MEWOPMEWOPMaximising Effective Working-time on

Possessions

Prof. Jan-Peter Muller

Dr Tom Jackson (York University)

Nicholas Bantin (IS Instruments Ltd)

21st November 2013RRUKA is funded by RSSB and Network Rail

What is the problem with Possessions in the UK?

Relative Infrastructure Managers’ Efficiency Evaluation of UIC LICB Approach; Summary Report, ORR 11 Aug 2010

How do we maximise working time by reducing take/give back, mobilise/demoband are able to ignore any contingency so we become competitive with Europe?

Space >>>>Rail >>>>Innovation• team involved in Space Missions, Landing & Navigation on Mars

Remote Sensing, 3D computer vision and Complex computer systems

• little direct involvement in Rail

• approached the problem from a different direction

http://www.3deling.com/terrestrial-laser-scanning-of-a-train-station/

Economic and Operational Drivers• Safety of Passengers and the Work-force

• Economic implementation and providing added-value

• Flexibility of asset use

• Greater use of the fixed rail network 24/7

• Improving customer communications and satisfaction

• In a recent presentation Rolls Royce advised that their aero engines are built to a specification that an engine should last at least 11,115 years and there should be at most one fatal crash every 6,450 years (David Hugg, STFC-ESP-KTN Intelligent Imaging, 14.2.13)

• In European Rail there are on average 2 Vehicle-to-vehicle collisions every day. Many more vehicle-to-person collisions

POSSESSIONSCritical issues identified in discussions with Network Rail & lead contractors include :

•Safety of work-force is paramount

•Actual location of trains not known

•Communication structures within the network poor

•Major commercial issues if operating costs to be reduced

- many possessions do not complete because of late running trains

- one contractor estimated that on an average possession 40-50 minutes

gained would add 50% working time

- more efficient management of possessions

•Some of the protection methods of a possession in use since 1920’s

POSSESSION PROCESSES• Management of work structure at possessions being investigated

- Lloyds Register in July 2012 - completed a possession

management review. There are other examples

• Complex rules and procedures developed over many years

• Lloyds suggest that UK working time is 3.5 hours in an 8 hour period

Swiss working time is 6.5 hours

Structure of our work• Our focus was not possession management but whether current possession protection could

be replaced by technology based-innovations that could make workings more flexible• Our technology review looked at

- Train positioning and communication systems

- Train localisation positioning systems

- On-board sensors

- Command and control operating software

Challenge is to address Rolls Royce standards, improved passenger and worker safety while improving efficiency thus reducing maintenance costs

Discovered• Significant R & D into Train Positioning using GNSS and Satellite Communications -

should be available in Europe when Galileo is operational in the 2020s

• DLR (German aviation and space centre) have developed a train localisation positioning system (RCAS) that enables two-way communication between train and PICOP so that the PICOP can monitor the train into a possession - no need for existing protection methods

• IFF (identification friend or foe)/AIS system (e.g. civil aviation system to avert threat of Stinger missile contact) could easily be adapted to rival RCAS

• On-board sensors needed to avoid vehicle to person collision as a train moves through a possession to add protection to work-force

• Command and control operating software can be adapted to enhance driver control or be closed-loop to speed-up safety reaction

Our plans going forward• To develop a sensor suite to focus on collision avoidance at low speeds

(under 40 Kmph) to avoid vehicle-to-obstacle and vehicle-to-person collision

• Adapt autonomous command and control software developed for navigation on Mars - enabling closed-loop operation to prevent collisions

IC3D system © Cybula® 2011

Lidar detection of workers ©3deling

Sensors• SWIR can provide day/night

imagery with minimal impact of rain, fog and smoke

• Thermal IR to provide discrimination of human or animal

• 3D from a combination of stereo with laser for the local environment

Extracted from a BBC report on Oxford autonomous car with ≈£100 of electronics.BBC News report on 14 February 2013http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQHm4ev3f-4

Sensor Data Fusion• 3D from a combination of

stereo with projected laser texture in NIR for tracking individuals

• Real-time processing and data fusion onboard trains

IC3D system © Cybula® 2011

Advanced Data Fusion Algorithms• Due to the need for high volume, complex data analysis, proposing the

use of binary correlation matrices (CMMs) for high efficiency processing;

• Proven in many industrial applications where high throughput on a small computational platform is required;

Networks and Communications• Train transmits its precise position to railway network. PICOP can

pick this up for the local area where Possessions take place• Imaging and 3D sensors provide live feed into the cab of what is

happening in front of the driver’s cab irrespective of weather or day/night

• Train transmits 3D images to any authorised individual (e.g. PICOP) with suitable hardware (e.g. iPad) of what the driver sees within ±500m of PICOP position

• PICOP can communicate with train• Closed-loop system prevents vehicle-obstacle or vehicle-person

collision

Example network & command structure

Example 3D systems for closed-loop stop

Park & Lee (2010), J.Opt.Soc. Korea

Extracted from a BBC report on Oxford autonomous car with ≈£100 of electronics.BBC News report on 14 February 2013http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQHm4ev3f-4

Possession Innovations >> Alternative Applications

• Similar concerns relate to passenger safety as incoming trains

approach stations• Collision avoidance for vehicle-to-person(s) for driverless trains (e.g. London

DLR)• Desire for virtual coupling of trains enabling track to be utilised more

efficiently• Assisting in identifying trespass when it occurs and cable theft• Provides additional safeguards for train drivers as sensor data can be fused

so that night-time and bad weather conditions can have a lower impact on the ability of a train-driver to drive a train