Article on some of the smaller projects Intelligent Devices has successfully implemented

1. INTELLIGENT DEVICES – “DELIVERING THE PROMISE”
For many years, Intelligent
Transportation Systems (ITS)
have been promising to deliver
reduced congestion and safer
roads. ITS America has gone so
far as to adopt a “zero fatalities,
zero avoidable delay” vision for
ITS which sets the bar for
achievement for the industry. With
three recently completed contracts
demonstrating innovative solutions
to real-world problems, Intelligent
Devices, Inc. has contributed to
“delivering the promise”.
1. NTCIP Solution to “Where are
you, and what are you saying?” Fig 2.
– The Portable Sign Problem NTCIP latitude and longitude entered into MapQuest show the trailer location in Buffalo!
The Niagara International
Transportation Technology Intelligent Devices, Inc solved both The upgrade modules also added
Coalition (NITTEC) operates a of these problems. Under a pilot GPS (Geographical Positioning
regional ITS system for member project funded jointly by FHWA System) functionality to the signs.
agencies out of their Traffic and NITTEC, Intelligent Devices
Management Center (TMC) in provided IDI 1320 upgrade The NTCIP objects for latitude and
Buffalo, New York. They have a modules for four trailers. The longitude are supported so that
mixture of NTCIP overhead signs, modules were installed in two the trailer’s position can be
cameras and traffic sensors, as different trailer brands. retrieved at any time to confirm the
well as several portable message ACTUAL position of the sign prior
signs. Rolling out the ITS system These upgrade modules provided to displaying a message from
is a key part of NITTEC’s strategy an interface that made the trailers Central.
to improve road safety and traveler conformant with the NTCIP
information in the area. standards for communication. The In addition, the battery voltage can
interface was tested with now be measured from Central
The portable signs were not DeviceTester for NTCIP, which using the same NTCIP software
integrated into their ITS system for proved that a consistent NTCIP for all signs, irrespective of the
two main reasons: interface (with associated brand of the device.
functionality) had been achieved
1. The signs were not NTCIP for all four signs. This made these “All and all I feel the pilot project
conformant, while their central four trailer signs compatible with was very successful and I and
system was. This made it the existing NTCIP Central NITTEC thank you {Intelligent
impossible to monitor, System. Devices, Inc} for your hard work”
amongst other things, the said Bob Eberhardt, the NITTEC
current message displayed on Systems Administrator responsible
the sign or the sign battery for the project.
voltage, from their Central
System.
2. Keeping track of where the 2. Florida Brings Their Existing
signs were deployed was a Infrastructure Up To NTCIP
headache. Construction Standards
personnel would sometimes
move the signs without Florida DOT is in the midst of a
informing the TMC, and so major system upgrade to integrate
there was a risk that all ITS systems in Florida. This
messages activated from project, the “Sunguide Statewide
Central would be displayed in Fig. 1 Library”, is progressing with a
the wrong location. Trailer Control Cabinet, with GPS Added. significant software development

2. project, building new regional
TMC’s and major fiber optic
communication deployment.
Florida has made a commitment to
the NTCIP standards process, and
all new signs deployed in Florida
go through a NTCIP testing
process. In addition, Florida has
committed to NTCIP standards for
communication to their camera
control systems.
The first deployment of the new
system is planned for District 6 in
Miami. However, a number of
different types of signs and
cameras are already installed, as
part of the existing deployment.
Intelligent Devices, Inc was
contracted to provide interface
modules for signs and two
incompatible camera brands, to Fig 4.
provide an NTCIP interface Warning Drivers of a Collision Danger Ahead in Tampa.
compliant with the Florida Inset: IDI2500 Traffic Congestion Monitor
requirement.
process, FDOT immediately compare these values to
At the same time, Ethernet awarded Intelligent Devices, Inc a thresholds to determine if a
network interfaces were provided follow up contract for the upgrade congestion condition exists. In the
in addition to the current serial of additional signs of yet another event of a congestion condition,
connection, to make the existing type. “Repeat business is the test the drivers are warned upstream
devices compatible with the new of a happy customer”, said Bryan of the hazard ahead.
network architecture being Mulligan, President of Intelligent
deployed. Devices, Inc. This is an example of Intelligent
Devices Inc’s pre-packaged ITS
Conformance testing was carried solutions, where sophisticated
out using DeviceTester for NTCIP 3. Congestion Alarm systems can be quickly and easily
on both cameras and signs. The Contributes to Driver Safety deployed. Said Dave Krauss,
testing was independently verified Senior ITS Manager at Gray-
by both FDOT in their Testing and A significant cause of freeway and Calhoun & Associates, who were
Research Laboratory (TERL) in arterial vehicle collisions is rear- responsible for the project, “It
Tallahassee, and integration end accidents caused by drivers works very well. I was very happy
testing by the South West running into slow or stopped with the ease of installation of both
research Institute (SWRI) in their traffic. the hardware and the software,
laboratory in San Antonio. and it is easy to operate.”
An example of this is the Howard
Franklin Bridge in Tampa, Florida. All the traffic data, as well as
The positioning of on/off ramps on congestion information, are stored
the bridge, together with high on board the device, and can be
traffic volumes – particularly at uploaded to a Central Database
rush hour, causes traffic to back using NTCIP communication.
up and in many instances stop.
This creates a condition conducive In summary…
to rear end collisions.
These three projects show the
Fig 3. Intelligent Devices, Inc provided a difference that the practical,
Existing Overhead Sign Converted to solution to this with their IDI2500 efficient deployment of NTCIP
NTCIP. Congestion Alarm monitor. This devices can make to the success
device was coupled to a side fired of Intelligent Transportation
This contract has been radar detector in the congestion Systems “delivering the promise”
successfully completed. As a mark area, to monitor speed, volume of safer roads and reduced
of their enthusiasm for the and occupancy of the traffic, and congestion.