Avalue Technology News Center

Welcome to the first installment in our series on the Smart City concept — a modern metropolis in which AI computing is deployed to serve human needs.

In this article, we will examine public transportation and how technology can help improve it. As global populations grow, along with burgeoning climate concerns, the importance of shared transportation solutions has become a rising and hot topic.

But with the right smart technology and an innovative approach to AI computing, city planners and administrators can achieve the seamless public transport solutions that a Smart City needs as it grows and develops into a bustling and successful metropolis.

Read on to discover more about how modern technology and smart city planning intertwine to create a utopia of efficiency and safety.

Bus stops and transit hubs sometimes face issues with providing timely and legible transport information, which leads to frustration and confusion among passengers. Avalue's ePaper solutions address this by deploying low-power, high-visibility displays like the EPD-42T and EPD-3133.

These digital signage solutions provide real-time schedule updates, route changes, and emergency notifications for smart cities. The technology is ideal for this setting because the monochrome displays are highly readable in all lighting conditions and consume minimal energy, unlike traditional monitors, which have high energy consumption. Additionally, the built-in touchscreen feature enables interactive user experiences.

Vehicle maintenance is often reactive and can lead to unexpected breakdowns, causing a ripple effect that extends from service disruptions to costly repairs. Instead of waiting for a vehicle to break down, Avalue's intelligent transportation solutions enable public transport operators to shift to a predictive maintenance model with AI.

Telematics (like the VMS-APL) collect vast real-time data from vehicle components such as bus engines, brakes, etc. The data is then processed at the edge using AI, allowing managers to predict and anticipate potential failures before they occur.

Incorporating AI in transportation management results in a more reliable fleet with reduced downtime, lower maintenance costs, and a safer experience for passengers.

Managing an entire city’s public transport network presents a complex challenge. It often involves disparate systems that do not communicate effectively with each other. For a city to truly be considered a Smart City, it needs to have a unified, centralized, and “smart” public transport management platform.

Avalue's Intelligent Transportation solutions provide a single, centralized management platform that integrates all aspects of public transportation, including bus, rail, and traffic systems.

For instance, a high-performance rack server such as HPS-ERSU4A can serve as the central intelligence hub of the transportation management system, aggregating real-time data from buses, trains, traffic sensors, and cameras. It can run advanced analytics and AI models to generate insights and dispatch control signals across the network. Meanwhile, rugged embedded systems (like the EMS-TGL) deployed in control rooms or roadside cabinets, handle localized, latency-sensitive processing to ensure responsive operations at the edge.

Emergency response in a bustling city can be hindered by delays and miscommunication, potentially causing catastrophic damage to patients.

Avalue's expertise in Medical AI and high-reliability systems can be leveraged to create a coordinated emergency response system for public safety.

By combining powerful embedded systems with AI capabilities, a solution can be built to analyze incoming reports and dispatch the closest, most appropriate emergency vehicle. This enables faster response times and improved patient outcomes by transmitting critical information directly to hospitals or medical facilities while the vehicle is in transit. This provides a seamless continuum of care from the point of incident to the emergency room.

Avalue's medical-grade hardware provides the rugged and dependable computing power necessary for these critical applications, ensuring a stable foundation for the entire system.

On long-haul journeys, a passenger or driver might experience a medical issue without immediate access to care. The same principles that power Avalue's Nursing solutions for patient care can be adapted for health monitoring in specialized public transport vehicles.

For example, rugged tablets like the ARC series or OFT-07WR3, with on-board sensors, can be integrated into the vehicle. The system can then be used to monitor the well-being of drivers and passengers. This proactive approach improves passenger safety and comfort by allowing staff to identify and respond to potential health issues more quickly, especially on extended trips.

Inefficient fare collection and management can lead to bottlenecks and overcrowding at stations and bus stops. Avalue's embedded systems, like the VMS-CFS-PSE, enable a seamless and secure automated fare collection system. This solution uses AI computing and a camera-based recognition system to process payments quickly and securely, while also managing passenger flow. It improves efficiency by minimizing delays at entry points and enhances safety by ensuring only authorized passengers can access the transit system.

In addition to tracking the vehicle itself, public transport managers need to understand the environment inside the vehicle. Avalue's IoT solutions provide a comprehensive view of the in-vehicle environment by tracking passenger numbers in real-time to prevent overcrowding and monitoring air quality with integrated sensors. For specialized transport, a system can also track valuable assets or freight in transit. This complete picture of the interior environment ensures passenger comfort, safety, and the security of goods.

Building the Smart City is a grand project, requiring collaboration and cooperation at the highest levels of city governance. But that doesn't mean high-performance computing doesn't have a role to play at other levels, too.

At Avalue, we are proud to deliver the components and solutions that our customers need, from digital signage solutions to cutting-edge AI computing hardware products. To find out more, browse our product pages today and make your choice, or reach out to our team for support and assistance.