The University of Nevada’s Center for Applied Research; in conjunction with the Nevada DOT and Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development; is using Velodyne’s lidar sensors in its Intelligent Mobility initiative to collect data aimed at making transportation more efficient, sustainable and safe.
The integrated Velodyne Ultra Puck lidar sensors with traffic signals will help improve traffic analytics, congestion management and pedestrian safety by detecting, counting and tracking pedestrians, cyclists and traffic. These lidar sensors have been placed at crossing signs and intersections in the city of Reno, Nevada. As these sensors won’t do facial recognition, these smart city applications can preserve trust and anonymity among the public.
Headquartered in San Jose, Calif., Velodyne is known worldwide for its portfolio of breakthrough lidar sensor technologies, which help in providing smart and powerful solutions for autonomy and driver assistance. Lidar-enhanced roads are able to communicate data to connected vehicles to support eco-drive and collision avoidance applications. To address roadway congestion monitoring, university researchers have developed speed measurement, and delay and queue length measurements using lidar data.
The initiative also has provisioned for a green transport. It has an electric bus operated by the Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County. The bus is equipped with an Ultra Puck and other sensors to collect data to assess mass-transit routes and feasibility of mass-transit automation in city segments with a connected infrastructure.
The Velodyne Ultra Puck provides a full 360-degree environmental view to deliver accurate real-time 3D data. It is a small, compact lidar sensor that delivers 200 metres range. The sensor’s reliability and power efficiency make it an ideal solution for smart city applications such as pedestrian safety, vehicle traffic and parking space management etc.
Complimenting the efficacy of the Velodyne’s lidar sensors, Carlos Cardillo, Director, Nevada Center for Applied Research, said, “Velodyne’s lidar sensors have been instrumental in our transportation research, providing the accurate, reliable 3D data we need in our Intelligent Mobility program. These sensors are helping us address the challenge of improving mobility and safety in transportation – and contribute to advancing smart cities.”
Focusing on the application, Jon Barad, Vice President, Business Development, Velodyne Lidar, said, “The Nevada Center for Applied Research is charting a path to create the smart cities of the future by enabling multimodal communication between infrastructure, vehicles and people. Their multidisciplinary research team is using Velodyne’s lidar sensors in innovative ways to collect and analyze data needed to improve efficiency and safety.”
