U.S. Department of Transportation
Office of the Secretary
of Transportation
DTRT57-05-R-SBIR
DOT Program Solicitation for
Small
Business Innovation Research
VIII. Research Topics and Descriptions
Back to List of Topics | Program Contents
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
05-FH11 Compact Laser Sheargraphy System for Crack Detection
The Federal Highway Administration has a critical need for nondestructive technology that can measure very fine cracks (<1 micron) in steel or concrete. Laser shearography is such a method, which is already being used in a number of industries such as aerospace. It employs a single beam of laser light which is reflected off the specimen. The camera then produces a pair of laterally sheared images in the image plane and hence the method is called shearography. The effect of shearing is to map a point on the image into two points in the image. The two overlapped portions of the sheared images interfere and produce a speckle pattern. When the object is deformed, the speckle pattern is slightly modified. Comparing the two speckle patterns (stressed and unstressed) produces a fringe pattern which depicts the relative displacement of two neighboring points. Since the magnitude of shearing is small, the fringe pattern approximately represents the derivative of displacement with respect to the shearing direction. This differs from conventional holography which depicts displacement rather than its derivative. This difference from holography results in shearography being much less sensitive to external vibration interference and hence much more suitable for production and field environments.
As a preliminary test of the method, a commercial laser shearography system was applied to existing concrete specimens in which cracking had been induced. The method was able to find cracks which were not visible by optical microscopy, implying a resolution of less than 10 nm (nanometers). What is now needed is a laser shearography system that is specifically adapted to the needs of the highway inspection community. It should be rugged, portable, low-cost and capable of being used in hard to access places.
05-FH21 Low Cost Workzone Collision Warning System
Reducing the number of fatalities and crashes is a major goal of FHWA, the States and their contractors in improving highway safety. Fatalities in highway work zones reached 1028 in 2003.
Rear-end collision fatalities in work zones are disproportionately high, accounting for 15% of all highway fatalities, while the non-work zone counterparts accounted for only 5%. Some studies indicated that large speed differentials, difficult spots in work zones such as cross-overs and entrance ramps, and speeding are major factors to cause rear-end crashes. The deployment of some type of system to deal with these problems would greatly lower the risk of rear-end collision, and the benefit from this project would be significant.
Phase I of this project would design and test 20 low-cost workzone collision warning system units, based on previous research results and specifications (University of Michigan, etc.). Each of the units must include integrated LED warning lights, speed sensors, and wireless communication modules. A central wireless coordination unit will also be designed and built. Based on the University's simulator experiments, such a real-time warning system could effectively alert drivers and slow down the speed when the vehicles are really in risk of collision and the speed really needs to be reduced.
In this concept, fast vehicles (yellow) approaching the end of slow traffic flow (red) would meet green light workzone collision warning system units first, then meet yellow and red light workzone collision warning system units as they approach slow vehicles. In this way, the driver would be alerted to the risk of collision if their speed is not reduced to a safe level. The required design would use integrated units (including lights) mounted on top of traffic control drums.
Phase II of this proposal would develop a manufacturing prototype, test the advanced manufacturing protoype in a driver simulation laboratory, modify Corsim to simulate its operation and demonstrate its use in a work zone.
This project requires significant experience in sensors, traffic engineering, work zones, and manufacturing. Although not required, it would be helpful if proposers provide working samples of their work with sensors and displays.
05-FH31 Accurate Measurement of signature, speed, acceleration and jerk (SSAJ) with inductive loops for Intersection Collision Avoidance (ICA), Red Light Running Prevention (RLRP) systems and Origin Destination (O-D)
Advanced real time traffic logic (NCHRP 3-66 advanced signal transition logic & TrEPS), ICA and RLRP systems running on the Real Time Linux Operating System (RTLOS) for the Advanced Transportation Controller (ATC) require accurate measurement of the signal from inductive loops to produce vehicle signature, speed, acceleration and jerk (SSAJ) rather than a simple on/off pulse. This project would utilize advanced technologies building on research done by PATH and other researchers and existing loop detector technology rather than building new sensors entirely from scratch. This sensor would enable [1] vehicle tracking through networks purposes such as TrEPS, origin destination (O-D) studies, queue estimation, and surface street incident detection and [2] accurate prediction of vehicle trajectories for intersection collision avoidance and red light running prevention systems. The unit would have to be licenseable so that other vendors could adapt it for their proprietary sensors.
Phase I would develop and demonstrate prototype software and hardware embodying a simplified version of the SSAJ and demonstrate its use with the ATC, the ATC API and the Los Angelos ATC software. To encourage research, the unit should have the signature processor as a separate hardware module with loadable software & documented interfaces by which others could develop software to run on it. Phase I would determine what the "real time" needs and accuracies are for the SSAJ and what outputs from the SSAJ would be suitable for traffic control applications. Ways for the SSAJ to communicate with the ATC via the serial communications bus, ATC Ethernet, and the NTCIP 1211 protocol would be examined. The software and hardware would be demonstrated using real world ATC, loops and speed measurement equipment.
Phase II, staged to produce interim demonstratable results, would enhance the SSAJ. The last segment of Phase II would add the ability to the ATC LA software to track vehicles from one sensor to another. This would enable ATC controllers to perform trajectory and link to link tracking as a step towards implementing the NCHRP 3-66 signal transition logic & adding the capability of conducting low cost O-D studies. The TEXAS simulation model should be modified to run with the SSAJ in the loop via the Controller Interface Device. This project requires significant experience in inductive loops, traffic engineering, real time Linux for embedded applications, and programming of traffic signal controllers.
Although not required, it would be helpful if proposers provide working samples of their work with inductive loop detectors and advanced sensing. Strong consideration should be given to using the Real Time Linux and interfaces being developed under SBIR Research Topic No. 03-FH5.
1 Phase I may be up to $96,000 and Phase II may be up to $720,00
Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA)
05-RT1 Use of Remotely Piloted Vehicles (RPV) to conduct traffic analysis audits for transportation management systems
RITA's remote surveillance program has proved the potential for using RPVs to collect data on traffic flow. By collecting this data at higher resolutions and frame rates and using differential Global Positioning System (GPS) data along with Atomic Clock time, it might be possible to use RPVs for detailed surveys of traffic flows. Through data fusion, a traffic management system could combine the wide area data collection of an aerial vehicle with the narrow area video data of surface based traffic monitoring technologies, such as the Virginia Research Council SmartTravel Van, and freeway-management camera systems. Use of LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and multi-spectral imaging might provide unique insight into the response of traffic to hazardous materials and other incidents in the context of the surrounding transportation infrastructure. Use of stereo imaging would expedite the identification and tracking of vehicles in real time around incidents. Under an open source license such as the GNU General Public License, analytic software might be developed.
Data fusion between different aerial sensors and between aerial sensors and ground-based sensors would allow a high fidelity analysis of the data. This would allow a full analysis of the transportation facility within the transportation environment as well as the construction of very realistic simulator environments for learning how to better manage traffic incidents.
This project would create open source software to analyze high resolution imagery data of transportation flow and merge it with the high resolution data from surface data collection systems such as the VDOT Data Collection Van and traffic control and surveillance systems.
05-RT2 Use of Remotely Piloted Vehicles (RPV) - Zeppelins to create "as built" plans for transportation infrastructures and roadway inventory
RITA's remote surveillance program has proved the potential for using RPVs to collect data on transportation structures. By collecting the data at higher resolutions and frame rates and using differential Global Positioning System (GPS) data along with Atomic Clock time, it might be possible to use RPVs for detailed surveys of roads within their topographical environment. However, model airplane RPVs have limited flight time and cannot hover while remotely piloted helicopters have a catastrophic failure mode. This project would utilize a model Zeppelin to combine the mobility of the model airplane with the hovering capability of the model helicopter. Current model airplanes require larger landing fields and highly skilled pilots for landing.
Use of a model zeppelin would allow a higher sensor payload without a high fuel penalty. Data fusion between different aerial sensors with the higher sensor payload and lower vibration platform would allow a higher fidelity analysis of the data. This would allow a more detailed identification of the transportation infrastructure for emergencies affecting transportation and ensure transportation readiness during civilian and national security crises.
This project would create open source software to merge high resolution imagery data of transportation infrastructure with the FHWA Data Collection Van by utilizing a stable low vibration aerial vehicle with a safe failure mode and requiring a less skilled remote pilot because of the simpler take offs and landing features of the Zeppelin.
05-RT3 Use of Remotely Piloted Vehicles (RPV) - to create "as built" plans for transportation infrastructures and roadway inventory for improved maintenance, and emergency preparedness and management
RITA's remote surveillance program has proved the potential for using RPVs to collect data on transportation structures. By collecting the data at higher resolutions and frame rates and using differential Global Positioning System (GPS) data and Atomic Clock time, it might be possible to use RPVs for detailed surveys of roads within their topographical environment. By combining the wide area data collection of an aerial vehicle with the narrow area data of FHWA's Digital Highway Measurement Van, it would be possible to create as-built plans with the surrounding terrain, plant, structure, and signage data. Use of LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and multi-spectral imaging would facilitate examination of the condition and location of transportation structures and roadside flora. Stereo imaging would determine the location of signage and utilities in and near the right of way.
Data fusion between different aerial sensors and between aerial sensors and ground-based sensors would produce a high fidelity analysis of the data, and thereby facilitate the creation of a full assessment of the transportation facility within its surroundings as well as the construction of very realistic simulator environments. It would also allow detailed identification of the transportation infrastructure for emergencies affecting transportation and ensure transportation readiness during natural catastrophes and national security emergencies.
This project has the potential to create open source software to analyze high-resolution imagery data of transportation infrastructure and merge it with the high-resolution data from the FHWA Highway Data Collection Van.
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
05-PH1 Innovative Safety, Reliability and Inspection Technologies for Pipeline Safety Integrity Management
America receives over two-thirds of the crude and petroleum products for more than 55 million residential and commercial customers, through more than 160,000 miles of pipelines (based on year 2004 liquid pipeline operator national mileage information). In addition, over 326,000 miles of gas transmission pipeline transport natural gas to local companies that distribute it to local customers. This supply of energy has too often been disrupted by local pipeline leaks. PHMSA/OPS has designed a SBIR topic for 2005 to help address this continuing problem. The focus areas described below support the DOT Secretary's strategic vision of using SBIR funds to develop "safer, simpler and smarter transportation solutions".
Historically, mechanical damage is the single largest cause of failures on pipelines (transporting both natural gas and hazardous liquids). Mechanical damage usually occurs after a pipeline has been constructed and is caused by excavation equipment, which deforms the shape of the pipe, scrapes away metal and coating resulting in changes to the mechanical properties of the pipe near the damage.
Phase I research is sought on the use of innovative tools or concepts that allow for enhancing process management, pipeline monitoring and detection of metal loss due to mechanical damage in liquid and or natural gas applications. Areas of interest include but are not limited to:
1. Pipeline Integrity management software tools.
As an oversight tool, the development and demonstration of a dynamic database, for safe, smart operation of pipeline transportation infrastructure. From the process management perspective, this tool could integrate the process. Anticipated results from this effort are: a single database to support the requirements of an Integrity Management Plan while providing active notification protocols, critical punch list, and forms or documentation automation with timelines. At the tasking level, the tool could identify ordered, activities, notification and status distribution in accordance with Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration's, Office of Pipeline Safety protocols. This innovative workflow, process based, decision database provides enhancements within operator's integrity management plans. Proposals are sought for a fully working prototype tool to assist operators of all sizes to manage protocol process areas with respect to their Integrity Management Plan.
2. Cost effective technologies for pipeline coating assessment and fingerprinting
Various types of coating materials are used on pipelines. The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and other organizations developed procedures and standards to determine a materials' endurance for use in the pipeline industry. New inspection techniques or technologies for accurate coating condition assessment provide information that could be compared to its original manufacture specifications in addition to fingerprinting current specific coating conditions. Anticipated results would provide quantifiable and reliable improvements of in-field repairs. Proposals are sought to develop and demonstrate improved pipeline coating assessment and fingerprinting technologies.
3. Risk base probability modeling
Risk base probability modeling to assess consequences of pipeline failure will assist industry and regulators towards baselining Direct Assessment (DA) issues with natural gas and hazardous materials pipelines. While the categories and statistics of failures are evident from the Office of Pipeline Safety incident data. An analytical framework model to calculate the risk probability or consequence of rupture that consider distance from pipeline, product carried, pressure, pipeline composition and vintage could provide a valuable tool towards pipeline safety analysis for DA. Proposals to develop and demonstrate a risk based model incorporating additional engineering information from industry on external corrosion, stress corrosion cracking, internal corrosion, girth weld defects, seam defects, and rock impingement are sought to assess all consequences of pipeline failures.
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
05-FA1 Development of a low cost, voice activated cockpit for General Aviation (GA) aircraft and helicopters for use in Precision Visual Flight Rules (PVFR) operations.
The concept of PVFR is based on the hypothesis that aircraft navigating precisely, using Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation capabilities, within narrow, obstacle-protected airways can reduce Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) accidents when operating under marginal Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) or other disorientating, potentially dangerous conditions such as very dark night conditions in obstacle rich environments.
Develop a prototype voice activated cockpit that will allow a pilot operating in marginal VMC to manipulate controls via voice commands and receive voice feedback for verification of settings.
Create a system where tasks usually accomplished by looking at an item and manually entering data, turning knobs, or pushing buttons are accomplished via voice commands.
Create a system that provides audio feedback based on settings accomplished via voice commands.
