States)

Connolly, P. J.; Concannon, P. A.; Ricci, R. C.

1974-01-01

In recent years there has been considerable interest in the development and testing of control strategies for networks of urban traffic signal systems by simulation. Simulation is an inexpensive and timely method for evaluating the effect of these traffic control strategies since traffic phenomena are too complex to be defined by analytical models and since a controlled experiment may be hazardous, expensive, and slow in producing meaningful results. This paper describes the application of an urban traffic corridor program, to evaluate the effectiveness of different traffic control strategies for the Massachusetts Avenue TOPICS Project.

[Comics for traffic education: evaluation of a traffic safety campaign].

Science.gov (United States)

Bonfadelli, H

1989-01-01

Traffic safety campaigns often are ineffective to change driving behavior because they don't reach the target group or are recognized only by people who are already interested or concerned. The evaluation of a traffic safety campaign called "Leo Lässig", addressed to young new drivers, shows that recognition and acceptance by the target group were stimulated by the age-conform means of comic-strips.

Impact Analysis of Land Use on Traffic Congestion Using Real-Time Traffic and POI

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tianqi Zhang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This paper proposed a new method to describe, compare, and classify the traffic congestion points in Beijing, China, by using the online map data and further revealed the relationship between traffic congestion and land use. The data of the point of interest (POI and the real-time traffic was extracted from an electronic map of the area in the fourth ring road of Beijing. The POIs were quantified based on the architectural area of the land use; the congestion points were identified based on real-time traffic. Then, the cluster analysis using the attributes of congestion time was conducted to identify the main traffic congestion areas. The result of a linear regression analysis between the congestion time and the land use showed that the influence of the high proportion of commercial land use on the traffic congestion was significant. Also, we considered five types of land use through performing a linear regression analysis between the congestion time and the ratio of four types of land use. The results showed that the reasonable ratio of land use types could efficiently reduce congestion time. This study makes contributions to the policy-making of urban land use.

LSE-Sign: A lexical database for Spanish Sign Language.

Science.gov (United States)

Gutierrez-Sigut, Eva; Costello, Brendan; Baus, Cristina; Carreiras, Manuel

2016-03-01

The LSE-Sign database is a free online tool for selecting Spanish Sign Language stimulus materials to be used in experiments. It contains 2,400 individual signs taken from a recent standardized LSE dictionary, and a further 2,700 related nonsigns. Each entry is coded for a wide range of grammatical, phonological, and articulatory information, including handshape, location, movement, and non-manual elements. The database is accessible via a graphically based search facility which is highly flexible both in terms of the search options available and the way the results are displayed. LSE-Sign is available at the following website: http://www.bcbl.eu/databases/lse/.

Modeling Crossing Behavior of Drivers at Unsignalized Intersections with Consideration of Risk Perception

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liu Miaomiao

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Drivers’ risk perception is vital to driving behavior and traffic safety. In the dynamic interaction of a driver-vehicle-environment system, drivers’ risk perception changes dynamically. This study focused on drivers’ risk perception at unsignalized intersections in China and analyzed drivers’ crossing behavior. Based on cognitive psychology theory and an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system, quantitative models of drivers’ risk perception were established for the crossing processes between two straight-moving vehicles from the orthogonal direction. The acceptable risk perception levels of drivers were identified using a self-developed data analysis method. Based on game theory, the relationship among the quantitative value of drivers’ risk perception, acceptable risk perception level, and vehicle motion state was analyzed. The models of drivers’ crossing behavior were then established. Finally, the behavior models were validated using data collected from real-world vehicle movements and driver decisions. The results showed that the developed behavior models had both high accuracy and good applicability. This study would provide theoretical and algorithmic references for the microscopic simulation and active safety control system of vehicles.

Remotely Accessed Vehicle Traffic Management System

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Alawi, Raida

2010-06-01

The ever increasing number of vehicles in most metropolitan cities around the world and the limitation in altering the transportation infrastructure, led to serious traffic congestion and an increase in the travelling time. In this work we exploit the emergence of novel technologies such as the internet, to design an intelligent Traffic Management System (TMS) that can remotely monitor and control a network of traffic light controllers located at different sites. The system is based on utilizing Embedded Web Servers (EWS) technology to design a web-based TMS. The EWS located at each intersection uses IP technology for communicating remotely with a Central Traffic Management Unit (CTMU) located at the traffic department authority. Friendly GUI software installed at the CTMU will be able to monitor the sequence of operation of the traffic lights and the presence of traffic at each intersection as well as remotely controlling the operation of the signals. The system has been validated by constructing a prototype that resembles the real application.

Traffic analysis and control using image processing

Science.gov (United States)

Senthilkumar, K.; Ellappan, Vijayan; Arun, A. R.

2017-11-01

This paper shows the work on traffic analysis and control till date. It shows an approach to regulate traffic the use of image processing and MATLAB systems. This concept uses computational images that are to be compared with original images of the street taken in order to determine the traffic level percentage and set the timing for the traffic signal accordingly which are used to reduce the traffic stoppage on traffic lights. They concept proposes to solve real life scenarios in the streets, thus enriching the traffic lights by adding image receivers like HD cameras and image processors. The input is then imported into MATLAB to be used. as a method for calculating the traffic on roads. Their results would be computed in order to adjust the traffic light timings on a particular street, and also with respect to other similar proposals but with the added value of solving a real, big instance.

Traffic management simulation development.

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-03

Microscopic simulation can provide significant support to traffic management center (TMC) operations. However, traffic simulation applications require data that are expensive and time-consuming to collect. Data collected by TMCs can be used as a prim...

Patterns of acute whiplash-associated disorder in the Lithuanian population after road traffic accidents.

Science.gov (United States)

Pajediene, Evelina; Janusauskaite, Jolita; Samusyte, Gintaute; Stasaitis, Kestutis; Petrikonis, Kestutis; Bileviciute-Ljungar, Indre

2015-01-01

To investigate acute whiplash-associated disorder in the Lithuanian population who are unaware of the phenomenon. Controlled cohort study. Seventy-one patients were enrolled from the emergency departments of the Kaunas region of Lithuania following road traffic accidents, examined within 3-14 days after the accident, and compared with 53 matched controls. Clinical neurological examination, including range of motion and motion-evoked pain or stiffness in the neck; spontaneous pain and pain pressure threshold. Questionnaires: Quebec Task Force questionnaire (QTFQ); Disability Rating Index (DRI); Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ); Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and health perception. Sixty-six of 71 (93%) patients developed acute symptoms. The most frequent symptoms found after road traffic accidents were neck or shoulder pain; reduced or painful neck movements, including decreased range of motion; multiple subjective symptoms according to QTFQ and significantly reduced pain threshold. Perceived health status was decreased and DRI was increased, while HADS showed a significantly higher risk of developing anxiety. Higher grade whiplash-associated disorder was linked with a greater reduction in range of motion and more prominent neck pain. Road traffic accidents induce whiplash-associated disorder in patients who seek help, but who are unaware of the condition whiplash-associated disorder. Whiplash-associated disorder should be considered and treated as an entity per se.

Evaluation of the safety benefits of the risk awareness and perception training program for novice teen drivers.

Science.gov (United States)

2016-01-01

This project evaluated the impact of the PC-based Risk Awareness and Perception Training (RAPT) program on young driver crashes and traffic violations. Young drivers 16 to 18 years of age were recruited immediately after they passed the on-road drivi...

Seroepidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii infection in drivers involved in road traffic accidents in the metropolitan area of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Galván-Ramírez, Ma de la Luz; Sánchez-Orozco, Laura Verónica; Rodríguez, Laura Rocío; Rodríguez, Saúl; Roig-Melo, Enrique; Troyo Sanromán, Rogelio; Chiquete, Erwin; Armendáriz-Borunda, Juan

2013-10-11

The prevalence of toxoplasmosis in the general population of Guadalajara, Mexico, is around 32%. Toxoplasmosis can cause ocular lesions and slowing of reaction reflexes. Latent toxoplasmosis has been related with traffic accidents. We aimed to assess the prevalence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies and visual impairments related with traffic accidents in drivers from the metropolitan Guadalajara. We prospectively evaluated the prevalence of IgG and IgM anti-T. gondii antibodies in 159 individuals involved in traffic accidents, and in 164 control drivers never involved in accidents. Cases of toxoplasmosis reactivation or acute infection were detected by PCR in a subset of 71 drivers studied for the presence of T. gondii DNA in blood samples. Ophthalmologic examinations were performed in drivers with IgG anti-T. gondii antibodies in search of ocular toxoplasmosis. Fifty-four (34%) traffic accident drivers and 59 (36%) controls were positive to IgG anti-T. gondii antibodies (p = 0.70). Among the 113 seropositive participants, mean anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies titers were higher in traffic accident drivers than in controls (237.9 ± 308.5 IU/ml vs. 122.9 ± 112.7 IU/ml, respectively; p = 0.01 by Student's t test, p = 0.037 by Mann-Whitney U test). In multivariate analyses, anti-T. gondii IgG antibody titers were consistently associated with an increased risk of traffic accidents, whereas age showed an inverse association. The presence of IgM-anti-T. gondii antibodies was found in three (1.9%) subjects among traffic accident drives, and in two (1.2%) controls. Three (4.2%) samples were positive for the presence of T. gondii DNA, all among seropositive individuals. No signs of ocular toxoplasmosis were found in the entire cohort. Moreover, no other ocular conditions were found to be associated with the risk of traffic accidents in a multivariate analysis. Anti-T. gondii antibody titers are associated with the risk of traffic accidents. We could not determine any

Fair and efficient prices in traffic. Propositions on price policy for the sustainable development of traffic in Switzerland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maibach, M.; Ott, W.; Schreyer, Ch.

2000-01-01

Fair and efficient prices are a central topic in traffic policy, both at the EU level and in Switzerland. They should allow the efficient use of the infrastructure, set up fair terms of competition between road and rail traffic and reduce traffic loading. At the same time, they should also make it possible to finance traffic in a sustainable manner. One of the main directions of attack is letting those responsible pay the external costs which result from traffic jams, accidents and environmental pollution. With the planned introduction of the usage-dependent heavy traffic levy, Switzerland has made an important step in the direction of true cost-allocation for goods vehicles. As for the rest of road traffic, however, considerable external costs are still not covered. On the other hand, rail traffic is not able to cover its infrastructure costs itself in spite of compensation it receives for the provision of public services

Fair and efficient prices in traffic. Propositions on price policy for the sustainable development of traffic in Switzerland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maibach, M.; Ott, W.; Schreyer, Ch.

1999-01-01

Fair and efficient prices are a central topic in traffic policy, both at the European Union level and in Switzerland. They should allow the efficient use of the infrastructure, set up fair terms of competition between road and rail traffic and reduce traffic loading. At the same time, they should also make it possible to finance traffic in a sustainable manner. One of the main directions of attack is letting those responsible pay the external costs which result from traffic jams, accidents and environmental pollution. With the planned introduction of the usage-dependent heavy traffic levy, Switzerland has made an important step in the direction of true cost-allocation for goods vehicles. As for the rest of road traffic, however, considerable external costs are still not covered. On the other hand, rail traffic is not able to cover its infrastructure costs itself in spite of compensation it receives for the provision of public services [de

Monitoring Different Phonological Parameters of Sign Language Engages the Same Cortical Language Network but Distinctive Perceptual Ones.

Science.gov (United States)

Cardin, Velia; Orfanidou, Eleni; Kästner, Lena; Rönnberg, Jerker; Woll, Bencie; Capek, Cheryl M; Rudner, Mary

2016-01-01

The study of signed languages allows the dissociation of sensorimotor and cognitive neural components of the language signal. Here we investigated the neurocognitive processes underlying the monitoring of two phonological parameters of sign languages: handshape and location. Our goal was to determine if brain regions processing sensorimotor characteristics of different phonological parameters of sign languages were also involved in phonological processing, with their activity being modulated by the linguistic content of manual actions. We conducted an fMRI experiment using manual actions varying in phonological structure and semantics: (1) signs of a familiar sign language (British Sign Language), (2) signs of an unfamiliar sign language (Swedish Sign Language), and (3) invented nonsigns that violate the phonological rules of British Sign Language and Swedish Sign Language or consist of nonoccurring combinations of phonological parameters. Three groups of participants were tested: deaf native signers, deaf nonsigners, and hearing nonsigners. Results show that the linguistic processing of different phonological parameters of sign language is independent of the sensorimotor characteristics of the language signal. Handshape and location were processed by different perceptual and task-related brain networks but recruited the same language areas. The semantic content of the stimuli did not influence this process, but phonological structure did, with nonsigns being associated with longer RTs and stronger activations in an action observation network in all participants and in the supramarginal gyrus exclusively in deaf signers. These results suggest higher processing demands for stimuli that contravene the phonological rules of a signed language, independently of previous knowledge of signed languages. We suggest that the phonological characteristics of a language may arise as a consequence of more efficient neural processing for its perception and production.

A computerized traffic control algorithm to determine optimal traffic signal settings. Ph.D. Thesis - Toledo Univ.

Science.gov (United States)

Seldner, K.

1977-01-01

An algorithm was developed to optimally control the traffic signals at each intersection using a discrete time traffic model applicable to heavy or peak traffic. Off line optimization procedures were applied to compute the cycle splits required to minimize the lengths of the vehicle queues and delay at each intersection. The method was applied to an extensive traffic network in Toledo, Ohio. Results obtained with the derived optimal settings are compared with the control settings presently in use.

ON THE ARRIVAL TRAFFIC FLOW ORGANIZATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nikita A. Assorov

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This article is about air traffic flow organization, ICAO regulations describe the organizing of traffic flow as one of the purposes of air traffic control, but they don’t state exactly at what point the flow has to be organized and metered. The flight phase, where air traffic controller interferes with his instructions in order to begin organizing of all aircraft landing at a certain airport depends on the actual traffic volume per hour, airspace capacity and design.The example of air traffic situation in Moscow Domodedovo airport is described in the article, with runway 32 right in use, no significant weather, real usage of STARs, considering all the ICAO and Russian Federation regulations regarding speed control with the restrictions mentioned in AIP of Moscow Domodedovo. The purpose of the experiment is to prove the need of metering the air traffic flow on the entry points in Moscow TMA, because in case of unorganized air traffic flow approach controllers will have additional unnecessary workload.The conducted calculations show, that only 3 aircraft entering TMA on the same distance from initial approach point can be handled using only speed control and existing standard arrival procedures, in all other cases vectoring or holding areas should be used.In order to avoid such situations and increase the number of the aircraft that can be handled by the approach controller with less instructions, all the traffic arriving on the TMA entry point has to be metered by area control centre, because the air traffic control unit has much more space and time for long term speed control modifications, e.g. ±0,02 Mach. In conclusion a simple rule comes to mind – the bigger inbound traffic is, the earlier one has to organize it, in order to do it speed control, radar vectors, miles-in-trail can be used. Also new equipment and technology can help air traffic controller with this task, e.g. AMAN (arrival manager, in addition to this, the experience of

Dissociative Tendencies and Traffic Incidents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valle, Virginia

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This paper analyses the relationship between dissociative experiences and road traffic incidents (crashes and traffic tickets in drivers (n=295 from Mar del Plata (Argentina city. A self-report questionnaire was applied to assess traffic crash involvement and sociodemographic variables. Dissociative tendencies were assessed by a modified version of the DES scale. To examine differences in DES scores tests of the difference of means were applied. Drivers who reported to be previously involved in traffic incidents obtained higher puntuations in the dissociative experiences scale than drivers who did not report such events. This result is observed for the total scale and for the three sub-scales (absorption, amnesia and depersonalization. However, differences appeared mainly for minor damage collisions. Further studies are needed to evaluate the role of dissociative tendencies as a risk factor in road traffic safety.

Wireless traffic steering for green cellular networks

CERN Document Server

Zhang, Shan; Zhou, Sheng; Niu, Zhisheng; Shen, Xuemin (Sherman)

2016-01-01

This book introduces wireless traffic steering as a paradigm to realize green communication in multi-tier heterogeneous cellular networks. By matching network resources and dynamic mobile traffic demand, traffic steering helps to reduce on-grid power consumption with on-demand services provided. This book reviews existing solutions from the perspectives of energy consumption reduction and renewable energy harvesting. Specifically, it explains how traffic steering can improve energy efficiency through intelligent traffic-resource matching. Several promising traffic steering approaches for dynamic network planning and renewable energy demand-supply balancing are discussed. This book presents an energy-aware traffic steering method for networks with energy harvesting, which optimizes the traffic allocated to each cell based on the renewable energy status. Renewable energy demand-supply balancing is a key factor in energy dynamics, aimed at enhancing renewable energy sustainability to reduce on-grid energy consum...

Controlled Traffic Farming

OpenAIRE

Controlled Traffic Farming Europe

2011-01-01

Metadata only record Controlled Traffic Farming (CTF) is a farming method used to reduce soil compaction, decrease inputs, and improve soil structure when coupled with reduced-till or no-till practices. This practices utilizes permanent traffic/wheel zones to limit soil compaction to a specific area. This website provides practical information on CTF, case studies, workshops, and links to additional resources.

Traffic flow wide-area surveillance system definition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Allgood, G.O.; Ferrell, R.K.; Kercel, S.W.; Abston, R.A.; Carnal, C.L. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States); Moynihan, P.I. [Jet Propulsion Lab., Pasadena, CA (United States)

1994-11-01

Traffic Flow Wide-Area Surveillance (TFWAS) is a system for assessing the state of traffic flow over a wide area for enhanced traffic control and improved traffic management and planning. The primary purpose of a TFWAS system is to provide a detailed traffic flow description and context description to sophisticated traffic management and control systems being developed or envisioned for the future. A successful TFWAS system must possess the attributes of safety, reconfigurability, reliability, and expandability. The primary safety premise of TFWAS is to ensure that no action or failure of the TFWAS system or its components can result in risk of injury to humans. A wide variety of communication techniques is available for use with TFWAS systems. These communication techniques can be broken down into two categories, landlines and wireless. Currently used and possible future traffic sensing technologies have been examined. Important criteria for selecting TFWAS sensors include sensor capabilities, costs, operational constraints, sensor compatibility with the infrastructure, and extent. TFWAS is a concept that can take advantage of the strengths of different traffic sensing technologies, can readily adapt to newly developed technologies, and can grow with the development of new traffic control strategies. By developing innovative algorithms that will take information from a variety of sensor types and develop descriptions of traffic flows over a wide area, a more comprehensive understanding of the traffic state can be provided to the control system to perform the most reasonable control actions over the entire wide area. The capability of characterizing the state of traffic over an entire region should revolutionize developments in traffic control strategies.

Clinical testing and Data Validation of a Novel Continuous Vital Sign Monitoring System in Cancer Patients – a cross border (DK– DE) collaboration project

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bjerregaard, Lene Berit Skov; Dynesen, Anja Weirsøe; Llambias, Maria Therese

about how patients and relatives experience and perceive use of vital sig technologies. Further, nurses’ perception, attitudes and experience of nursing and care practices in relation to vital sign monitoring is explored Metods: The project is testing four innovative vital sign technologies in patients...... admitted to partner hospitals in Denmark and in Germany. The user perspective include qualitative data obtained by anthropologic observational studies, and qualitative interviews with patients, relatives and staff members. The validation of the vital sign technologies is performed by quantitative analysis...

A passive brain-computer interface application for the mental workload assessment on professional air traffic controllers during realistic air traffic control tasks.

Science.gov (United States)

Aricò, P; Borghini, G; Di Flumeri, G; Colosimo, A; Pozzi, S; Babiloni, F

2016-01-01

In the last decades, it has been a fast-growing concept in the neuroscience field. The passive brain-computer interface (p-BCI) systems allow to improve the human-machine interaction (HMI) in operational environments, by using the covert brain activity (eg, mental workload) of the operator. However, p-BCI technology could suffer from some practical issues when used outside the laboratories. In particular, one of the most important limitations is the necessity to recalibrate the p-BCI system each time before its use, to avoid a significant reduction of its reliability in the detection of the considered mental states. The objective of the proposed study was to provide an example of p-BCIs used to evaluate the users' mental workload in a real operational environment. For this purpose, through the facilities provided by the École Nationale de l'Aviation Civile of Toulouse (France), the cerebral activity of 12 professional air traffic control officers (ATCOs) has been recorded while performing high realistic air traffic management scenarios. By the analysis of the ATCOs' brain activity (electroencephalographic signal-EEG) and the subjective workload perception (instantaneous self-assessment) provided by both the examined ATCOs and external air traffic control experts, it has been possible to estimate and evaluate the variation of the mental workload under which the controllers were operating. The results showed (i) a high significant correlation between the neurophysiological and the subjective workload assessment, and (ii) a high reliability over time (up to a month) of the proposed algorithm that was also able to maintain high discrimination accuracies by using a low number of EEG electrodes (~3 EEG channels). In conclusion, the proposed methodology demonstrated the suitability of p-BCI systems in operational environments and the advantages of the neurophysiological measures with respect to the subjective ones. © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of Personal Factors on Sound Perception and Overall Experience in Urban Green Areas. A Case Study of a Cycling Path Highly Exposed to Road Traffic Noise

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francesco Aletta

2018-05-01

Full Text Available In contemporary urban design, green public areas play a vital role. They have great societal value, but if exposed to undue environmental noise their restorative potential might be compromised. On the other hand, research has shown that the presence of greenery can moderate noise annoyance in areas with high sound levels, while personal factors are expected to play an important role too. A cycling path bordered by vegetation, but highly exposed to road traffic noise, was here considered as a case study. A sound perception survey was submitted to participants on site and they were subsequently sorted into groups according to their noise sensitivity, visual attention and attitude towards greenery. The aim of this study was testing whether these three personal factors could affect their noise perception and overall experience of the place. Results showed that people highly sensitive to noise and more sceptical towards greenery’s potential as an environmental moderator reported worse soundscape quality, while visually attentive people reported better quality. These three personal factors were found to be statistically independent. This study shows that several person-related factors impact the assessment of the sound environment in green areas. Although the majority of the respondents benefit from the presence of visual green, policy-makers and planners should be aware that for a significant subset of the population, it should be accompanied by a tranquil soundscape to be fully appreciated.

Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Congested Marine Traffic Environment – An Application Using Marine Traffic Simulation System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kazuhiko Hasegawa

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Difficulty of sailing is quite subjective matter. It depends on various factors. Using Marine Traffic Simulation System (MTSS developed by Osaka University this challenging subject is discussed. In this system realistic traffic flow including collision avoidance manoeuvres can be reproduced in a given area. Simulation is done for southward of Tokyo Bay, Strait of Singapore and off-Shanghai area changing traffic volume from 5 or 50 to 150 or 200% of the present volume. As a result, strong proportional relation between near-miss ratio and traffic density per hour per sailed area is found, independent on traffic volume, area size and configuration. The quantitative evaluation index of the difficulty of sailing, here called risk rate of the area is defined using thus defined traffic density and near-miss ratio.

32 CFR 634.28 - Traffic accident investigation.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Traffic accident investigation. 634.28 Section... ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS MOTOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC SUPERVISION Traffic Supervision § 634.28 Traffic accident investigation. Installation law enforcement personnel must make detailed investigations of...

Flow level performance approximations for elastic traffic integrated with prioritized stream traffic

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Malhotra, R.; Berg, J.L. van den

2007-01-01

Almost all traffic in todays networks can be classified as being either stream or elastic. The support of these two traffic types is possible either with a Differentiated (DiffServ) or an Integrated Services (IntServ) architecture. However, both DiffServ and IntServ rely on efficient scheduling

Criterion for traffic phases in single vehicle data and empirical test of a microscopic three-phase traffic theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kerner, Boris S; Klenov, Sergey L; Hiller, Andreas

2006-01-01

Based on empirical and numerical microscopic analyses, the physical nature of a qualitatively different behaviour of the wide moving jam phase in comparison with the synchronized flow phase-microscopic traffic flow interruption within the wide moving jam phase-is found. A microscopic criterion for distinguishing the synchronized flow and wide moving jam phases in single vehicle data measured at a single freeway location is presented. Based on this criterion, empirical microscopic classification of different local congested traffic states is performed. Simulations made show that the microscopic criterion and macroscopic spatiotemporal objective criteria lead to the same identification of the synchronized flow and wide moving jam phases in congested traffic. Microscopic models in the context of three-phase traffic theory have been tested based on the microscopic criterion for the phases in congested traffic. It is found that microscopic three-phase traffic models can explain both microscopic and macroscopic empirical congested pattern features. It is obtained that microscopic frequency distributions for vehicle speed difference as well as fundamental diagrams and speed correlation functions can depend on the spatial co-ordinate considerably. It turns out that microscopic optimal velocity (OV) functions and time headway distributions are not necessarily qualitatively different, even if local congested traffic states are qualitatively different. The reason for this is that important spatiotemporal features of congested traffic patterns are lost in these as well as in many other macroscopic and microscopic traffic characteristics, which are widely used as the empirical basis for a test of traffic flow models, specifically, cellular automata traffic flow models

'Felson Signs' revisited

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

George, Phiji P.; Irodi, Aparna; Keshava, Shyamkumar N.; Lamont, Anthony C.

2014-01-01

In this article we revisit, with the help of images, those classic signs in chest radiography described by Dr Benjamin Felson himself, or other illustrious radiologists of his time, cited and discussed in 'Chest Roentgenology'. We briefly describe the causes of the signs, their utility and the differential diagnosis to be considered when each sign is seen. Wherever possible, we use CT images to illustrate the basis of some of these classic radiographic signs.

Regulatory measures for traffic safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Veerapur, R.D.; Bharambe, S.D.; Patnaik, S.K.; Tandle, A.K.; Sonawane, K.A.; Kumar, Rajesh; Venkat Subramanian, K.

2017-01-01

Traffic safety is an issue related to occupational safety not restricted alone to the transportation but extends beyond. BARC has many facilities spread across large area in Mumbai and outside Mumbai. BARC deploys large number of buses, mini buses, jeeps and cars for commuting its employees to reach BARC and for commuting within BARC premises. Additionally, trucks, fire tenders, trailers etc. are also deployed for transportation of materials. No moving vehicle is ever free of the possibility of involvement in an accident. Vehicular accidents and the fatalities on road are the result of inter-play of a number of factors. The vehicle population has been steadily increasing with the pace picking up significantly in recent past. Increase in vehicle population in the face of limited road space used by a large variety of traffic has heightened the need and urgency for a well-thought-out road safety. Therefore, existence of regulatory authority to regulate traffic and vehicles to ensure safety of its employees and vehicles is very essential. BARC Traffic Safety Committee (BTSC), which is the regulating body for traffic safety is responsible for ensuring overall traffic safety. (author)

Traffic calming for the prevention of road traffic injuries: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Bunn, F; Collier, T; Frost, C; Ker, K; Roberts, I; Wentz, R

2003-09-01

To assess whether area-wide traffic calming schemes can reduce road crash related deaths and injuries. Systematic review and meta-analysis. Cochrane Injuries Group Specialised Register, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Medline, EMBASE, Sociological Abstracts Science (and social science) citation index, National Technical Information service, Psychlit, Transport Research Information Service, International Road Research Documentation, and Transdoc, and web sites of road safety organisation were searched; experts were contacted, conference proceedings were handsearched, and relevant reference lists were checked. Randomised controlled trials, and controlled before/after studies of area-wide traffic calming schemes designed to discourage and slow down through traffic on residential roads. Data were collected on road user deaths, injuries, and traffic crashes. For each study rate ratios were calculated, the ratio of event rates before and after intervention in the traffic calmed area divided by the corresponding ratio of event rates in the control area, which were pooled to give an overall estimate using a random effects model. Sixteen controlled before/after studies met our inclusion criteria. Eight studies reported the number of road user deaths: pooled rate ratio 0.63 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.14 to 2.59). Sixteen studies reported the number of injuries (fatal and non-fatal): pooled rate ratio 0.89 (95% CI 0.80 to 1.00). All studies were in high income countries. Area-wide traffic calming in towns and cities has the potential to reduce road traffic injuries. However, further rigorous evaluations of this intervention are needed, especially in low and middle income countries.

Model for traffic emissions estimation

Science.gov (United States)

Alexopoulos, A.; Assimacopoulos, D.; Mitsoulis, E.

A model is developed for the spatial and temporal evaluation of traffic emissions in metropolitan areas based on sparse measurements. All traffic data available are fully employed and the pollutant emissions are determined with the highest precision possible. The main roads are regarded as line sources of constant traffic parameters in the time interval considered. The method is flexible and allows for the estimation of distributed small traffic sources (non-line/area sources). The emissions from the latter are assumed to be proportional to the local population density as well as to the traffic density leading to local main arteries. The contribution of moving vehicles to air pollution in the Greater Athens Area for the period 1986-1988 is analyzed using the proposed model. Emissions and other related parameters are evaluated. Emissions from area sources were found to have a noticeable share of the overall air pollution.

OPTIMASI BANDWITH MENGGUNAKAN TRAFFIC SHAPPING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Imam Riadi

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Perkembangan layanan komunikasi telah berkembang sangat pesat. Salah satunya adalah pemanfaatan penggunaan bandwith untuk mengakases jaringan Internet. Traffic shapping bandwidth dapat memberikan efesiensi dalam hal pemanfaatan bandwidth pada instansi yang melakukan manajemen dalam lalulintas jaringannya. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah metode literatur yaitu metode pengumpulan data yang dilakukan dengan mengumpulkan sumber- sumber data yang terkait dan metode eksperimen yaitu melakukan penelitian dengan mengkonfigurasi Mikrotik RouterOS untuk melakukan traffic shapping bandwidth. Hasil penelitian ini adalah router yang dapat melakukan traffic shapping sehingga kualitas koneksi menjadi lebih baik untuk mengakses dan mengambil data dari sebuah website. Kata kunci : Optimasi, Bandwith, Traffic Shapping, MikroTik. 

Bicycle traffic in urban areas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anđelković Zorica

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Cycling is a term describing the use of bicycles, but also any mean of transport driven solely by human power. Development of bicycle traffic in urban areas involves construction of cycling infrastructure, adapting streets and other traffic infrastructure to a form suitable for cycling and other means of transport (individual motorized traffic, public transport, walking, ensuring the adequate budget and systematic planning and development of sustainable transport in cities. The paper presents basic settings and conditions as input elements to plan bicycle traffic in urban areas, as well as program- design conditions which lead the activities of planners and designers of urban roads in connection with cyclists.

Willingness to pay to avoid health risks from road-traffic-related air pollution and noise across five countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Istamto, Tifanny; Houthuijs, Danny; Lebret, Erik

2014-11-01

We conducted a multi-country study to estimate the perceived economic values of traffic-related air pollution and noise health risks within the framework of a large European project. We used contingent valuation as a method to assess the willingness-to-pay (WTP) for both types of pollutants simultaneously. We asked respondents how much they would be willing to pay annually to avoid certain health risks from specific pollutants. Three sets of vignettes with different levels of information were provided prior to the WTP questions. These vignettes described qualitative general health risks, a quantitative single health risk related to a pollutant, and a quantitative scenario of combined health risks related to a pollutant. The mean WTP estimates to avoid road-traffic air pollution effects for the three vignettes were: €130 per person per year (pp/y) for general health risks, €80 pp/y for a half year shorter in life expectancy, and €330 pp/y to a 50% decrease in road-traffic air pollution. Their medians were €40 pp/y, €10 pp/y and €50 pp/y, respectively. The mean WTP estimates to avoid road-traffic noise effects for the three vignettes were: €90 pp/y for general health risks, €100 pp/y for a 13% increase in severe annoyance, and €320 pp/y for a combined-risk scenario related to an increase of a noise level from 50 dB to 65 dB. Their medians were €20 pp/y, €20 pp/y and €50 pp/y, respectively. Risk perceptions and attitudes as well as environmental and pollutant concerns significantly affected WTP estimates. The observed differences in crude WTP estimates between countries changed considerably when perception-related variables were included in the WTP regression models. For this reason, great care should be taken when performing benefit transfer from studies in one country to another. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

sign-by-sign'' correlation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmidt, Sabine; Lepori, Domenico; Meuwly, Jean-Yves; Duvoisin, Bertrand; Meuli, Reto; Schnyder, Pierre; Denys, Alban; Michetti, Pierre; Felley, Christian; Melle, Guy van

2003-01-01

Our objective was a prospective comparison of MR enteroclysis (MRE) with multidetector spiral-CT enteroclysis (MSCTE). Fifty patients with various suspected small bowel diseases were investigated by MSCTE and MRE. The MSCTE was performed using slices of 2.5 mm, immediately followed by MRE, obtaining T1- and T2-weighted sequences, including gadolinium-enhanced acquisition with fat saturation. Three radiologists independently evaluated MSCTE and MRE searching for 12 pathological signs. Interobserver agreement was calculated. Sensitivities and specificities resulted from comparison with pathological results (n=29) and patient's clinical evolution (n=21). Most pathological signs, such as bowel wall thickening (BWT), bowel wall enhancement (BWE) and lymphadenopathy (ADP), showed better interobserver agreement on MSCTE than on MRE (BWT: 0.65 vs 0.48; BWE: 0.51 vs 0.37; ADP: 0.52 vs 0.15). Sensitivity of MSCTE was higher than that of MRE in detecting BWT (88.9 vs 60%), BWE (78.6 vs 55.5%) and ADP (63.8 vs 14.3%). Wilcoxon signed-rank test revealed significantly better sensitivity of MSCTE than that of MRE for each observer (p=0.028, p=0.046, p=0.028, respectively). Taking the given study design into account, MSCTE provides better sensitivity in detecting lesions of the small bowel than MRE, with higher interobserver agreement. (orig.)

Traffic light control by multiagent reinforcement learning systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bakker, B.; Whiteson, S.; Kester, L.; Groen, F.C.A.; Babuška, R.; Groen, F.C.A.

2010-01-01

Traffic light control is one of the main means of controlling road traffic. Improving traffic control is important because it can lead to higher traffic throughput and reduced traffic congestion. This chapter describes multiagent reinforcement learning techniques for automatic optimization of

Traffic Light Control by Multiagent Reinforcement Learning Systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bakker, B.; Whiteson, S.; Kester, L.J.H.M.; Groen, F.C.A.

2010-01-01

Traffic light control is one of the main means of controlling road traffic. Improving traffic control is important because it can lead to higher traffic throughput and reduced traffic congestion. This chapter describes multiagent reinforcement learning techniques for automatic optimization of

Influence of gravity upon some facial signs.

Science.gov (United States)

Flament, F; Bazin, R; Piot, B

2015-06-01

Facial clinical signs and their integration are the basis of perception than others could have from ourselves, noticeably the age they imagine we are. Facial modifications in motion and their objective measurements before and after application of skin regimen are essential to go further in evaluation capacities to describe efficacy in facial dynamics. Quantification of facial modifications vis à vis gravity will allow us to answer about 'control' of facial shape in daily activities. Standardized photographs of the faces of 30 Caucasian female subjects of various ages (24-73 year) were successively taken at upright and supine positions within a short time interval. All these pictures were therefore reframed - any bias due to facial features was avoided when evaluating one single sign - for clinical quotation by trained experts of several facial signs regarding published standardized photographic scales. For all subjects, the supine position increased facial width but not height, giving a more fuller appearance to the face. More importantly, the supine position changed the severity of facial ageing features (e.g. wrinkles) compared to an upright position and whether these features were attenuated or exacerbated depended on their facial location. Supine station mostly modifies signs of the lower half of the face whereas those of the upper half appear unchanged or slightly accentuated. These changes appear much more marked in the older groups, where some deep labial folds almost vanish. These alterations decreased the perceived ages of the subjects by an average of 3.8 years. Although preliminary, this study suggests that a 90° rotation of the facial skin vis à vis gravity induces rapid rearrangements among which changes in tensional forces within and across the face, motility of interstitial free water among underlying skin tissue and/or alterations of facial Langer lines, likely play a significant role. © 2015 Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the Société Fran

Traffic Information Unit, Traffic Information System, Vehicle Management System, Vehicle, and Method of Controlling a Vehicle

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Papp, Z.; Doodeman, G.J.N.; Nelisse, M.W.; Sijs, J.; Theeuwes, J.A.C.; Driessen, B.J.F.

2010-01-01

A traffic information unit (MD1, MD2, MD3) according to the invention comprises a facility (MI) for tracking vehicle state information of individual vehicles present at a traffic infrastructure and a facility (T) for transmitting said vehicle state information to a vehicle (70B, 70E). A traffic

Navigators’ Behavior in Traffic Separation Schemes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zbigniew Pietrzykowski

2015-03-01

Full Text Available One of the areas of decision support in the navigational ship conduct process is a Traffic Separation Scheme. TSSs are established in areas with high traffic density, often near the shore and in port approaches. The main purpose of these schemes is to improve maritime safety by channeling vessel traffic into streams. Traffic regulations as well as ships behavior in real conditions in chosen TSSs have been analyzed in order to develop decision support algorithms.

VBR video traffic models

CERN Document Server

Tanwir, Savera

2014-01-01

There has been a phenomenal growth in video applications over the past few years. An accurate traffic model of Variable Bit Rate (VBR) video is necessary for performance evaluation of a network design and for generating synthetic traffic that can be used for benchmarking a network. A large number of models for VBR video traffic have been proposed in the literature for different types of video in the past 20 years. Here, the authors have classified and surveyed these models and have also evaluated the models for H.264 AVC and MVC encoded video and discussed their findings.

Emergency evacuation/transportation plan update: Traffic model development and evaluation of early closure procedures. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1993-10-28

Prolonged delays in traffic experienced by Laboratory personnel during a recent early dismissal in inclement weather, coupled with reconstruction efforts along NM 502 east of the White Rock Wye for the next 1 to 2 years, has prompted Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) to re-evaluate and improve the present transportation plan and its integration with contingency plans maintained in other organizations. Facilities planners and emergency operations staff need to evaluate the transportation system`s capability to inefficiently and safely evacuate LANL under different low-level emergency conditions. A variety of potential procedures governing the release of employees from the different technical areas (TAs) requires evaluation, perhaps with regard to multiple emergency-condition scenarios, with one or more optimal procedures ultimately presented for adoption by Lab Management. The work undertaken in this project will hopefully lay a foundation for an on-going, progressive transportation system analysis capability. It utilizes microscale simulation techniques to affirm, reassess and validate the Laboratory`s Early Dismissal/Closure/Delayed Opening Plan. The Laboratory is required by Federal guidelines, and compelled by prudent practice and conscientious regard for the welfare of employees and nearby residents, to maintain plans and operating procedures for evacuation if the need arises. The tools developed during this process can be used outside of contingency planning. It is anticipated that the traffic models developed will allow site planners to evaluate changes to the traffic network which could better serve the normal traffic levels. Changes in roadway configuration, control strategies (signalization and signing), response strategies to traffic accidents, and patterns of demand can be modelled using the analysis tools developed during this project. Such scenarios typically are important considerations in master planning and facilities programming.

Traffic accidents: an econometric investigation

OpenAIRE

Tito Moreira; Adolfo Sachsida; Loureiro Paulo

2004-01-01

Based on a sample of drivers in Brasilia's streets, this article investigates whether distraction explains traffic accidents. A probit model is estimated to determine the predictive power of several variables on traffic accidents. The main conclusion drawn from this study is that the proxies used to measure distraction, such as the use of cell phones and cigarette smoking in a moving vehicle, are significant factors in determining traffic accidents.

ReFlow: Reports on Internet Traffic

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoogesteger, Martijn; de Oliveira Schmidt, R.; Sperotto, Anna; Pras, Aiko

Internet traffic statistics can provide valuable information to network analysts and researchers about the traffic, technologies and main characteristics of today’s networks. For many years Internet2 maintained a public website with statistics about the traffic in the Abilene network. This site was

32 CFR 634.25 - Installation traffic codes.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Installation traffic codes. 634.25 Section 634.25 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY (CONTINUED) LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS MOTOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC SUPERVISION Traffic Supervision § 634.25 Installation traffic codes. (a) Installation or activit...

Signs of depth-luminance covariance in 3-D cluttered scenes.

Science.gov (United States)

Scaccia, Milena; Langer, Michael S

2018-03-01

In three-dimensional (3-D) cluttered scenes such as foliage, deeper surfaces often are more shadowed and hence darker, and so depth and luminance often have negative covariance. We examined whether the sign of depth-luminance covariance plays a role in depth perception in 3-D clutter. We compared scenes rendered with negative and positive depth-luminance covariance where positive covariance means that deeper surfaces are brighter and negative covariance means deeper surfaces are darker. For each scene, the sign of the depth-luminance covariance was given by occlusion cues. We tested whether subjects could use this sign information to judge the depth order of two target surfaces embedded in 3-D clutter. The clutter consisted of distractor surfaces that were randomly distributed in a 3-D volume. We tested three independent variables: the sign of the depth-luminance covariance, the colors of the targets and distractors, and the background luminance. An analysis of variance showed two main effects: Subjects performed better when the deeper surfaces were darker and when the color of the target surfaces was the same as the color of the distractors. There was also a strong interaction: Subjects performed better under a negative depth-luminance covariance condition when targets and distractors had different colors than when they had the same color. Our results are consistent with a "dark means deep" rule, but the use of this rule depends on the similarity between the color of the targets and color of the 3-D clutter.

Perception of the Transition Zones from Urban to Suburban Area Using Mobile Eye

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paolo Magris

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Road users adjust their driving behavior based on the perception of the route and the surrounding environment. The eye-tracking technology allows interpreting the driver behavior, analyzing aspects otherwise not considered in the design stage. This technology has been used for transition zone analysis at town entrances along the SP 610 “Selice Montanara”, to verify the efficiency of gateway created to reduce the input speed in urban areas. Results show that the installation of traffic calming measures at transition zones leads to a change of the environment perception by drivers, and consequently safety increase.

Road traffic noise: self-reported noise annoyance versus GIS modelled road traffic noise exposure.

Science.gov (United States)

Birk, Matthias; Ivina, Olga; von Klot, Stephanie; Babisch, Wolfgang; Heinrich, Joachim

2011-11-01

self-reported road traffic noise annoyance is commonly used in epidemiological studies for assessment of potential health effects. Alternatively, some studies have used geographic information system (GIS) modelled exposure to road traffic noise as an objective parameter. The aim of this study was to analyse the association between noise exposure due to neighbouring road traffic and the noise annoyance of adults, taking other determinants into consideration. parents of 951 Munich children from the two German birth cohorts GINIplus and LISAplus reported their annoyance due to road traffic noise at home. GIS modelled road traffic noise exposure (L(den), maximum within a 50 m buffer) from the noise map of the city of Munich was available for all families. GIS-based calculated distance to the closest major road (≥10,000 vehicles per day) and questionnaire based-information about family income, parental education and the type of the street of residence were explored for their potential influence. An ordered logit regression model was applied. The noise levels (L(den)) and the reported noise annoyance were compared with an established exposure-response function. the correlation between noise annoyance and noise exposure (L(den)) was fair (Spearman correlation r(s) = 0.37). The distance to a major road and the type of street were strong predictors for the noise annoyance. The annoyance modelled by the established exposure-response function and that estimated by the ordered logit model were moderately associated (Pearson's correlation r(p) = 0.50). road traffic noise annoyance was associated with GIS modelled neighbouring road traffic noise exposure (L(den)). The distance to a major road and the type of street were additional explanatory factors of the noise annoyance appraisal.

A comparison of the hazard perception ability of accident-involved and accident-free motorcycle riders.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Andy S K; Ng, Terry C K; Lee, Hoe C

2011-07-01

Hazard perception is the ability to read the road and is closely related to involvement in traffic accidents. It consists of both cognitive and behavioral components. Within the cognitive component, visual attention is an important function of driving whereas driving behavior, which represents the behavioral component, can affect the hazard perception of the driver. Motorcycle riders are the most vulnerable types of road user. The primary purpose of this study was to deepen our understanding of the correlation of different subtypes of visual attention and driving violation behaviors and their effect on hazard perception between accident-free and accident-involved motorcycle riders. Sixty-three accident-free and 46 accident-involved motorcycle riders undertook four neuropsychological tests of attention (Digit Vigilance Test, Color Trails Test-1, Color Trails Test-2, and Symbol Digit Modalities Test), filled out the Chinese Motorcycle Rider Driving Violation (CMRDV) Questionnaire, and viewed a road-user-based hazard situation with an eye-tracking system to record the response latencies to potentially dangerous traffic situations. The results showed that both the divided and selective attention of accident-involved motorcycle riders were significantly inferior to those of accident-free motorcycle riders, and that accident-involved riders exhibited significantly higher driving violation behaviors and took longer to identify hazardous situations compared to their accident-free counterparts. However, the results of the regression analysis showed that aggressive driving violation CMRDV score significantly predicted hazard perception and accident involvement of motorcycle riders. Given that all participants were mature and experienced motorcycle riders, the most plausible explanation for the differences between them is their driving style (influenced by an undesirable driving attitude), rather than skill deficits per se. The present study points to the importance of

Predicting Information Flows in Network Traffic.

Science.gov (United States)

Hinich, Melvin J.; Molyneux, Robert E.

2003-01-01

Discusses information flow in networks and predicting network traffic and describes a study that uses time series analysis on a day's worth of Internet log data. Examines nonlinearity and traffic invariants, and suggests that prediction of network traffic may not be possible with current techniques. (Author/LRW)

Spectral Analysis of Traffic Functions in Urban Areas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Florin Nemtanu

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The paper is focused on the Fourier transform application in urban traffic analysis and the use of said transform in traffic decomposition. The traffic function is defined as traffic flow generated by different categories of traffic participants. A Fourier analysis was elaborated in terms of identifying the main traffic function components, called traffic sub-functions. This paper presents the results of the method being applied in a real case situation, that is, an intersection in the city of Bucharest where the effect of a bus line was analysed. The analysis was done using different time scales, while three different traffic functions were defined to demonstrate the theoretical effect of the proposed method of analysis. An extension of the method is proposed to be applied in urban areas, especially in the areas covered by predictive traffic control.

Competitive Traffic Assignment in Road Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krylatov Alexander Y.

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Recently in-vehicle route guidance and information systems are rapidly developing. Such systems are expected to reduce congestion in an urban traffic area. This social benefit is believed to be reached by imposing the route choices on the network users that lead to the system optimum traffic assignment. However, guidance service could be offered by different competitive business companies. Then route choices of different mutually independent groups of users may reject traffic assignment from the system optimum state. In this paper, a game theoretic approach is shown to be very efficient to formalize competitive traffic assignment problem with various groups of users in the form of non-cooperative network game with the Nash equilibrium search. The relationships between the Wardrop’s system optimum associated with the traffic assignment problem and the Nash equilibrium associated with the competitive traffic assignment problem are investigated. Moreover, some related aspects of the Nash equilibrium and the Wardrop’s user equilibrium assignments are also discussed.

Is vehicle automation enough to prevent crashes? Role of traffic operations in automated driving environments for traffic safety.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeong, Eunbi; Oh, Cheol; Lee, Seolyoung

2017-07-01

Automated driving systems (ADSs) are expected to prevent traffic accidents caused by driver carelessness on freeways. There is no doubt regarding this safety benefit if all vehicles in the transportation system were equipped with ADSs; however, it is implausible to expect that ADSs will reach 100% market penetration rate (MPR) in the near future. Therefore, the following question arises: 'Can ADSs, which consider only situations in the vicinity of an equipped vehicle, really contribute to a significant reduction in traffic accidents?' To address this issue, the interactions between equipped and unequipped vehicles must be investigated, which is the purpose of this study. This study evaluated traffic safety at different MPRs based on a proposed index to represent the overall rear-end crash risk of the traffic stream. Two approaches were evaluated for adjusting longitudinal vehicle maneuvers: vehicle safety-based maneuvering (VSM), which considers the crash risk of an equipped vehicle and its neighboring vehicles, and traffic safety-based maneuvering (TSM), which considers the overall crash risk in the traffic stream. TSM assumes that traffic operational agencies are able to monitor all the vehicles and to intervene in vehicle maneuvering. An optimization process, which attempts to obtain vehicle maneuvering control parameters to minimize the overall crash risk, is integrated into the proposed evaluation framework. The main purpose of employing the optimization process for vehicle maneuvering in this study is to identify opportunities to improve traffic safety through effective traffic management rather than developing a vehicle control algorithm that can be implemented in practice. The microscopic traffic simulator VISSIM was used to simulate the freeway traffic stream and to conduct systematic evaluations based on the proposed methodology. Both TSM and VSM achieved significant reductions in the potential for rear-end crashes. However, TSM obtained much greater

The Readiness of Typical Student in Communication By Using Sign Language in Hearing Impairment Integration Programe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohd Hanafi Mohd Yasin

2018-05-01

Full Text Available This research is regarding the readiness of typical student in communication by using sign language in Hearing Impairment Integration Programme. There were 60 typical students from a Special Education Integration Programme of secondary school in Malacca were chosen as research respondents. The instrument of the research was a set of questionnaire which consisted of four parts, namely Student’s demography (Part A, Student’s knowledge (Part B, Student’s ability to communicate (Part C and Student’s interest to communicate (Part D. The questionnaire was adapted from the research of Asnul Dahar and Rabiah's 'The Readiness of Students in Following Vocational Subjects at Jerantut District, Rural Secondary School in Pahang'.  Descriptive analysis was used to analysis the data. Mean score was used to determine the level of respondents' perception of each question. The findings showed a positive relationship between typical students towards communication medium by using sign language. Typical students were seen to be interested in communicating using sign language and were willing to attend the Sign Language class if offered.

Analysis of Malicious Traffic in Modbus/TCP Communications

Science.gov (United States)

Kobayashi, Tiago H.; Batista, Aguinaldo B.; Medeiros, João Paulo S.; Filho, José Macedo F.; Brito, Agostinho M.; Pires, Paulo S. Motta

This paper presents the results of our analysis about the influence of Information Technology (IT) malicious traffic on an IP-based automation environment. We utilized a traffic generator, called MACE (Malicious trAffic Composition Environment), to inject malicious traffic in a Modbus/TCP communication system and a sniffer to capture and analyze network traffic. The realized tests show that malicious traffic represents a serious risk to critical information infrastructures. We show that this kind of traffic can increase latency of Modbus/TCP communication and that, in some cases, can put Modbus/TCP devices out of communication.

30 CFR 56.9100 - Traffic control.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Traffic control. 56.9100 Section 56.9100 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR METAL AND NONMETAL MINE... Dumping Traffic Safety § 56.9100 Traffic control. To provide for the safe movement of self-propelled...

Life Times of Simulated Traffic Jams

Science.gov (United States)

Nagel, Kai

We study a model for freeway traffic which includes strong noise taking into account the fluctuations of individual driving behavior. The model shows emergent traffic jams with a self-similar appearance near the throughput maximum of the traffic. The lifetime distribution of these jams shows a short scaling regime, which gets considerably longer if one reduces the fluctuations when driving at maximum speed but leaves the fluctuations for slowing down or accelerating unchanged. The outflow from a traffic jam self-organizes into this state of maximum throughput.

2016 Traffic Safety Culture Index

Science.gov (United States)

... Newsroom SEARCH Driver Behavior & Performance 2016 Traffic Safety Culture Index This report presents the results of our annual Traffic Safety Culture Index survey, providing data on the attitudes and ...

The current perception threshold test differentiates categories of mechanical neck disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Uddin, Zakir; MacDermid, Joy C; Galea, Victoria; Gross, Anita R; Pierrynowski, Michael R

2014-07-01

Cross-sectional discriminative analysis. To determine whether current perception threshold (CPT) can differentiate between categories of patients with mechanical neck disorders (MNDs). Neck pain is the third most common musculoskeletal disorder and affects a third of all adults each year. It can present as neck pain without musculoskeletal signs, neck pain with musculoskeletal signs but no neurological signs, or neck pain with neurological signs. CPT testing can assess altered sensory perception that may reflect neurological changes. Patients with MNDs (n = 106) were classified into 3 groups, based on a standardized musculoskeletal examination process performed by an experienced physiotherapist who was blinded to CPT scores. The 3 groups were defined as neck pain without musculoskeletal signs (MND I) (n = 60), neck pain with musculoskeletal signs (MND II) (n = 29), and neck pain with neurological signs (MND III) (n = 17). A rapid protocol of CPT testing was performed at 3 frequencies (5, 250, and 2000 Hz), using 3 dermatomal locations on the hand. A 1-way analysis of variance with post hoc comparison and effect sizes was calculated to compare the mean CPT scores between the groups. A binary logistic-regression model was used to predict probability of higher CPT in MND III and to create a receiver-operating-characteristic curve. Mean CPT differed significantly across the 3 MND groups (MND I, 9.7; MND II, 10.6; and MND III, 11.8; Pabnormal CPT in MND III had an estimated 73% sensitivity and 81% specificity; the odds ratio was 11.5 (P = .001) for the differentiation capacity of CPT between MND II and III, with a cutoff of 11. The area under the receiver-operating-characteristic curve was 0.84 (95% confidence interval: 0.72, 0.96; P<.001). CPT testing has moderate discriminatory accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity for classification of MND categories into neck pain with or without neurological signs. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2014;44(7):532-540. Epub 10 May 2014

Brand “NIKE”, its signs and arguments: a study of applied semiotic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vinícius dos Santos Souza

2016-05-01

Full Text Available This study elected as its research object the logo of the call sporting products company Nike; as regards to the Greek goodness Nice: diva of the victory. Based on Peirce's semiotics, our aim to identify and understand the perceptive and historical foundations responsible for sustaining the said logo as a sign capable of representing the company in their business purposes. We aim to demonstrate that the selection of logo for the company's founders follows a line of argument focused on building of semiotic links - perceptive and historical - between the brand, its products and the behavior of their consumers. The logo implies a dedicated language for the possibility of a communicative link between the product and the subjectivity of its consumer; so that the first former becomes logically part of thoughts and behaviors of the second.

Procedure for Marine Traffic Simulation with AIS Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rina Miyake

2015-03-01

Full Text Available It is essential to evaluate safety of marine traffic for the improvement of efficiency and safety of marine traffic. Spread of AIS makes observation of actual marine traffic more easily and faster than before. Besides, description of collision avoidance behaviours of ships are indispensable to simulate a realistic marine traffic. It is important to develop and implement an algorithm of collision avoidance corresponding to a target traffic or target area into the marine traffic simulation because actual actions for collision avoidance depend on circumstances where ships are sailing. The authors developed an automated marine traffic simulation system with AIS data. And in this paper, we proposed a series of systematic procedures for marine traffic simulation including analysing for collision avoidance behaviours using AIS data.

Impact Analysis of Land Use on Traffic Congestion Using Real-Time Traffic and POI

OpenAIRE

Zhang, Tianqi; Sun, Lishan; Yao, Liya; Rong, Jian

2017-01-01

This paper proposed a new method to describe, compare, and classify the traffic congestion points in Beijing, China, by using the online map data and further revealed the relationship between traffic congestion and land use. The data of the point of interest (POI) and the real-time traffic was extracted from an electronic map of the area in the fourth ring road of Beijing. The POIs were quantified based on the architectural area of the land use; the congestion points were identified based on ...

Systemic Approach to Traffic Evaluation of Mostar Airport

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eldo Raguž

2005-11-01

Full Text Available The attempt of this work is to systematically find solutionsfor Mostar Airport development through technical and technologicalharmonization of traffic processes undertaken in twoseparate organizations - airport and air traffic control and coordinationbetween other traffic branches. The work uses theindicators of traffic flows and tourist trends in the region, andtogether with the mentioned simulations it attempts to evaluatethe traffic potentials in the region by affecting the change in thecurrent negative traffic flows at Mostar Airport.

Traffic noise in Hyderabad city, part-II. vehicular contribution to road traffic noise

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sheikh, G.H.

2001-01-01

The results of a road traffic noise survey carried out in Hyderabad city showed that the levels of traffic noise in the City are alarmingly high and much beyond the comfortable limits. There, in order to investigate the level of the noise emitted by different types of vehicles plying on the city roads and to assess their individual contribution to high level traffic noise, studies have been carried out on the measurement of noise emitted by motorcycles, buses, auto-rickshaws, and motor vehicle horns as they normally move on the city roads. The data collected has been analyzed for L/sub v99/, L/sub v90/, L/sub v50/, L/sub v10/ and L/sub v1/ and results are discussed with reference to the existing motor vehicle rules in Pakistan and motor vehicle noise emission limits set by the EEC and other developed countries. Some suggestion have also been made to limit high level traffic noise. (author)

Sign Inference for Dynamic Signed Networks via Dictionary Learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yi Cen

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Mobile online social network (mOSN is a burgeoning research area. However, most existing works referring to mOSNs deal with static network structures and simply encode whether relationships among entities exist or not. In contrast, relationships in signed mOSNs can be positive or negative and may be changed with time and locations. Applying certain global characteristics of social balance, in this paper, we aim to infer the unknown relationships in dynamic signed mOSNs and formulate this sign inference problem as a low-rank matrix estimation problem. Specifically, motivated by the Singular Value Thresholding (SVT algorithm, a compact dictionary is selected from the observed dataset. Based on this compact dictionary, the relationships in the dynamic signed mOSNs are estimated via solving the formulated problem. Furthermore, the estimation accuracy is improved by employing a dictionary self-updating mechanism.

Awareness of Deaf Sign Language and Gang Signs.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Cynthia; Morgan, Robert L.

There have been increasing incidents of innocent people who use American Sign Language (ASL) or another form of sign language being victimized by gang violence due to misinterpretation of ASL hand formations. ASL is familiar to learners with a variety of disabilities, particularly those in the deaf community. The problem is that gang members have…

Light signals for road traffic control.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schreuder, D.A.

1981-01-01

Signals for road traffic control are a major constituent of the modern traffic scene, particularly in built-up areas. A vast amount of research has been executed in the last two decennia, resulting in a fairly generally accepted view on what the requirements for effective traffic lights are. For the

Road Traffic in China

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jie, L.; Van Zuylen, H.J.

2014-01-01

Traffic is tightly related to the social and economic development in a country. In China the development of the economy has been very fast in the past 30 years and this is still continuing. The transport infrastructure shows a similar pattern, while traffic is also rapidly growing. In urban areas

On traffic modelling in GPRS networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Tatiana Kozlova; Schwefel, Hans-Peter; Prasad, Ramjee

2005-01-01

Optimal design and dimensioning of wireless data networks, such as GPRS, requires the knowledge of traffic characteristics of different data services. This paper presents an in-detail analysis of an IP-level traffic measurements taken in an operational GPRS network. The data measurements reported...... here are done at the Gi interface. The aim of this paper is to reveal some key statistics of GPRS data applications and to validate if the existing traffic models can adequately describe traffic volume and inter-arrival time distribution for different services. Additionally, we present a method of user...

Enhancing the Quality of Service for Real Time Traffic over Optical Burst Switching (OBS Networks with Ensuring the Fairness for Other Traffics.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammed A Al-Shargabi

Full Text Available Optical burst switching (OBS networks have been attracting much consideration as a promising approach to build the next generation optical Internet. A solution for enhancing the Quality of Service (QoS for high priority real time traffic over OBS with the fairness among the traffic types is absent in current OBS' QoS schemes. In this paper we present a novel Real Time Quality of Service with Fairness Ratio (RT-QoSFR scheme that can adapt the burst assembly parameters according to the traffic QoS needs in order to enhance the real time traffic QoS requirements and to ensure the fairness for other traffic. The results show that RT-QoSFR scheme is able to fulfill the real time traffic requirements (end to end delay, and loss rate ensuring the fairness for other traffics under various conditions such as the type of real time traffic and traffic load. RT-QoSFR can guarantee that the delay of the real time traffic packets does not exceed the maximum packets transfer delay value. Furthermore, it can reduce the real time traffic packets loss, at the same time guarantee the fairness for non real time traffic packets by determining the ratio of real time traffic inside the burst to be 50-60%, 30-40%, and 10-20% for high, normal, and low traffic loads respectively.

Structuring of Road Traffic Flows

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Planko Rožić

2005-09-01

Full Text Available Systemic traffic count on the Croatian road network hasbeen carried out for more than three decades in different ways.During this period a large number of automatic traffic countershave been installed, and they operate on different principles.The traffic count has been analyzed from the aspect of vehicleclassification. The count results can be only partly comparedsince they yield different structures of traffic flows. Special analysisrefers to the classification of vehicles by automatic trafficcounters.During the research, a database has been formed with physicalelements of vehicles of over five thousand vehicle types. Theresearch results prove that the vehicle length only is not sufficientfor the classification of vehicles, the way it is used in thepresent automatic traffic counts, but rather the number of axles,the wheelbase as well as the front and rear overhangs needto be considered as well. Therefore, the detector system shouldapply also the detector of axles.The results have been presented that were obtained as partof the program TEST- Technological, research, developmentproject supported by the Minist1y of Science, Education andSport.

Some random models in traffic science

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hjorth, U.

1996-06-01

We give an overview of stochastic models for the following traffic phenomena. Models for traffic flow including gaps and capacities for lanes, crossings and roundabouts. Models for wanted and achieved speed distributions. Mode selection models including dispersed equilibrium models and traffic accident models. Also some statistical questions are discussed. 60 refs, 1 tab

Association of perception of front-of-pack labels with dietary, lifestyle and health characteristics.

Science.gov (United States)

Méjean, Caroline; Macouillard, Pauline; Péneau, Sandrine; Lassale, Camille; Hercberg, Serge; Castetbon, Katia

2014-01-01

To identify patterns of perception of front-of-pack (FOP) nutrition labels and determine dietary, lifestyle and health profiles related to such patterns. Cross-sectional. 28,952 French adults participating in the web-based Nutrinet-Santé cohort. Perception was measured using indicators of understanding and acceptability for three simple FOP labels ("green tick", the logo of the French Nutrition and Health Program and "simple traffic lights" (STL)), and two detailed FOP formats ("multiple traffic lights" (MTL) and "color range" logo (CR)), placed on ready-to-eat soup packages. Dietary intake data were collected using three web-based 24 h records. Associations of perception patterns with individual characteristics, including diet, lifestyle and health status, were examined using analysis of covariance and logistic regression, adjusted for socio-demographic and economic factors. No clear trend emerged concerning differences in dietary intake between perception groups. Low physical activity and obesity were more frequent in the 'favorable to STL' group (respectively, 20.7% and 10.7%). The 'favorable to MTL' group included the highest percentage of individuals who declared type 2 diabetes (2.2%). Persons with hypertension were proportionally more numerous in the 'favorable to MTL' and the 'favorable to CR logo' groups (respectively, 9.5% and 9.3%). After adjustment for socio-demographic and economic factors, no FOP label stood out as being more suitable than another for reaching populations with poor diet. However, both STL and MTL may be most appropriate for increasing awareness of healthy eating among groups at higher risk of nutrition-related chronic diseases.

Autosolitons in applied physics and traffic flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kerner, B.S.

1996-01-01

A review of investigations of autosolitons in nonlinear systems which are of interest for the applied physics and for the transportation research is presented. Autosolitons are solitary intrinsic states which can be formed in a broad class of physical, chemical, biological dissipative distributed media and in traffic flow. Properties of autosolitons which are general for physical systems and for traffic flow will be discussed. Based on results of recent investigations of traffic jams in traffic flow, a comparison of nonlinear characteristics of traffic jams and with nonlinear properties of autosolitons which can be formed in active systems with diffusion will be given. Forms, properties, processes of evolution of autosolitons in traffic flow, in semiconductors and in gas discharge plasma are considered. copyright 1996 American Institute of Physics

Distraction-related road traffic collisions

African Journals Online (AJOL)

drivers involved in road traffic collisions (RTC) were using mobile phones. Our study supports ... while driving. Keywords: Distraction, prevention, road traffic collision, mobile phone. ..... keeps us connected with others with great advantages.

Optimized combination model and algorithm of parking guidance information configuration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tian Ye

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Operators of parking guidance and information (PGI systems often have difficulty in providing the best car park availability information to drivers in periods of high demand. A new PGI configuration model based on the optimized combination method was proposed by analyzing of parking choice behavior. This article first describes a parking choice behavioral model incorporating drivers perceptions of waiting times at car parks based on PGI signs. This model was used to predict the influence of PGI signs on the overall performance of the traffic system. Then relationships were developed for estimating the arrival rates at car parks based on driver characteristics, car park attributes as well as the car park availability information displayed on PGI signs. A mathematical program was formulated to determine the optimal display PGI sign configuration to minimize total travel time. A genetic algorithm was used to identify solutions that significantly reduced queue lengths and total travel time compared with existing practices. These procedures were applied to an existing PGI system operating in Deqing Town and Xiuning City. Significant reductions in total travel time of parking vehicles with PGI being configured. This would reduce traffic congestion and lead to various environmental benefits.

Inuit Sign Language: a contribution to sign language typology

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schuit, J.; Baker, A.; Pfau, R.

2011-01-01

Sign language typology is a fairly new research field and typological classifications have yet to be established. For spoken languages, these classifications are generally based on typological parameters; it would thus be desirable to establish these for sign languages. In this paper, different

The Principle of Transparency of the Sign and the Problem of Cognitive Mediation and Epistemological Immediatism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Józef Dębowski

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The article consists of two parts. In the first part (I three different formulations of the principle of the transparency of the sign are described. In the first description (E. Husserl it is said that the sign in a proper sense (both an iconic and conventional one is transparent for its denotations. In the second description (A. Schaff only the transparence of its meaning is admitted. As far as the third description is concerned (L. Koj conviction, that every sign is transparent both for a signed object and its meaning, is typical. In the second part of the article (II we consider relationship between the principle of the transparency of the sign and traditional distinction between “transparent” and “opaque” cognitive mediator – distinction between medium quo and medium quod . The main conclusion of this article is included in a thesis that linguistic cognition and significative cognition – because it isn’t a direct cognition in the sense of primary directness (perceptive – isn’t able to guarantee a source of access to a cognized object, so it is not a direct cognition in a proper sense. It means that the transparency of the sign, when it appears in the face of its denotations (E. Husserl’s interpretations a sign or a system of signs are not able to function as a transparent mediator, i e medium quo . It is like that because – as E. Husserl noticed – the sign (due to its transparency indeed shows us its denotations, but always through the mediation of its meaning and some significative intention. 

Consistency between subjectively and objectively measured hazard perception skills among young male drivers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Abele, Liva; Haustein, Sonja; Møller, Mette

2018-01-01

. Subjective measures of HPS include self-reports derived based on the Hazard Perception Questionnaire (HPQ), Driving Skill Questionnaire (DSQ), and Brief Sensation Seeking Scale (BSSS). Results show that drivers who respond to the hazards on time, as compared to drivers who do not respond, have higher scores......Young male drivers have lower hazard perception skills (HPS) than older and more experienced drivers and a tendency to overestimate their skills in hazardous situations. Both factors contribute to an over-representation in traffic accidents. Based on a sample of 63 drivers aged 18-24, this study...... negatively when the hazard is visible. To enhance the HPS among young drivers, the results of this study suggest that specific hazard perception training is relevant, especially for hazards that require more advanced HPS....

Perceptions of Web Site Design Characteristics: A Malaysian/Australian Comparison.

Science.gov (United States)

Fink, Dieter; Laupase, Ricky

2000-01-01

Compares the perceptions of Malaysians and Australians for four Web site design characteristics--atmospherics, news stories, signs, and products and services--as part of the integrated Internet marketing model. Hypothesizes that the predominant culture is not generalized to another culture, discusses validity and reliability, and suggest further…

Retroreflectivity of existing signs in Pennsylvania.

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-01

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Bureau of Highway Safety and Traffic Engineering initiated this : research effort in response to the release of the new 2009 Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) which mandates : th...

Traffic noise in Hyderabad city. part I: road traffic noise

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaikh, G.H.; Shaikh, Q.

2000-01-01

Traffic noise survey was conducted at 20 sites in different areas and localities in Hyderabad city and each site noise data was collected continuously from 0800 to 2000 h. The data was analyzed for L/sub A99/, L/sub A90/, L/sub A50/, L/sub 10/ and L/sub A1/, and approximate values of L/sub Aeq12h/ were evaluated for each site. The results are discussed with reference to some criteria for community annoyance and means and ways to limit high-level traffic noise are suggested. (author)

Significance of satellite sign and spot sign in predicting hematoma expansion in spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Zhiyuan; Zheng, Jun; Ali, Hasan; Guo, Rui; Li, Mou; Wang, Xiaoze; Ma, Lu; Li, Hao; You, Chao

2017-11-01

Hematoma expansion is related to poor outcome in spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Recently, a non-enhanced computed tomography (CT) based finding, termed the 'satellite sign', was reported to be a novel predictor for poor outcome in spontaneous ICH. However, it is still unclear whether the presence of the satellite sign is related to hematoma expansion. Initial computed tomography angiography (CTA) was conducted within 6h after ictus. Satellite sign on non-enhanced CT and spot sign on CTA were detected by two independent reviewers. The sensitivity and specificity of both satellite sign and spot sign were calculated. Receiver-operator analysis was conducted to evaluate their predictive accuracy for hematoma expansion. This study included 153 patients. Satellite sign was detected in 58 (37.91%) patients and spot sign was detected in 38 (24.84%) patients. Among 37 patients with hematoma expansion, 22 (59.46%) had satellite sign and 23 (62.16%) had spot sign. The sensitivity and specificity of satellite sign for prediction of hematoma expansion were 59.46% and 68.97%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of spot sign were 62.16% and 87.07%, respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) of satellite sign was 0.642 and the AUC of spot sign was 0.746. (P=0.157) CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the satellite sign is an independent predictor for hematoma expansion in spontaneous ICH. Although spot sign has the higher predictive accuracy, satellite sign is still an acceptable predictor for hematoma expansion when CTA is unavailable. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Proactive Traffic Information Control in Emergency Evacuation Network

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhengfeng Huang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Traffic demand in emergency evacuation is usually too large to be effectively managed with reactive traffic information control methods. These methods adapt to the road traffic passively by publishing real-time information without consideration of the routing behavior feedback produced by evacuees. Other remedy measures have to be prepared in case of nonrecurring congestion under these methods. To use the network capacity fully to mitigate near-future evacuation traffic congestion, we propose proactive traffic information control (PTIC model. Based on the mechanism between information and routing behavior feedback, this model can change the route choice of evacuees in advance by dissipating strategic traffic information. Generally, the near-future traffic condition is difficult to accurately predict because it is uncertain in evacuation. Assume that the value of traffic information obeys certain distribution within a range, and then real-time traffic information may reflect the most-likely near-future traffic condition. Unlike the real-time information, the proactive traffic information is a selection within the range to achieve a desired level of the road network performance index (total system travel time. In the aspect of the solution algorithm, differential equilibrium decomposed optimization (D-EDO is proposed to compare with other heuristic methods. A field study on a road network around a large stadium is used to validate the PTIC.

Computational triadic algebras of signs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zadrozny, W. [T.J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, NY (United States)

1996-12-31

We present a finite model of Peirce`s ten classes of signs. We briefly describe Peirce`s taxonomy of signs; we prove that any finite collection of signs can be extended to a finite algebra of signs in which all interpretants are themselves being interpreted; and we argue that Peirce`s ten classes of signs can be defined using constraints on algebras of signs. The paper opens the possibility of defining multimodal cognitive agents using Peirce`s classes of signs, and is a first step towards building a computational logic of signs based on Peirce`s taxonomies.

Modeling Network Traffic in Wavelet Domain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sheng Ma

2004-12-01

Full Text Available This work discovers that although network traffic has the complicated short- and long-range temporal dependence, the corresponding wavelet coefficients are no longer long-range dependent. Therefore, a "short-range" dependent process can be used to model network traffic in the wavelet domain. Both independent and Markov models are investigated. Theoretical analysis shows that the independent wavelet model is sufficiently accurate in terms of the buffer overflow probability for Fractional Gaussian Noise traffic. Any model, which captures additional correlations in the wavelet domain, only improves the performance marginally. The independent wavelet model is then used as a unified approach to model network traffic including VBR MPEG video and Ethernet data. The computational complexity is O(N for developing such wavelet models and generating synthesized traffic of length N, which is among the lowest attained.

Fixed Point Learning Based Intelligent Traffic Control System

Science.gov (United States)

Zongyao, Wang; Cong, Sui; Cheng, Shao

2017-10-01

Fixed point learning has become an important tool to analyse large scale distributed system such as urban traffic network. This paper presents a fixed point learning based intelligence traffic network control system. The system applies convergence property of fixed point theorem to optimize the traffic flow density. The intelligence traffic control system achieves maximum road resources usage by averaging traffic flow density among the traffic network. The intelligence traffic network control system is built based on decentralized structure and intelligence cooperation. No central control is needed to manage the system. The proposed system is simple, effective and feasible for practical use. The performance of the system is tested via theoretical proof and simulations. The results demonstrate that the system can effectively solve the traffic congestion problem and increase the vehicles average speed. It also proves that the system is flexible, reliable and feasible for practical use.