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	<title>safety &#8211; Fountain Magazine</title>
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		<title>Love in the Dark</title>
		<link>https://fountainmagazine.com/all-issues/2023/issue-151-jan-feb-2023/love-in-the-dark/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[The Fountain]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 01 Jan 2023 00:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Issue 151 (Jan - Feb 2023)]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[A Moment for Reflection]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[safety]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solitude]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://107.21.79.195/all-issues/2023/issue-151-jan-feb-2023/love-in-the-dark/</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[It was discouragingly dark among the shrubs, and there was the rustle of dead leaves. A half-moon made mottled silver patterns on the higher branches of the trees. Walking through the park at night made the girl acutely aware of solitude. She saw the stoic swans on the lake but they were ghostly calm as [&#8230;]]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class=" size-full wp-image-7322" src="https://fountainmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/03-45a.jpg" alt="Love in the Dark" width="1920" height="1200" srcset="https://fountainmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/03-45a.jpg 1920w, https://fountainmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/03-45a-300x188.jpg 300w, https://fountainmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/03-45a-1024x640.jpg 1024w, https://fountainmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/03-45a-768x480.jpg 768w, https://fountainmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/03-45a-1536x960.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></p>
<p>It was discouragingly dark among the shrubs, and there was the rustle of dead leaves. A half-moon made mottled silver patterns on the higher branches of the trees.</p>
<p>Walking through the park at night made the girl acutely aware of solitude. She saw the stoic swans on the lake but they were ghostly calm as they floated, without a ripple, eerily into and out of shadows.</p>
<p>Somebody approached.</p>
<p>Her footfall faltered and she hoped it was unnoticed. The gap shortened. A young man came towards her. Her head lifted, bravely, her eyes shone, fixed to a point behind him. She felt relief because she sensed embarrassment in him. There was a tense moment and it seemed awkward not to greet as they passed.</p>
<p>A thought occurred. She knew, then, that he was afraid of frightening her.</p>
<p>He slouched a little, desperate to be relaxed. In daylight he may have asked her for directions to somewhere or other. Just to start a conversation, jokingly, laughing, supported by the presence of other anonymous people around them.</p>
<p>She disliked the dark, not as before through imagined danger, but because there could be no human contact. Anger arose and he felt her anger. He felt ashamed and was aware of what he sensed, wrongly, about her feelings. He wanted to turn and call after her, to say, “Sorry,” for all that had happened in parks at night. She knew that he was in a state that meant failure. To turn and speak to him would have been a tremendous, impossible step against the world and a bound existence.</p>
<p>She hurried on and went home, wondering about what he was like. There had been only a remote glimpse, and she wondered if she could have liked him. She was determined to go again to the park seeking a second impossible chance in daylight. To give life a chance. Just to be sure.</p>
<p>She went the next day, impatient to have it over. They saw each other coming. She sat on a bench, kids and mothers all around her. Skateboarders rumbled by. He sat beside her and asked for directions. Then they both laughed. A couple of years later they talked it over, with their own children at their feet on the grass.</p>
<p>As they talked, they heard a barely audible clap as two angels high-fived.</p>
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		<item>
		<title>Drones and the Future of Autonomous Vehicles</title>
		<link>https://fountainmagazine.com/all-issues/2013/issue-95-september-october-2013/drones-and-the-future-of-autonomous-vehicles/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Louima Cunningham]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 01 Sep 2013 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Issue 95 (September - October 2013)]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Autonomous Vehicles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cameras]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[civilian]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[construction]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cost]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[drone]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[drones]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[equipped]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fly]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ground]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hobbyists]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[military]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[monitoring]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[people]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[public]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[purposes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reduce]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[safety]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Science]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wind]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://107.21.79.195/all-issues/2013/issue-95-september-october-2013/drones-and-the-future-of-autonomous-vehicles/</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[It’s a bird, it’s a plane… but no, it’s not Superman. It’s a drone. Airborne drones are becoming commonplace, especially in the civilian world. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), also known as drones, are aircrafts controlled by a pilot from a remote location on the ground. Drones are increasingly being used, and not just for military [&#8230;]]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>It’s a bird, it’s a plane… but no, it’s not Superman. It’s a drone.</p>
<p>Airborne drones are becoming commonplace, especially in the civilian world. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), also known as drones, are aircrafts controlled by a pilot from a remote location on the ground. Drones are increasingly being used, and not just for military purposes. They’re used for agriculture, disaster response, energy production, environmental monitoring, construction, and sports activities. Their use has expanded exponentially in recent years, spurred by technological advancements and easy access to affordable high-tech parts. Drones can fly from several minutes to several days, depending on the technology and the mission, and the cost of having a drone ranges from a few hundred dollars for hobbyists to millions of dollars for military purposes. But as happens with most major technological changes in a society, the increased role of drones is raising privacy and public safety concerns.</p>
<p><span id="more-1550"></span></p>
<p>Although drones are unmanned vehicles and depend mostly on human intelligence, adaptive control systems and artificial intelligence technologies can allow drones to fly without human intervention. Drones are increasingly becoming autonomous, following a pre-programmed mission, and can even make their own decisions while gathering and sending data back to a ground unit.</p>
<p>Drones are becoming popular for military purposes. They are cheaper than a military aircraft, and flying them remotely means there is no danger for the flight crew. Small drones can get into places where humans cannot, and large drones can fly into war zones to gather surveillance or to take part in military strikes. On the plus side, this will reduce the number of active military personnel in war zones, and reduce casualties. Even the possibility of replacing human drone operators with computer algorithms is in discussion, leaving a machine to make the final decision about whether to end a civilian life or to destroy vital infrastructure (this decision is also called the ‘signature strike’). [1]. Such a possibility raises serious questions about the ethics of war, privacy, and public safety.</p>
<p>Law enforcement officers are already using drones to detect people illegally crossing their nation’s borders. It is already in use by cities in the US for monitoring criminals, for crime fighting, car chases, executing search-and-rescue missions, firefighting and basic surveillance. People are interested in using camera-equipped drones to patrol their homes during police raids, to collect their own evidence.</p>
<p>Another proposed use is in the protection and inspection of infrastructures, and monitoring power lines, dams, levees, and gas pipelines to reduce the cost and manpower for these dangerous, dull, and costly jobs. If they are intelligently deployed in civilian life, drones can be useful in keeping people out of harm’s way.</p>
<p>Drones can assist in search and rescue missions after tornadoes, earthquakes, floods and other natural disasters, especially in places not reachable by, or dangerous to, humans. They can locate survivors and report their location to the ground base [2]. Drones can fly through the dark, pick up heat signatures of bodies using infrared cameras, see through smoke using thermal cameras, record footage using night-vision, and pick up hard-to-hear sounds in dangerous locations. Since they are small, they can easily be transported and deployed in disaster areas, and be up in the air in minutes compared to the longer time requirements required for planes and other rescue vehicles.</p>
<p>An example of this is drones that are already in use monitoring abused wildlife in Kenya and rescuing injured skiers in France [3]. Drones are also extremely useful in monitoring wildfires with minimal cost and little risk of loss of life. NASA is already using drones for monitoring hurricanes, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is monitoring wildlife in the Arctic, and the US Geological Survey (USGS) is mapping remote terrain and performing environmental research.</p>
<p>Drones are becoming an important part of agricultural production. They can help farmers to check if their fields need watering or fertilizing. In Japan, drones are used for precision agriculture, where drones fly over a field and use multispectral cameras to take pictures of the crop and analyze if it is over-watered or under-watered. This allows farmers to precisely determine the right amount water and pesticide to use, and this helps them decrease costs and increase the crop’s yield.</p>
<p>An interesting application of drones is in clean energy production. Some companies are already exploring the use of drones as autonomous wind turbines that would be flown like mechanical kites [4]. The goal is using drones equipped with wind turbines to fly to higher altitudes, where more consistent and powerful wind is available to be harnessed. These drones are lighter and cheaper than wind turbines, and can adjust themselves to the wind streams to maximize their energy harvesting.</p>
<p>Drones are also used by the construction industry. They provide a cost effective way to check the progress of a construction project, help managers inspect hard to reach locations, take architectural photographs, create 3D scans of a building using infrared cameras, survey more precisely, undertake comprehensive safety inspections, and even replace some of a project’s manual labor. Drones recently demonstrated their ability to assemble, brick by brick, a 1:100 scale model of a skyscraper. Researchers are investigating more potential applications of drone technology in construction sector [5].</p>
<p>The most common use of drones will likely be by hobbyists, who have access to cheap, light, camera-equipped machines that can be controlled by smartphones and tablets. Athletes and extreme sports hobbyists are using drones to capture their activities and tricks during snowboarding or skating outings. Climbers have drones follow them for safety and to record and report their progress to base camps. Drones are increasingly being used by amateur or professional photographers to capture footage. While hobbyists can buy drones ready to fly out of the box, many are going the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) route to create customized, specialized aircrafts. Drone hobbyist websites have more than millions of members, and are growing every day. People exchange their experiences, pictures, and schematics, thus enabling their fellow hobbyists to improve their own drones.</p>
<p>Autonomous drone technology is not limited to the skies. Seaborne drones are already deployed in the ocean to monitor coastlines and passageways for pirates [6]. They communicate with an airborne drone for intelligence and can be picked up by a ship or submarine after the mission is completed. They need to be equipped with capabilities to survive for a long time in cold and corrosive seawater, and to tackle the challenges of underwater communication.</p>
<p>The drone industry is growing fast, and is estimated to have created 70,000 jobs and made an economic impact of $13.6 billion in its first three years. With all the benefits this new technology is contributing to our lives, the domestic use of drones has grown; but so have concerns about their privacy, safety, and regulation. Many people are concerned about their potential for abuse. One of the suggestions for government use of drones is limiting their use to a few purposes determined by the law, and specifically for emergency and public safety. Hobbyists and recreational users do not need any special license to fly a drone, but they are encouraged to follow guidelines outlined for public safety. The guidelines mainly suggest operating drones at a sufficient distance from populated areas, and not over or near private properties or lower than 120 meters in altitude. One of the main concerns about the public use of drones is the ease of weaponizing them; they could conceivably be used to attack private targets.</p>
<p>In science fiction movies, intelligent systems and drones can become self-aware and cause serious problems. It is unlikely that drones will become self-aware anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any safety issues about drones. As seen with most secure computer systems, drone can be hacked by a malicious person or group. These groups can take control of the vehicle, access its video feeds, alter data and information sent to ground control units, and spoof GPS systems to manipulate the drone to land or attack a different target.</p>
<p>When technological breakthroughs are achieved in critical areas, as in drones, a series of solid scientific research needs to be conducted before populating the civilian market with the technological products. Governments and civil societies have an important role in regulating the usage of drone. Some of these steps include requiring a warrant for deployment, limiting the data retention time for images and video feeds, establishing an accountability mechanism, and prohibiting the weaponization of domestic drones.</p>
<p>Acknowledgment: This article was produced by Mergeous [7], an online article and project development service for authors and publishers dedicated to the advancement of technologies in the merging realms of science and spiritual thought.</p>
<p><em>Halil I. Demir is an internet entrepreneur and freelance writer.</em></p>
<h3><b>References</b></h3>
<p>[1] T. Zakaria and M. Hosenball. “U.S. Drone Guidelines Could Reduce -Signature Strikes,” The Huffington Post, May 23, 2013.</p>
<p>[2] H. Kelly. “Drones: The future of disaster response,” CNN, May 23, 2013.</p>
<p>[3] A. Levy and M. Milian. “Future of Drones: Aerial Assassins or Helpful Hovercrafts?” Bloomberg, May 15, 2013.</p>
<p>[4] K. D. Atherton, “Google Bets $10.7 Million On Drone Intelligence,” Popular Science Magazine, May 16, 2013.</p>
<p>[5] R. Von Ins, “Rise of the Drones,” Georgia Institute of Technology, January 23, 2013.</p>
<p>[6] J. Emspak, “Schools of Sleeper Drones Could Swim Future Seas,” Discovery News, January 25, 2013.</p>
<p>[7] Mergeous, Online article and project development service, mergeous.com</p>
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		<item>
		<title>Childen&#8217;s Safety on The Internet</title>
		<link>https://fountainmagazine.com/all-issues/2000/issue-32-october-december-2000/childens-safety-on-the-internet/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Louima Cunningham]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 01 Oct 2000 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Issue 32 (October - December 2000)]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[areas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[children]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[good]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[inappropriate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[information]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[internet]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[number]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[online]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[parents]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[people]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Religion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[safety]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sites]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[teach]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[time]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[uncomfortable]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[web]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[world]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://107.21.79.195/all-issues/2000/issue-32-october-december-2000/childens-safety-on-the-internet/</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The Internet is often termed the information highway because it connects countless computers and users all over the world. We use it for so many things: to research various subjects, to communicate with others, to shop online, to entertain ourselves, and so on. The ability to communicate electronically and to gain access primary data sources [&#8230;]]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Internet is often termed the information highway because it connects countless computers and users all over the world. We use it for so many things: to research various subjects, to communicate with others, to shop online, to entertain ourselves, and so on. The ability to communicate electronically and to gain access primary data sources is an invaluable resource for children, students, families, and teachers.</p>
<p>The Internet is a whole new world for everyone. If your children are not online, they probably will soon be joining the 10 million children already using the Internet.</p>
<h3><b>What Is on the Internet?</b></h3>
<p>Basically, the Internet is a great place for children. The good news is that it offers them educational and rewarding experiences, and that its effective use just might improve their school performance.</p>
<p>There are some disadvantages as well, such as inaccurate information and various inappropriate and uncomfortable information areas. Families and teachers should be aware of this potential problem. Just as parents do not allow their children to wonder alone in unknown territory, they should not allow them to interact on the Internet without parental guidance and supervision.</p>
<p>If parents worry that their children know more about the Internet and computers than they do, they can use this as an opportunity to have their children teach them about the Internet, such as where they like to go and what they like to do. Encourage children to talk about what is good and not-so-good about their Internet experience.</p>
<h3><b>What Are the Risks?</b></h3>
<p>Different Internet tools (e.g., chat, instant messaging, e-mail, news groups, and Web page) offer different kinds of risks and benefits.</p>
<p>Statistically, probably the greatest risk is that children will encounter mean or very unpleasant people in chat areas and news groups. Another risk is that they will spend a lot of time in areas that are not very productive. Other risks might be:</p>
<p>Loss of privacy (legal and financial, password, credit card number and private information)</p>
<p>Getting into online fights</p>
<p>Making threats and breaking the law</p>
<p>Viewing inappropriate material</p>
<p>Getting inaccurate information</p>
<p>Putting people in danger</p>
<p>Getting into drugs, alcohol, tobacco and other dangerous substances</p>
<p>Gambling and other inappropriate behavior.</p>
<h3><b>What Parents Can Do</b></h3>
<p>Keeping children safe on the Internet is everyone&#8217;s job. Parents must talk with their children about inappropriate behavior and stay in close touch as their children explore the Internet. By taking responsibility for children&#8217;s online computer use, parents can minimize any potential risks. Here are some suggestions:</p>
<p>Spend time online with your children. Your involvement is the best insurance of your children&#8217;s safety.</p>
<p>Teach children not to give out personal information (i.e., name, address, school name or address), especially in chat rooms and on bulletin boards.</p>
<p>Share your children&#8217;s e-mail account and password.</p>
<p>Teach them not to plan a face-to-face meeting with online acquaintances.</p>
<p>Keep the computer in the family area to better monitor their activity.</p>
<p>Spend time online with your children regularly to learn about their interests and activities.</p>
<p>Teach them how to end any uncomfortable or scary online experience by pressing the back key</p>
<p>Establish an atmosphere of trust and understanding by not blaming them for uncomfortable online experiences.</p>
<p>Discuss the difference between advertising and educational or entertaining content. Show your children examples each.</p>
<p>Tell them not to respond to offensive or dangerous e-mail, chat requests, or communications, and to leave if a Web site makes them uncomfortable.</p>
<p>Tell them to show you anything they receive that makes them uncomfortable.</p>
<p>Remember that anything you read online may not be true.</p>
<p>Explain that people in chat rooms are not always who they say they are.</p>
<p>If you become worried that your children in danger, contact the authorities.</p>
<h3><b>Some Safety Tips to Help Children Online</b></h3>
<p>Do not give out personal information (i.e., last name, phone number, credit card number, address, where you go to school, parent&#8217;s work address/phone number) without your parent&#8217;s permission.</p>
<p>Tell your parents right away if you come across anything that makes you uncomfortable.</p>
<p>Never send your picture or anything else without first asking your parents.</p>
<p>Never agree to get together with an online friend, without your parent&#8217;s permission. Meeting such people is usually a really bad idea. How people are in real life can be very different from how they are online. If you decide to do it anyway, be sure that it is in a public place and bring your parents along.</p>
<p>Do not open up e-mails, files, unknown attachments, or Web pages that you get from people that you do not know or trust.</p>
<p>Always follow your family&#8217;s rules for the Internet</p>
<p>Remember that honesty is the best policy. Not everyone believes this, however, so watch yourself when you are in cyberspace. Remember that since you cannot see or hear the other person, it is for a 40-year-old man to present himself as a 12-year-old girl.</p>
<p>Avoid chat rooms or discussion areas that look sketchy or provocative, and do not let people online trick you into thinking of them as real-life friends if you have never met them in person. Also, avoid online fights, because if you are looking for trouble on the Internet you will find it, and things can get out of hand very quickly.</p>
<p>The Internet, the World Wide Web, the information superhighway, and cyberspace describe the newest and most innovative and exciting learning tool of recent years. Remember that it is not the technology, but how it is used, that makes a difference.</p>
<p>Spending time online with your children is one of the best ways to learn and teach responsibility, good conduct, and values that are important to you. Ask your children to share their favorite Web sites and what they like about them. Work with them to discover Web sites that will help them with their homework, hobbies, and other special interests. Also, teach your children to be wise consumers in cyberspace. Not everything they see or hear may be true. Some sites may be trying to sell them something.</p>
<p>The vast majority of Internet sites are perfectly safe. But like the real world, the virtual world contains sites with sexual, violent, and other content that may not be appropriate for children. Since different families have different standards, it is important that parents establish clear Internet guidelines for their children.</p>
<p>If you have a home computer, several software programs are available to block objectionable Web sites. Even if filters were 100 percent effective, however, this software is no substitute for parental guidance. We strongly recommend that you supervise your children&#8217;s Internet use, and that you teach them how to make informed choices</p>
<h3><em><b>References</b></em></h3>
<ul>
<li>CyberAngels, Internet Safety Organization: http://www.cyberangels.org.</li>
<li>Internet Use Survey: http://www.cyberdialogue. com/products/isg/aius/index.html.</li>
<li>Safeguarding Our Children United Mothers: http://www.soc-um.org/.</li>
<li>SafeKids: http://www.safekids.com/.</li>
</ul>
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		<title>Journeying Intelligently</title>
		<link>https://fountainmagazine.com/all-issues/2000/issue-31-july-september-2000/journeying-intelligently/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Louima Cunningham]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 01 Jul 2000 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Issue 31 (July - September 2000)]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[condition]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[driver]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[drivers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[information]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[navigation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[network]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[radio]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[road]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[route]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[safety]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Science]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[system]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[systems]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[times]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[traffic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[transport]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vehicle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vehicles]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://107.21.79.195/all-issues/2000/issue-31-july-september-2000/journeying-intelligently/</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Nearly a century after Henry Ford’s Model T allowed almost everyone to drive, the motor vehicle industry is entering a new stage. Mobile computers (so-called “cars”) today can act as navigators, safeguards, and even a second driver. During the 1980s, motor vehicle computerization (e.g., electronic fuel injection and antilock braking systems) enhanced vehicle capabilities. Continuing [&#8230;]]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Nearly a century after Henry Ford’s Model T allowed almost everyone to drive, the motor vehicle industry is entering a new stage. Mobile computers (so-called “cars”) today can act as navigators, safeguards, and even a second driver. During the 1980s, motor vehicle computerization (e.g., electronic fuel injection and antilock braking systems) enhanced vehicle capabilities. Continuing developments have resulted in using information technology (IT) to ease traffic problems faced by drivers seeking information on traffic situations, road and weather conditions, and other traffic-related information.</p>
<h3><b>Driver Information</b></h3>
<p>The most recent applications sought to complement the driver’s ability by targeting such “hands-off, feet-off” driving systems (Fig. 1) as PATH (Partners for Advanced Transit and Highways) and PROMETHEUS (Program for European Traffic with Highest Efficiency and Unprecedented Safety).</p>
<p>For transportation, IT generally can be classified into four groups: Driver Information and Route Guidance, Traffic Flow and Parking Control, Public Transport and Fleet Management, and Automatic Debiting. Only the first item will be discussed in this article.</p>
<h3><b>Driver Information and Route Guidance</b></h3>
<p>Driver Information (DI) and Route Guidance (RG) systems help drivers navigate unfamiliar roads or find the quickest route. The information, especially that given by more advanced systems, consists of advice that drivers can accept or ignore, or a directive with which they are expected to comply. DI and RG can help them reduce or curtail poor route choice as well as excess distance and travel times. The most likely information requested is shortest recommended path, state of the road and weather conditions, unexpected incidents ahead, and the general traffic situation (to estimate travel time).</p>
<h3><b>Disseminating Information</b></h3>
<p>Roadside displays, consisting of fixed road signs and variable message signs, are the simplest DI systems (Fig. 2). The relevant technology is quite basic, as the goal is to give all drivers general information about existing roadway conditions. Variable message signs are used mainly on highways. In urban areas, they are particularly well-suited for providing information about roadway conditions and parking lot availability.</p>
<p>The second method, cellular-radio networks such as the Radio Data System-Traffic Message Channel (RDS-TMC) proposed by the European Broadcasting Union, enable digital information to be superimposed on normal VHF/FM broadcasts. Information can be filtered (drivers call up only what they need and when they need it), updated any time, and broadcast in different languages.</p>
<p>Also, there is no need to lay cables, as is the case with beacon-based RG techniques.</p>
<p>The third (and most sophisticated) method is the electronic RG system, which consists of in-vehicle units, roadside equipment, and control centers (Fig. 3 ). It is usually difficult to start installing the ground infrastructure before ensuring the wide use of onboard systems. Onboard equipment for dynamic navigation comprises a transceiver, a router with a display, a locator with sensors, dead-reckoning devices, and a map memory. The usual indicators of route selection criterion are shorter distance, minimum cost, less traffic, fewer stops, and greater safety. The result of route optimization is the recommendation of how to reach a destination from a given starting point. This can be done by calculating the optimum route for an origin-destination, and by determining the turning directions from the vehicle’s route and position.</p>
<h3><b>Some Examples in Use</b></h3>
<p>CARIN (CAR Information and Navigation System) is an autonomous (static) navigation system used in route planning and guidance. A simplified digital map, stored on a CD, shows the best route. It also offers verbal guidance via a speech synthesizer and gives general tourist information. Other in-vehicle equipment consists of a sensor (magnetic compass) and a navigation computer that carries out the main task. Data collection, in terms of positioning and directing, is implemented by the moving vehicle’s sensors. This information, updated every 3 seconds, is used for map-matching.</p>
<p>The system’s basic advantage is that it does not rely on any external sources, like expensive beacon infrastructures. The route planner algorithm determines the best route for minimizing travel time and distance. However, as CARIN cannot receive current network and traffic situation reports, it is being modernized so that it can receive external information via the car radio with the introduction of RDS-TMC. Moreover, in the future CARIN will offer a fully interactive traffic management opportunity using the European D-net telephone system.</p>
<p>TrafficMaster was one of the first in-vehicle information systems introduced. It was applied first to the M25 London orbital highway, and then to the whole UK highway network. Data is obtained through sensors installed on highway bridges. In case of congestion, messages (such as locations and types of traffic jams and average traffic speed) are generated and transmitted by the control center. The in-vehicle unit displays the current status of the roadway network covered by the sensors. This dissemination is performed minute-by-minute. enabling the driver to make convenient route choices.</p>
<p>In Euro-Scout, the driver enters a destination into a small in-vehicle computer. As the vehicle moves, the in-vehicle navigation equipment determines its position. Whenever it passes a beacon, the user receives the best route, generated by the central computer, for all destinations.</p>
<p>Communication is performed through a two-way infrared link. Beacons located next to the signal heads can use existing cables when they are mounted with traffic lights. Guided vehicles can measure link travel times, which are then returned to the central computer via the beacons in a so-called vehicle telegram. This information is updated continually by the center. The system, therefore, is characterized by its centralized feature: The main data process is carried out in the control office rather than in-vehicle units.</p>
<p>The system has been introduced in Stuttgart by installing 130 beacon heads on traffic lights. A second system of 340 beacons is located in Berlin, and a third one is in Oakland county, Michigan, with 100 beacons and 1,000 equipped vehicles. Start-up costs are high, but in-vehicle equipment costs and the cost of increasing users are low.</p>
<p>In comparison, SOCRATES’ start-up costs are much lower, while the costs of equipping each vehicle and adding additional users are high. This system does have some weak points, though:</p>
<p>The routing algorithm does not take multi-destination users into account, the system is heavily dependent of roadside infrastructure, and a breakdown in the center may cause a system-wide failure.</p>
<p>SOCRATES (System Of Cellular RAdio for Traffic Efficiency and Safety), a two-way communication system, is based on the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) cellular radio network. SOCRATES measures the travel times of all guided vehicles from point to point, and uses this information to determine the best routes. In-vehicle units, an odometer, a compass for dead reckoning, and a map pass information to and from roadside units, which are connected to the central computer over telephone lines that allow medium-range communication.</p>
<p>The downlink from the base station to the vehicle is operated in a broadcast mode for disseminating traffic information. The uplink to the base station allows multiple access by floating cars in order to collect travel time patterns. The system’s main disadvantage is the cost of using the mobile phone network. However, a significant benefit is that using the cellular radio requires no additional infrastructure investment because of the introduction of GSM.</p>
<h3><b>The Need for Such Systems</b></h3>
<p>Transport enables socioeconomic relationships to be developed and sustained. This is clear in the continuous dependence on various means of transport to move goods and people. Neglecting transport would bring society to standstill, literally and metaphorically. The introduction of the car put personal transport on the top and increased the need for more roads. The greater the demand for individual mobility, and hence roads, the more complex road transport problems become.</p>
<p>The number of cars per mile of road grows daily. At the same time, lack of space, budgetary priorities, and environmental considerations restrict the extent to which new road construction and increased capacity can be undertaken. But people still want to travel as smoothly as possible.</p>
<p>Therefore, the central idea is that traffic information and communication systems will offer effective solutions-especially where physical changes to the existing infrastructure, such as constructing new links or widening roads, are almost impossible. Closer following distances between intelligent vehicles on automated highways will eventually increase road network capacity.</p>
<h3><b>The Advantages of RG Systems</b></h3>
<p>The main appeal of dynamic RC systems is their ability to recommend paths based on current traffic conditions. Recent research and systems development have focused mainly on dynamic RC systems, which are superior to static systems. Dynamic RC is particularly well-suited for tackling urban congestion, and has advantages over other technological measures, such as vehicle-actuated traffic signals or a system of dynamically updated VMS.</p>
<p>Drivers normally reach their destination by following a route based on previous experience, maps, street signs, and radio traffic bulletins. However, studies show that drivers are unable to select the shortest route, leading to some 6 to 8 percent errors. Preventing this by even static RG could save millions of dollars per year. Driver misperceptions, due to the absence or scanty amount of information about travel time and alternative routes, as well as about specific route incidents, lead to delay and wasted mileage. In Orlando, tourists driving RC-equipped vehicles made 30 percent fewer wrong turns and shortened their travel times by 20 percent, compared to drivers who used paper maps.</p>
<p>Research indicates that applying dynamic RG systems shows great potential for improving travel times, safety, and environmental effects. This is based on the assumption that more drivers will opt to use the services. Other benefits could include satisfaction derived from choosing the best route and being better informed, reduction in the total distance travelled, and incident detection and warning. The real benefit will depend largely on the quality of information provided. With more computing power becoming available and increased technological advancement, more high-quality information is available to drivers.</p>
<p>RG not only guides vehicles through unfamiliar areas, but also increases roadway safety. For example, research indicates that 60 percent of crashes at intersections, and about 30 percent of head-on collisions, could be avoided if drivers had an additional half-second to react. Systems like automatic collision notification (not readily available yet) immediately signal for help if a vehicle’s airbag deploys. In addition, drowsy-driver warning systems keep drivers from falling asleep at the wheel.</p>
<h3><b>The Shape of Things To Come</b></h3>
<p>The discussion so far has focused on the present state of intelligent transport systems. In-vehicle information systems provide information on road conditions and offer advice. They also can provide information about a city’s hotels, catering, theater, cinemas, and even the entire yellow pages. In-vehicle systems can function as hand-held car locators, whether in a busy parking lot or in the remote countryside.</p>
<p>The future of such systems already is taking shape. Dual-purpose and hand-held in-vehicle systems can be used as personal security guards that send a discrete message to a control center when a user is in danger. They could sound an alarm to scare off potential attackers and draw attention to oneself. They also could be built into a car’s security system to prevent theft and send messages in case of an accident.</p>
<p>Hands-free cars are being developed to navigate the road network by the use of a button relying on in-built computers. In addition, car prototypes are being developed that do not require roads-they will fly from origin to destination. All of these require intelligent navigation through a combination of computing and communication. The merging of computing and communication is the bedrock of a revolution to unify all technologies. Journeying intelligently will be at the forefront of this revolution.</p>
<h3><b>Conclusion</b></h3>
<p>Applying these systems, both vehicle- or network-based, depend heavily on the society’s living standards and the country’s economic level of development. Variable message signs and TMCs are the most convenient systems for developing countries, due to their simplicity and cheapness. A typical variable message sign only costs about $200,000, while more sophisticated systems requiring computer centers, roadside equipment like beacons and in-vehicle units, are more expensive. However, in cities with high traffic levels, authorities may consider establishing electronic navigation and information systems with the cooperation of private investors and vehicle manufacturers.</p>
<p>People tomorrow will be more mobile than ever. To provide better transportation systems for the twenty-first century requires the integration of people, vehicles, and network, as well as the improved safety and efficiency of transport systems. Therefore, dynamic DI systems should be able to offer improved mobility for travelers, reduced travel times and operation costs, reduced transportation infrastructure costs, improved highway safety, and reduced transportation energy consumption, transport-generated pollution, and noise.</p>
<h3><em><b>References</b></em></h3>
<ul>
<li>Barco Visual Systems. Traffic Technology International ‘98 (Feb/ March 1998): 18.</li>
<li>Benz, D. “PROMETHEUS.” High Tech Report (April 1994).</li>
<li>Catling, I. “SOCRATES.” Advanced Technology for Road Transport: IVHS and ATT. Ed. I. Catling. Boston: Artech House, 1994, 65-78.</li>
<li>Georg, L. and F. Steinkohl. “Driver Assistance Concepts and Systems.” Traffic Technology International ‘98 (Oct-Nov. 1997): 66</li>
<li>Hypower Inc. Traffic Technology International December ‘97 &#8211; January ‘98 (1997): 10.</li>
<li>Intellimotion. Research Updates in Intelligent Transportation Systems. 6(4), (1997): 1.</li>
<li>Jeffery, D. “Route Guidance and In-Vehicle Information Systems.” Information Technology Applications in Transport. Eds. P. Bonsall and M. C. H. Bell. Utrecht, The Netherlands, 1986, 319-51.</li>
<li>Kontron Elektronik. Traffic Technology International ‘98 (Annual Review 1998): 232.</li>
<li>Little, C. “The Intelligent Vehicle Initiative.” Public Roads (Sept.- Oct. 1997): 18-25.</li>
<li>Siemens. The Power of Integration; Traffic Management; Driver Information. France: Siemens Automotive S.A., 1994.</li>
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