Intelligent Automation, Inc. — Department of Transportation SBIR Phase I: 131FR1

Description

The problem of low ground clearance vehicles being stuck at tracks of highway-rail grade crossings (HRGC) poses a severe safety risk. Vehicles with long wheelbases and low ground clearance are more likely to be stuck on high-profile HRGCs. Currently there is no commercially available automated system that detects and computes the necessary critical dimensions of low ground clearance vehicles (LGCVs) and provides advanced warning to suspect vehicles to take a detour before reaching HRGCs. Intelligent Automation, Inc. (IAI), teaming with Sabra, Wang & Associates, Inc. and Digi International, proposes an innovative LGCV detection and warning system that is inexpensive, standalone, lane specific, and vehicle specific. To achieve this requirement, we start by detecting and prescreening vehicles with longer wheelbases, which could “potentially” be stranded at high-profile HRGCs using a pair of inductive loops or magnetometers. Once a long wheelbase vehicle is identified, a millimeter wave imaging radar downstream will be triggered to capture a high resolution profile of the vehicle and calculate the lowest clearance to the pavement. The proposed system will also have the ability to identify potential rigid elements of a LGCV’s underbody. It supports roadside and onboard warning systems.