Optimization of RFID network planning for monitoring railway mechanical defects based on gradient-based Cuckoo search algorithm

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is an increasingly widespread and applied technology of automatic real-time monitoring and control railway assets. For that, the present research has developed an RFID network-planning model that can improve real-time information detection based on the temperature and vibration in the gear and motor of the train bogies. The selected system was Kuala Lumpur railway system, which has been operating in the city of 243 km2 area. It involves three challenges which represent the objectives of this thesis; the first is how to deal with the large�scale area and huge number of stations based on functional features. The second is how to decide which station (or stations) is suitable to be applied with the RFID system to help in monitoring the trains effectively. Finally, the third challenge is how to find the optimal evolutionary method for railway network planning to increase the RFID system performance. The solution strategy started in its initial input and process to find effective stations that can serve the railway monitoring system well. The researcher developed a new clustering model to separate the necessary data from unnecessary data, and specified the suitable primary stations. For the second objective, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used to decide which stations can be used to monitor the railway system optimally. The Gradient-Based Cuckoo Search (GBCS) algorithm was used to achieve the final objective. It solved the multi-objective functions of RNP challenge. In the validation process, the results showed a superior finding compared to the firefly algorithm. It was able to detect more tags by 3%, and a reduced number of readers by 16.6%. In the large-scale area application, the GBCS algorithm achieved 100%, 93.75%, and 98.9% coverage for Maluri, Subang, and TBS stations, respectively. In conclusion, this study presented a novel hybrid evolutionary algorithm based on the combination of AHP with GBCS to specify optimal RFID reader positions and amount based on the working train station domain. The present method has proven its precise performance in RNP of large-scale area based on real-time railway monitoring tasks

Precise vehicle location as a fundamental parameter for intelligent selfaware rail-track maintenance systems

The rail industry in the UK is undergoing substantial changes in response to a modernisation vision for 2040. Development and implementation of these will lead to a highly automated and safe railway. Real-time regulation of traffic will optimise the performance of the network, with trains running in succession within an adjacent movable safety zone. Critically, maintenance will use intelligent trainborne and track-based systems. These will provide accurate and timely information for condition based intervention at precise track locations, reducing possession downtime and minimising the presence of workers in operating railways. Clearly, precise knowledge of trains’ real-time location is of paramount importance. The positional accuracy demand of the future railway is less than 2m. A critical consideration of this requirement is the capability to resolve train occupancy in adjacent tracks, with the highest degree of confidence. A finer resolution is required for locating faults such as damage or missing parts, precisely. Location of trains currently relies on track signalling technology. However, these systems mostly provide an indication of the presence of trains within discrete track sections. The standard Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), cannot precisely and reliably resolve location as required either. Within the context of the needs of the future railway, state of the art location technologies and systems were reviewed and critiqued. It was found that no current technology is able to resolve location as required. Uncertainty is a significant factor. A new integrated approach employing complimentary technologies and more efficient data fusion process, can potentially offer a more accurate and robust solution. Data fusion architectures enabling intelligent self-aware rail-track maintenance systems are proposed

Radio Frequency Identification Technology: Applications, Technical Challenges and Strategies

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to discuss the technology behind RFID systems, identify the applications of RFID in various industries, and discuss the technical challenges of RFID implementation and the corresponding strategies to overcome those challenges. Design/methodology/approach - Comprehensive literature review and integration of the findings from literature. Findings - Technical challenges of RFID implementation include tag cost, standards, tag and reader selection, data management, systems integration and security. The corresponding solution is suggested for each challenge. Research limitations/implications - A survey type research is needed to validate the results. Practical implications - This research offers useful technical guidance for companies which plan to implement RFID and we expect it to provide the motivation for much future research in this area. Originality/value - As the infancy of RFID applications, few researches have existed to address the technical issues of RFID implementation. Our research filled this gap

Feasibility Study of RFID Technology for Construction Load Tracking

INE/AUTC 10.0

An assistive robotics control system based on speech semantic recognition

Since 90’s era, many researchers and organizations are working on assistive technologies to ease the disabilities people to move around freely, independence, comfort and have the capabilities to enjoy life to the fullest. Nowadays, most of assistive technologies such as manual wheelchairs are propelled by patients sitting on the chair and physically turning the large rear wheels with hand or need helpers to push the chair by handles from behind of the wheelchair. Meanwhile, most of voice command wheelchair unable to deal with an unknown word and cannot take spontaneous speech data from the native speakers. Thus, this project proposes a method of control system for an assistive robotic based on speech semantic recognition through hardware implementation. Consequently, the purpose of this project is to develop a system based on speech semantic or meaning or the interpretation of a word, sentence, or others language form that can be used for an assistive robot. The mobile robot is represented as a wheelchair and a home prototype floor plan is represented as a house with four rooms (living room, toilet, kitchen and bedroom). The mobile robot moves according to the semantic of user commands and the commands are given on Android application Arduino Bluetooth Controller. This Android application is used to catch the command using Google Voice and send the command through Bluetooth HC-05 that connected to the Arduino. Moreover, the obstacle avoidance sensor used for this project is SHARP IR Distance Measurement sensor that standby when their obstacles in front of this mobile robot and the navigation system of this mobile robot are using Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM). The effectiveness of this mobile robot has been tested using qualitative method by gathered 12 respondents to test this mobile robot on the floor plan. The total effectiveness of this mobile robot is 83%. This mobile robot is still effective but there are some parts that are still missing and need to be improved. Finally, the main contribution of this project is to help physically handicapped people such as patients who cannot move their feet by controlling using speech meanings through helpful robotics applications

The use of the RFID in rail freight transport in the world as one of the new technologies of identification and communication

Article discusses the possibility of using technological advances of today in rail freight transport, with an emphasis on automatic identification systems and communications. Due to the need of finding an element that is sufficiently resistant to the rigors of the railways and flexible enough to replace the current system of rail freight was selected application the RFID technology. Purpose of selecting the technology was particularly the ability to automatically identify trucks, simplified registration and co-operation with the management information system of railways, the visibility of shipments in real time, and many other features that ensure data integrity, lower error rates in the process of record of the consignments, eliminating time-consuming documentation, etc

Tracking Freight Railcars in Indian Railways: Technology Options and Stakeholder Interests

This teaching case discusses the challenges faced by the Indian Railways in contemplating the implementation of a new technology for tracking individual freight railcars (wagons). After exploring multiple ‘technological options’, the Indian Railways decided to undertake a pilot project based on time-tested Automatic Equipment Identification system using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. However, a number of other technological options are now available, which include EPC Gen2 based RFID systems, Global Positioning System (GPS) solutions, Optical Character Recognition based systems, and manual hand-held data collection devices integrated with the current Freight Operations System. Each of these systems has its own advantages and limitations. Although Indian Railways officials are going ahead with the pilot project, they are uncertain as to the appropriate technological choice, given the wide range of available technology options. Further, they are faced with competing interests from different stakeholder groups (departments), who favor different technologies

Bringing Semantic Services to Real World Objects

The last few years have seen the emergence of two parallel trends: the first of such trends is set by technologies such as Near Field Communication, 2D Bar codes and RFID that support the association of digital information with virtually every object. By using these technologies, ordinary objects such as coffee mugs or advertisement posters provide digital information that can be easily processed. The second trend is set by (semantic) Web services that provide a way to automatically invoke functionalities across the Internet lowering interoperability barriers. The PERCI system, discussed in the article, provides a bridge between these two technologies allowing the invocation of Web services using the information gathered from the tags to effectively transform every object in a service proxy.</p