Description:
Reference #: 01660
The University of South Carolina is offering licensing opportunities for Potable Railroad Track Component Inspection System
Background:
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) stipulates routine track inspections to maintain railroad safety and efficiency. However, conventional manual inspections are not only inefficient and prone to errors but also lack precision. Even though automated technologies have been introduced across various engineering applications, these too carry their own set of limitations.
Current railroad inspection tools, such as GPR, laser, LiDAR, and image-based systems like Ensco's TCIS and RSIS, employ convolutional neural networks for high-resolution image analysis. While these systems have shown enhanced performance, they rely heavily on specialized equipment, rigorous technician training, and substantial centralized post-processing after data collection. Such requirements make the inspections expensive and their accuracy heavily dependent on the individual skill and experience of the technicians. Moreover, the delay between data collection, post-processing, and analysis, along with the risk of data loss, impedes real-time decision-making.
Invention Description:
A portable inspection track inspection system was developed to identify different track components and assess their health condition to help find railroad track issues and assist in maintenance planning.
Potential Applications:
This portable inspection track inspection system negates the need for specialized, costly equipment. The proprietary algorithm used in this system can be programmed into commercially available edge-computing devices, transforming ordinary cameras into "smart" inspection tools. If the camera can capture images of the track, the system can automatically identify various components and detect any missing or broken elements. Since there's no need for data storage or transfer, an inspection report can be generated in real-time, directly in the field. Moreover, the system is battery-operated, lightweight, and adaptable to various platforms, including wearable devices. This versatility ensures that the system is a more efficient and accurate solution for real-time track inspections.
Advantages and Benefits:
Currently, high-end systems like those from Ensco and Pavemetrics can cost up to several million dollars, making them unaffordable for many railroads. Moreover, even if a few of these systems are procured, they still fail to meet the extensive demand for inspections. On the other hand, this solution is priced at just a few thousand dollars, a fraction of the cost, allowing for widespread deployment and ensuring comprehensive railroad inspections. The accuracy of our system is also very high and can be easily customized to suitable specific track inspection needs. The system is fully portable and can be even wearable. The entire system can run on a battery. The entire system runs with a total power consumption lower than 100 watts.