Sponsor:

National Science Foundation

Research Team:

Sridhar Radhakrishnan, Jennifer Crabba, Tom Landersb, Jeff Sigmana

Universities Involved:

University of Oklahoma

Start Date:

09/01/03

End Date:

12/31/03

Summary:

This report reviews a RET program (Research Experiences for Teachers) at CELDi (Center for Engineering Logistics and Distribution) for a project on improving work zone safety for motorists and highway construction workers. Project OU02-03 is continued employing employs a self-contained mobile sensor unit with a custom-modified trailer that houses a Remote Traffic Microwave Sensor (RTMS) radar unit, a TrackerPod camera, a Mini-ITX computer, and communication devices.
This project was then adapted and introduced to Middle School classrooms taking the basics of communication networks and data collection to students.
Researchers at OU were involved with the research project OU02-03 on Improving Work Zone Saftey in itself, and it was also their task to develop curriculum to teach students about this research project as well.
In the project employs RTMS technology. The purpose of the self- contained mobile sensor unit is to collect real-time traffic data and to send it to a remote server machine using wireless communication.
This communication concept is then introduced to students with fun and interactive activities.
Benefits to the industry include:

-fuel and time efficiency
-accident reduction
-savings to trucking companies and ultimately the consumer
-trucks are using less fuel, and producing fewer emissions.