Back in 1852, Paris witnessed a revolutionary technological breakthrough that changed human communication forever. It was the construction of a road leading to Perpignan using flexible tar mined from the Val des Travers deposits in Switzerland. Until then, there had been no real breakthrough since the Roman design. Later, the method was improved by using sheet his asphalt rolled over concrete, a technique first tested in the French capital in 1858. in Paris. Nevertheless, for a century road innovation fundamentally slower. The car continued to improve in performance, power and reliability, but the tarmac remained largely unchanged.Finally, at 21st We are facing a giant leap this century. smart roadAs we recently covered, solar road, this time discussing technology that enables roads to detect their own potholes and other hazards. The system, called his ePave by its inventor, was recently published in the Swiss scientific journal Sensors.
In this project, computational experts from the University of Buffalo and Chang’an University in China jointly wireless network A self-powered sensor that provides real-time information about road conditions. Transport planners and connected vehicles can thus be kept in the loop on tarmac temperature, humidity and pressure.
Unlike other battery and solar-based technologies, ePave developers piezoelectricity Provides power to the system’s sensors. In this way, embedded sensors harness electricity from the mechanical stress the vehicle exerts on the road.
“This highway sensor that detects potholes is powered by traffic moving over it.”
At the size of a keyring, ePave sensors can be placed up to 500 feet apart, while repeaters need only be within 1000 feet.
of technology It’s still in its early stages, but researchers believe the module can continue to operate for 5 to 20 years. Hopefully, soon we will be able to enjoy our new allies for improving safety on the road.
Smart roads save lives
Today, we live in an era in which a wide variety of technologies intersect and limitless possibilities are open. unmanned vehicle, Internet of Things (IoT) When 5G mobile data connectionThe ability to connect millions of devices with very low latency is enabling projects like the one backed by the Colorado Department of Transportation. This time, the goal is not to prevent accidents, but to detect them after they occur. To achieve this, Concrete slab with Wi-Fi sensor and pressure detection Fiber optic cables are installed.
A five-year pilot project along a half-mile section of Highway 285 southwest of Denver will test the feasibility of a system that detects vehicles suddenly leaving the road.of smart road It then alerts emergency services and other incoming vehicles to the accident. A similar system is now in operation, but drivers must submit the information themselves.
A major problem with the Colorado project is cost. Integrated Roadways, the company behind the project, estimates it will require an investment of $4 million per mile and lane. Regardless of the success of this system, however, the road network will undoubtedly undergo major changes in the years to come.
sauce: Techxplore, NBC
