Bicycle road optimization using RFID tags

1. Bicycle road optimization using RFID tags Dr. György Szabó Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Hungary Dr. Anna Czinkóczky Corvinus University of Budapest, Hungary

2. Outline • Misused bike roads • Necessity and possible solutions for automated data collection from bikes • RFID basics • A realizable technical solution • Elementary operations during the monitoring process • Other uses of the system • Open issues

3. Common problems with existing bike roads: • There are roads which are officially labelled as „bike roads”, but real cycling traffic avoids them existing traffic needs to be MONITORED • Based on the real traffic flow, a better road system can be designed

4. Why RFID monitoring? • There are several solutions for automated data collection over large (~100 m) distances: • GPS-based monitoring (expensive, very complex technology) • surveillance cameras(legal disputes) • RFID: (cheap, reliable and platform independent • Plus: RFID can help avoiding bike - thefts

5. Why RFID? • Advantages of RFID: • Non-line-of-sight (possibly built into or placed inside containers) • Many tags read out at once • Robust (not as fragile as a printed bar code) • Gives a path from simple identification of objects to locating objects • Very cheap

6. What is RFID? RFID is a technology that uses radio-frequency waves to transfer data between a reader and a movable item to identify, categorize, track... RFID is fast, reliable, and does not require physical contact between reader/scanner and the tagged item

7. General schema of an RFID system • Active tags • Interrogator (reader) • Various antenna typesfor different applications • A central computer system as a basis for control and monitoring

8. What is an RFID tag? • Silicon chips and antenna • 64 bit identifying sequence • Minimal internal power source • Very small: .15 mm2 • Cheap

9. The test RFID system at Technical University of Budapest parking lot

10. Technical parameters of tags used in test I. • Read/write range (adjustable) up to 100 m (300 ft) with IQ- tag • Read/write range (adjustable) up to 6 m (20 ft) with ID tag • Read rate : ID only 100 tags/s • Read rate : 128 bit data 35 tags/s • Multiple tag handling up to 2,000 tags in the read zone IQ 32T tag

11. Technical parameters of tags used in test II. • A short-range Read/write range up to 6 meters • Max. response time less than 10 ms (single tag) • Data retention over 10 years without power • Expected battery life over 6 Years @ 600 times 64 bit readings/day • Write cycles 100,000 writes to a tag • Memory size 64 bytes (56 byte user definable) • Identification code 48 bit fixed ID (one in one trillion) ID-2 tag (6m range)

12. Elementary operations during the monitoring process • Each tag should be initialized, i.e. equipped with the necessaryinformation • antennae can detect the bikes equipped with the appropriate tags • Tag attributes: registration ID, Vehicle ID, Visited Checkpoint ID Labelling (Reading and writing) the tags of the test bikes

13. Monitoringsome parameters of the road with RFID tags • RFID tags can monitor other parameters of the road (i.e. temperature of the pavement). They can be used to detect ice on the road, which is essential for reducing risks in cycling. Scanning 26 test bikes Temperature monitoring

14. Analyzing the information obtained from tags with GIS methods • Track #1 shows the cyclists using the bike road • Track #2 cyclists use the street reserved forother traffic • Themonitored bicycle tracks registered by GPS receiver are superimposed on the Google Maps

15. Key to the success:properly arrangedantenna system Antenna-1 • Antenna-1 with 3600 sensitivity detects every bicycle (both on the street or on the bike road) • Antenna-2 with 900 sensitivity detects only bicycles on bike road • misused bike road can be easily detected- as a difference of the two sets. Antenna-2 Antennae at checkpoint (CP#2) on the road

16. Adjusting the capacity of the bike road to the real traffic • If interrogators are placed properly, the flow and rate of bicycle traffic can be monitored • road system with different capacity (similar to the highway system of cars) can be planned. For roads with high traffic flow – wider bike roads should be used A complex junction of the road system

17. Further problems, open questions • Privacy issues: RFID tags provide a system similar to the regular license plate numbers for cars • the data handling should be regulated by authorities for assurance of privacy • Detection of stolen bicycles

18. Optimal allocation of checkpoints major intersections of main roads and the neuralgic traffic segments should be equipped properly with readers public opinion should be taken into consideration only a system that incorporates leading technology and public opinion can lead to optimal allocation and design of bicycle roads

19. Future of cycling (?)

20. Thank you for your attention