6 November 2008  Article in IT World (posted by pfrishauf):

by Robert McMillan

Researchers from Nokia and the University of California in Berkeley will go live with a new project next week that aims to cull GPS data from thousands of mobile phones in order to tell drivers which San Francisco Bay Area roads are backed up and which are moving along.

Called Mobile Millennium, the project will be opened to the public on Monday.

Researchers hope that thousands of volunteers will download a free Java program that figures out by their movement and location when they are driving, and then transmits that information to the project's servers, which then crunch it into a Bay Area traffic map. The software uses algorithms to determine when people are moving or if they are stuck in traffic or stopped by the roadside, for example.

California has already invested heavily in sensors that help monitor traffic conditions on major roadways, but they're not everywhere. By collecting traffic information from GPS (Global Positioning System) phones on roads that don't have sensors, the team hopes to gain insight into places that are now blind spots for most commuters.

Researchers will start by looking for data on heavily trafficked commutes such as Page Mill Road and the Oregon Expressway, which cut through the heart of Palo Alto, California. If enough volunteers download the software, the researchers could eventually build a comprehensive picture of Bay Area traffic conditions.

"The whole concept here is that if everyone shares just a little bit of what they're seeing ... then everyone can benefit by seeing the conditions ahead of them," said Quinn Jacobson, a research leader with Nokia in Palo Alto.

The system doesn't require many users, but it helps if they're spread out, as researchers will need the right concentration of reports. The Mobile Millennium team expects to have 10,000 users by April. "At that rate we'll see many of these arterial roads with accurate, real-time data," Jacobson said.

While the idea of streaming data about their whereabouts may make some people uneasy, researchers say they've taken steps to keep the system anonymous. None of the data in the system can be tied to a particular mobile phone, they said.

The researchers have been testing the traffic reporting system every few weeks over the past year, including a large field-test in February.

Mobile Millennium's data will be available on the Web, but users who want the best data will have to download the Java software, Jacobson said. The software will eventually work on most GPS-enabled phones that run on GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) networks, such as those from T-Mobile and AT&T. On Monday, the software will run on Nokia and BlackBerry phones, but the team expects to add many other devices to this list.

The team is discussing an iPhone port as well, although this will not be available on Monday, Jacobson said.

Because Mobile Millennium phones do a lot of traffic reporting, only users with unlimited data plans are advised to sign up.

 ---------------

17 November 2008  Article in Today's Wall Street Journal (posted by pfrishauf):

Fighting Traffic Jams With Data
Researchers Develop Ways for Cars to 'Talk' to Each Other and Send Warnings

By ROGER CHENG
A symphony of light-emitting diodes, smartphones, global positioning systems and mobile sensors may soon work together to help drivers avoid traffic jams.

Researchers from different universities are working on ways for cars to better communicate with each other and relay crucial driver information such as traffic speed, weather and road conditions. The data could be used to decipher faster routes. In the meantime, there are options for residents of big cities to check out live traffic feeds on their cellphones.

The aim is to address the growing problem of traffic congestion through improved communications between cars.

"The interest has gone red hot in the last year as the auto industry realizes this is a component of improving safety," said Thomas Little, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Boston University.

The CarTel project, run out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is one attempt to free up the jam. Hari Balakrishnan, a professor in the department of electrical engineering and computer science, has developed a system to capture massive amounts of traffic data.

Mr. Balakrishnan has outfitted a fleet of limousines and taxis with mobile sensors that pick up real-time information on the location and speed of the vehicles as well as the condition of the roads. The data are fed back to a central computer that calculates the traffic patterns and can predict the optimal route.

The professor, who previously wrote a program for algorhythmic stock trading, compared picking stocks to taking the right road to your destination.

"Just like security prices are variable, traffic is variable," he said. "Understanding that variability is crucial if you want to optimize driving times."

Mr. Balakrishnan said he saves an average 10 minutes or more on his local commute by using the system, compared with a standard online-mapping service. The time saved increased depending on distance.

Mr. Balakrishnan hopes to expand the project. The taxi and limousine operator currently has 50 cars feeding him data. But a more comprehensive program would only work with more sources. He plans to distribute to smartphones programs that can perform similar functions, relying on regular commuters who can download the programs online or sources such as Apple Inc.'s App Store.

Mr. Balakrishnan also has developed a quicker method of connecting to a Wi-Fi network. Computers typically take a few seconds to locate and link up with a hot spot. His technique can find and connect to a network in 400 milliseconds. That's important for cars who pass by Wi-Fi networks too quickly to connect. By accessing the hot spots, the cars can better transmit the data.

The information will eventually be distributed online, through smartphones and global positioning systems. Such a project could realistically work on a massive scale because many cars, and even more cellphones, are equipped with GPS equipment.

A joint project between Boston University, the University of New Mexico and the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is focused on the delivery of traffic and car information through flashing headlights, brake lights and traffic signals.

Researchers plan to use old infrared technology found in television remotes and apply it to new areas. Data can be modulated to travel with the light. It works for cars on the road because they are inherently lined up with each other, giving them perfect line-of-sight communication paths.

Mr. Little believes the ability for cars to talk with each other will be crucial for managing traffic and avoiding accidents. "We're improving automotive safety by allowing them to communicate," he said.

If a car ahead encounters ice or a major pothole, the data can be transmitted to the car behind, giving a warning on the road conditions. Or the sudden stop of a car in front could trigger an automatic braking system in the car behind.

Mr. Little has been able to transmit a low-bandwidth signal. He is working on a delivery system that can carry more data. The parts for the prototype came from an LED flashlight. "We're trying to prove you can do this inexpensively," he said.

Drivers looking for a quick update now can use their cellphones to look at live traffic feeds. The free program is created by closely held 3rd Dimension Inc., which takes video from local transportation-department cameras and broadcasts them through a mobile program.

The company has media partners that distribute the service. In New York, the program is known as the NBC New York Traffic Cam. Traffic feeds are available in nine major cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Houston and Detroit, and are typically promoted and distributed by a media partner such as NBC, a unit of General Electric Co..

Users can check out the feed on their phone or get text-message alerts sent to them. 3rd Dimension has plans to expand its geo-tagging capabilities, sending targeted ads or public-service announcements based on where the driver and car are.

Write to Roger Cheng at roger.cheng@dowjones.com

-------------------

 11 October 2008 update: This program and site is still work in progress and for the time being is on hold as we reach out to identify collaborators and find further support.  In the meantime, for in-depth  background on the overall policy approach of which this is part we recommend that you have a look at the New Mobility Agenda at http://newmobility.org/. And for background specifically on smart (and dumb) paratransit, http:/xtransit.newmobility.org/. Your comments, participation, contributions  and suggestions are welcome during this first period of construction.  You may find the various wiki pages indicated below particularly useful for pitching in and advancing the state of information  and understanding for the group as a whole.

9 Sept. 2008: This Livable Cities Network group which is just getting underway is dedicated to the discussion, planning and eventual implementations of Smart ParaTransit systems in New York and other cities around the world willing to look at new ideas.  By way of quick reminder: ParaTransit, also known as “xTransit”, targets new ways of getting groups of  people in and around cities in road vehicles, smaller than full sized buses, driven by real human beings, dynamically shared with others, and aided by state of the art communications technologies -- and all of that as no less than the only way to offer high quality  mobility in our 21st century cities without killing the cities themselves (the “old mobility” build your way out of the problem way). (See ((Shared Transport Systems - International ABC)) for a listing of different types of paratransit services in many parts of the world. This is a wiki; have a look and pitch in)

Let's start by reminding anyone coming here who has not already had a chance to read Mark Gorton's opening shot on this, "Smart Para-Transit: A New Vision for Urban Transportation"  at

http://www.streetsblog.org/wp-content/pdf/SmartParaTransit.pdf that this is a great way to get off to a running start. 

You may also find some use in the information and quite abundant clues and leads offered in the parallel group project "workpad" which you will find at http://www.xtransit.newmobility.org 

Some useful Wikipedia references to get you started:

·                     New Mobility Agenda - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Mobility_Agenda

·                     Paratransit - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paratransit

·                     Share Taxi – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Share_taxi

·                     Shared transport  -  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shared_transport

·                     DRT: Demand responsive transport
-  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demand_responsive_transit    

·                     Hail & Ride - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hail_and_Ride

·                     Public light bus - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_light_bus