Pune teenage trio’s traffic system bags top US prize

Three 16-year-olds from Loyola High School, Pune, have won the first prize at the inter-services/ industry training, simulation and education conference (I/Itsec) held in Orlando, Florida, US, last week.

Chinmay Chobhe, Kanak Kulkarni and Mandharr Dareykar, all class XI students, won for simulating a traffic management system which promises quicker and faster movement of ambulances on Pune’s roads.

The I/Itsec is considered the world’s largest modeling and simulation conference, with participation from more than 50 countries. The trio took part in the ‘Future leaders programme’ for high school students, demonstrating technical projects which focus on modeling, simulation and training.

The trio presented their paper, ‘Simulation of traffic signal prioritising for emergency services using predictive control and distributed intelligence’, which beat back eight other teams.

The trio’s traffic management system essentially looks at a traffic signal system which allows ambulances to move ahead with minimum hindrance.

They made use of  predictive control and distributed intelligence to run the system. They wrote the software using the LabView computer language and created the database using Microsoft Excel.

The system rides on the existing timer based signaling system in Pune city.  The lads have suggested the division of the city’s traffic signals into several nodes (distributed traffic controllers).  Each node will be in charge of multiple, smaller signals.

According to the trio, these nodes would need to be fitted with the trio’s predictive control and distributed intelligence software. This would enable each node to automatically detect an approaching ambulance. The moment one is detected, it would turn green and inform the next node also to turn green, thereby allowing the ambulance easy passage.

The trio is confident that their system is implementable. Their confidence stems from the fact that they are making use of existing technology like GPS (global positioning system) and GSM (global system for mobile communication).

“We will be very happy if our system is implemented in Pune. It will go a long way in saving lives,” chorus the trio. Chinmay’s father, Bipin Chobhe, a mechanical engineer who manufacturers simulators for the Indian Railways, agrees. “Yes, the boys’ system can be implemented cost effectively, as we can leverage the existing hardware in our existing traffic system,” he said.

The trio worked for three months at a stretch to put their system together, in the course of which they interviewed ambulance drivers, fire brigade officials and traffic policemen.

“The homework was a very fruitful experience. Working on a system to save lives is a big motivator,” said Chinmay, who is keen to pursue engineering.

Kanak, who also wants to become an engineer, feels that the conference enabled him to hone his presentation and programming skills. Mandharr, who wants to study at IIT-Bombay said, “It was exciting to watch the other simulation models in the conference and interact with participants.”