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  2024/09/12

  採用事例

  NEXCOM

  Transforming Hong Kong’s Railway Safety with AI-Powered Transportation Management

    Background Hong Kong's railway system epitomizes efficiency and connectivity in urban transit. It serves as the city's arterial network, efficiently carrying millions of commuters daily. Renowned for its punctuality and reliability, the railway system stands as a model for urban transportation globally. Connecting diverse districts, blending residential, commercial, and cultural landscapes, its importance as an infrastructural backbone is undeniable. With this tremendous responsibility, ensuring the safety of railway infrastructures and operations is of utmost importance.   Challenge All types of transportation infrastructure, including highways, railways and subways, have one thing in common: they face critical challenges in operationalizing data across safety, maintenance efficiency and always-on security. Maximizing safety while minimizing maintenance costs is a massive challenge for any transit authority. In particular, let’s delve into operational safety. Manual inspections can take up to 10 times longer than machine inspections; it is both labour intensive and compromises accuracy. Inclement weather conditions, such as wind, rain and darkness, can further complicate manual inspections. Extreme precipitation events have become more frequent in Hong Kong. The hourly rainfall record was broken several times in the last few decades. In consequence, the inspections often fail to monitor the safety of operating tracks. For instance, vegetation intrusion or railway tracks shift can lead to derailments. Hundreds of incidents occur annually due to undetected infrastructure defects, vegetation and landslides. Unplanned disruptions result in an average of 300 hours of operations lost per year across these sectors. Traditional camera infrastructure and IP cameras often lack depth perception for accurate monitoring. Satellite imagery doesn’t have enough precision and is highly dependent on weather and satellite availability. Aerial monitoring is costly, with airspace regulation issues and the requirement for experienced pilots.   Solutions Advanced computing and AI are the path forward, covering tasks from image processing and optimization to machine and deep learning, as well as machine vision and object recognition for safety applications, including collision avoidance. NEXCOM, an NVIDIA NPN partner and Metropolis partner, in partnership with Kodifly (https://www.kodifly.com/), an NVIDIA Inception partner, a Hong Kong based spatial intelligence company, deployed the Intelligent Railway Infrastructure System (IRIS), assisting Hong Kong Railways in efficient and safe infrastructure management. NEXCOM’s product, ATC 3750-A6CR, a robust edge AI railway computer featuring the NVIDIA® Jetson AGX Orin™ system-on-module, connects high-resolution cameras and LiDAR sensors by PoE LAN ports as the image and Point Cloud Data (PCD) inputs for machine vision.     Additionally, NEXCOM offers a comprehensive software service called NEXCOM Accelerator Linux (NAL), integrating the NVIDIA JetPack™ 5.1.1 software development kit, Ubuntu 20.04, an onboard MCU library, and custom-made peripheral I/O functionality drivers. It provides developers with efficient control of the hardware and NVIDIA® Jetson™ system-on-modules through APIs, sample code, and I/O utility, facilitating a seamless solution to accelerate customers’ APP developments. The stable software architecture of NAL made it easy for software vendors to extract train information and develop programmes, allowing their software to successfully interface with the ATC 3750 and meet the requirements of this project.   IRIS, the infrastructure monitoring system, is powered by SpatialSense, a LiDAR and Camera scanner that can be mounted on any moving vehicle. The SpatialSense and processing device are installed on the train, surveying the railway infrastructure, capturing precise details, and creating a digital twin. The software analyses the railway circuit and helps to identify potential concerns, such as intrusions, obstacles or the growth of trees that can cause disruption of service on the tracks. The exact location of potentially hazardous instances is pinpointed directly on the 3D map in an intuitive web application. Staff from the control centre can view the alert in real time and immediately rectify the risk, such as by removing trees or repairing rails. This solution can also be used by railway operators to schedule maintenance and troubleshoot problems, helping to prevent accidents.   4 Steps of how Intelligent Railway Infrastructure System (IRIS) works     Moreover, this mobile computer facilitates real-time information monitoring by integrating LiDARs, IP cameras or mmWave radar. It provides essential functionalities such as driving and braking control, collision protection, people counting, traffic light detection, railway ballast bed monitoring, railway station monitoring and anonymized monitoring of drivers’ physiological states. These features aim to enhance safety in rolling stock applications.   The railway SKUs for ATC 3750-A6CR, along with the optional power isolation kit VTK PWA series, provide complete power protection. They hold the EN 50155 certification and are equipped with an M12 X-coded connector to prevent wire detachment. In such a complex environment that’s exposed to natural elements, a ruggedized solution is required. Equipped with passive cooling and an optional fan kit for hybrid cooling, the ATC 3750-A6CR can effectively dissipate heat over a wide temperature range in harsh environments. These features enable high-speed data processing, efficient operations and excellent connectivity, facilitating real-time obstacle detection for collision avoidance. NEXCOM plays a crucial role in unfenced environments by detecting and eliminating blind spots, where unexpected obstacles like animals or plants may enter, minimizing accidents, damages, deaths and delays while maintaining transportation volume and revenue.   Benefit and Result   Improved Inspection Efficiency By employing the AI solution, the public transportation network can reduce the impact of uncontrollable factors such as weather and labour shortages, significantly lowering costs and improving inspection efficiency.   Improved Prediction Accuracy Compared to traditional optical sensors, LiDAR can accurately detect the distance, location and shape of objects, collecting data from a wider range by emitting lasers in all directions. In this case, it is crucial to effectively and accurately identify the location of trees and whether surrounding objects will obstruct the train’s path.   Reduced Maintenance Costs According to the reports by the public transportation network and the Federal Railroad Administration, Hong Kong will spend $65 billion on railway asset maintenance and renewal in the next five years. By switching from breakdown maintenance to preventive maintenance, the AI monitoring solution enables substantial savings.   The smart transportation solution, built using NEXCOM’s ATC 3750-A6CR and Intelligent Railway Infrastructure System (IRIS), is a game-changing platform revolutionizing the transportation industry. The platform provides efficient, cost-effective and safe solutions, and has been widely adopted across numerous vertical markets. It contributes to new standards for innovation and technological advancement in the transportation sector.
• 

  2024/04/04

  採用事例

  NEXCOM

  NEXCOM Revitalizes European Train and Bus Travel

  Faster and faster we go! For some time now, even with budget airfares being a popular option, many travelers still view trains and buses as the most cost-effective and scenic transportation method between European city centers. However, other passenger needs have increased in tandem with the breakneck development of network technology, meaning that transportation solution providers have had to quickly step up their game and keep up with current trends.   First and foremost, customers want the fastest Wi-Fi connection speeds possible, which is why 5G is currently in such high demand. Transportation providers have consequently felt the pressure to satisfy customer needs with connections that are faster, smoother, and more secure than other competitors’, all in the name of providing the best customer service possible. And as passengers travel to other countries and regions, they may not have local cellular access, so providing Wi-Fi service is ever more crucial. They may even desire media content to keep them occupied on long-distance journeys – which ultimately increases their overall satisfaction.   Figure 1. nROK 7251 as a comprehensive system.   The task: modernize antiquated transportation computers NEXCOM was recently tasked with assisting a transportation system integrator in Europe who was searching for the perfect solution to update their client’s outdated computing systems.   This solution needed to meet several requirements: Suitable platform for both trains and buses 5G communication-enabled (WWAN/Wi-Fi): to take advantage of upcoming 5G network deployments and provide passengers with Wi-Fi access, but also to employ extra concurrent bandwidth with multi WWAN modules and multi SIMs for better resource management High-performance computing (media resources and storage) to access information easily and quickly, so as to provide passengers infotainment such as live TV and online media streaming, as well as to remotely manage content and perform user behavior analysis CCTV connectivity: to ensure safety aboard public transportation Data security: to provide a hardware mechanism for securing operator applications and data, as well as to prevent unauthorized access   NEXCOM’s 7251 is the one The answer was clear: NEXCOM’s nROK/VTC 7251, an onboard high mixed multimedia and surveillance platform equipped for both trains (nROK) and buses (VTC). The 7251 was especially built for communication and media server purposes, with five WWAN-ready expansion ports, and onboard surveillance, with four PoE ports available for video camera use. What’s more, the ruggedized platform’s isolation kit protected the 7251 from potential power surges. NEXCOM additionally included proprietary software for added security and ease of use.   Communication-ready For WWAN access, the end client deployed four expansion ports with LTE/5G modems, each with its own pair of SIM cards. Having multiple WWAN modules supplied extra bandwidth and network redundancy, meaning that the end client could effortlessly switch between networks when one network was down or provided better latency. Passengers were thus able to enjoy stable Wi-Fi access throughout their journeys. If the client decides to upgrade their LTE modems to 5G speeds, passengers will then be able to enjoy even faster connection speeds!   Media server functionality In terms of multimedia entertainment, passengers benefitted tremendously from network connectivity: they were able to view infotainment and watch live television on seatback screens and handheld devices. The operator could even remotely manage content from the cloud and perform back-end big data analysis on customer preferences, allowing them to refresh and push more relevant content. Moreover, two SATA SSDs were also accessible for media storage.   Equipped for video monitoring Just as with all modes of transportation, safety was a primary concern for the end client. As a PoE railway/bus computer, the nROK/VTC 7251 was able to monitor onboard conditions through CCTV. Four independent PoE ports powered the onboard camera system, providing durability and high speeds. Since surveillance cameras record greater data volume, we included the aforementioned SSDs, with additional BIOS option to utilize mPCIe expansion slots as mSATA storage.   Durable design Utilizing the optional wide input voltage of 24 to 110 VDC with isolation also ensured that the computer and cameras would be protected from damage during power surges. The nROK/VTC 7251 was also ruggedized and suitable for suboptimal environments with an extended operating temperature range of -40 to 70°C and certification to both EN50155 and MIL-STD-810G standards.   Bonus: NEXCOM software included To protect the system from malware and preserve hardware and software intellectual property rights, NEXCOM programmed the system’s hard drives to only be accessible through BIOS password and secure boot and inoperable with any other platforms. Configuration was simple with the enclosed utility software for both Linux and Windows operating systems, allowing the client seamless management of the 7251 platform.   But that’s not all! The nROK/VTC 7251 was a first-rate choice for the client, providing speed, connectivity, and safety with its communication, multimedia, and surveillance features – all in a ruggedized platform. But NEXCOM is constantly and consistently responding to client needs by developing new solutions, such as the nROK/VTC 7252, which provides even more storage, PoE ports, video output, and protection.   nROK 7251 Series nROK 7251-WI-7C4IP nROK 7251-7C4 nROK 7251-7A nROK 7252 Series nROK 7252-AC8S nROK 7252-WI2-C8S
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  2024/04/04

  採用事例

  呂柏廷

  Generate Miracles on the Road with AI In-Vehicle Computer – VTC 6222

  Pavement deterioration, degradation or even road obstacles has always been a common sight for road users. Potholes are known to be one of the greatest issue on the road, bringing forth an increase in stress, fuel costs and mechanical wear while decreasing traffic flow and safety. Thus, to minimize maintenance cost and prolonging pavement life, it is essential for road operators to deliver consistent long-term road condition monitoring (RCM).   Bringing Forth the World of AI NEXCOM’s rugged, fanless, wide temperature (-40°C to 70°C) and durable in-vehicle computers – VTC 6222 has useful AI characteristics essential for the public works sector including, four 802.3at/3af PoE ports supporting IP cameras for surveillance and smart sensors for obstacle detection. Through collaboration with Google, NEXCOM has created an all-in-one AI ecosystem supporting numerous use cases in the public works sector, including object detection and condition monitoring. The Google Coral TPU allows the user to accurately, efficiently, and securely perform inference at the edge. Utilizing proprietary TensorFlow Lite, an open-source machine learning inference framework, this TPU is able to train new or pre-existing models for deployment on NEXCOM’s VTC 6222.   Heading towards an Advanced & Smarter Road In collaboration with Google and SpringML, a fully automated solution for RCM is proposed. With the installment of SpringML’s SpringVision, recording and alerting of poor road conditions becomes reality. Whereas, cameras on the front and side(s) of the street sweepers are functioned to verify road infrastructure/code enforcement violations. All footage will be automatically uploaded to Google Cloud Platform for processing via the company’s private Wi-Fi network as the vehicles return to the end customer’s depot. Road operators will then be able to go on a user-friendly web interface to view and dispatch the results to 311 whenever necessary. Utilizing AI-powered in-vehicle solution while simultaneously minimizing TCO is undoubtedly the future of RCM.   Conclusion E-mark approved, the vehicle telematics computer - VTC 6222 is based on Intel Atom® quad core processor E3950. When utilized with Google Coral TPU, it enables Edge AI applications - RCM through near real-time inferencing whenever low latency detections are needed. With 2.5” removable SSD/SD memory card, and meeting the MIL-STD-810G vibration and shock standards; the VTC 6222 is able to operate normally in harsh environments.   Application Diagram     Key Features For Application Needs Intel Atom® processor quad core E3950, up to 2.0GHz 4 x GbE PoE (IEEE 802.3af/at, max. 60W) Built-in u-blox M8N/M9N GNSS Built-in CAN Bus 2.0B Three video outputs, one VGA and two HDMI 3 x mini-PCIe socket expansion Dual external storage (compatible with 15mm disk) E mark conformity