During the inaugural Cox Connected Environments Collaboratory reception on Wednesday, Oct. 19, city leaders, the public and faculty, students and staff from Arizona State University showcased their research on AI-powered systems to build safer, smarter cities. Photos: Mike Sanchez / ASU Enterprise Technology
Nearly 50 city leaders, non-profit executives, faculty, students and industry experts joined the event to learn more about the designs and systems currently in development. The seven projects that were on display offered a mix of ASU research initiatives and external industry leaders. ASU research projects on display included:
Improving traffic on Phoenix roadways
Yan Chen, assistant professor of engineering | The Polytechnic School
Partnering with Cox Private Networks to explore the use of private networks, Chen and student researchers are identifying ways to improve connectivity and accuracy for autonomous vehicles. The research studies communication speeds between the vehicle and systems that power it to improve traffic flow, speed and accuracy.
"Our project aims to revolutionize communication technology for safer driving,” said Chen. “With 5G private networks and vehicle coordination, we're working towards minimizing traffic congestion and enhancing traffic efficiency. Stay tuned for real-world testing and future collaborations."
Using traffic cameras for citizen safety on Phoenix streets
‘YZ’ Yezhou Yang, associate professor | School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence
With security and traffic cameras on many intersections, Yang and his team are studying the efficiency of what these cameras are capable of detecting and identifying. For example, can the camera accurately identify a human versus a vehicle? This research aims to train systems to identify objects automatically and accurately.
Perceiving sensor data and behavior across geographic areas
Paulo Shakarian, associate professor | School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence
Sensors play a key role in developing AI-powered systems, including drones and autonomous vehicles. Paulo Shakarian and student researcher, Josh Kricheli, are working on developing and coding software to accurately predict how sensor data from specific geographic areas might behave differently from that of another location.
“Through rigorous evaluation and collaboration, our project seeks to enhance public safety,” said Shakarian. “By identifying potential solution providers and bridging the gap between existing technology and community needs, we pave the way for a safer future…As we move forward, our applications evolve, from event detection to infrastructure monitoring, accident warnings, and beyond.”
Smarter parking on campus: there’s an app for that…at least, there will be
Junfeng Zhao, assistant professor, engineering | The Polytechnic School
Mentioned above, AI and IoT expert Junfeng Zhao and his students are using a GPS tracking system to develop a route planning algorithm prototype system that would improve parking experiences for all ASU visitors across campuses. Student research is focused on navigation and perception using real-time cameras to track available parking spaces that would then allow both human drivers and autonomous vehicles to park in a safe and timely manner.
In addition to research initiatives underway at ASU, industry leaders — including Cox, Carbyne and Occuspace — showcased new, emerging solutions. These included: Cox’s private networks to power IoT, Carbyne’s app to reduce emergency response times for improved school safety, and Occuspace’s real-time analytics solution to improve space utilization and operations.
Rachel Hayden, project coordinator for the Cox Collaboratory, explained that events like this showcase the innovative work of ASU faculty and students that is advancing smart cities.
“It's the chance for them to shine and show what they've been researching, what industries they've brainstormed and partnered with, and what ideas for the future they envision,” said Hayden.
“Each of these projects has the potential to impact our everyday lives in creating a safer, healthier and more secure world that we live in,” Hayden continued.