Columbia develops VRU headphone safety system

The Data Science Institute (DSI) at New York’s Columbia University is designing an intelligent headphone system that uses miniature microphones and intelligent signal processing to detect sounds of approaching vehicles.
By Ben Spencer February 11, 2020 Read time: 1 min
intelligent headphone system (Source: Columbia University's Data Science Institute)

The institute says the system will be able to send an audio alert to the pedestrian’s headphones if a hazard appears near. 

The headset will also include a low-power data pipeline to process sounds near the pedestrian. This pipeline will also contain a custom-integrated circuit that extracts relevant features from the sounds while using little battery power, the institute adds.  

Machine learning models on the user’s smartphone will classify acoustic cues from city streets and nearby vehicles to warm users of danger. 

The prototype was awarded a £1.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation and is being tested on streets close to Columbia. 

DSI’s Fred Jiang says the project will aim to develop a prototype of the smart headphone system and then transfer the technology to a commercial company. 

“We hope that, once refined, the technology will be commercialised and mass produced in a way that will help cities reduce pedestrian fatalities,” Jiang adds. 

Networking & Communication Systems

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • New markets for travel information apps
    November 26, 2013
    Purpose-designed travel information apps are emerging to support the real estate market in the US – and potentially more widely – in a major diversification away from the conventional automotive and navigation device sectors. In July 2013, Washington State-based Imprev, which develops web-based marketing support aids for realtors, announced its App Generator. Claimed as an industry first, this enables property businesses to create their own branded mobile apps to give away as marketing tools to potential
    Read More
  • Transit must be accessible to all, says SkedGo
    April 24, 2020
    When it comes to accessibility we need to embrace a more open and collaborative approach to ensure MaaS realises its true potential, says SkedGo’s Sandra Witzel – after all, a billion people on the planet have a disability
    Read More
  • Connexionz awarded contract to connect multiple transit agencies across three States
    November 22, 2017
    Provider of smart transit innovations Connexionz has been awarded a contract to deliver multi-agency regional passenger information system to connect several transport networks across three US States. It will initially manage and support seven partner agency fleets, with potential to scale and link up to 18 separate transport operators across Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Called iTransit NM it is designed with the intention of enabling passengers convenient access to real-time information on all rural and
    Read More
  • TRW showcases driver assist systems
    June 5, 2014
    TRW Automotive demonstrated its driver assist systems (DAS) and outlined expected trends in sensor technologies during the company's recent bi-annual Ride and Drive event at the Hockenheimring in Germany. According to Andrew Whydell, TRW Electronics’ director of product planning, DAS has and will continue to be a focal point for the automotive industry as governments and industry bodies strive to reduce road fatalities worldwide. For example, the European New Car Assessment Program (EuroNCAP) and the Ins
    Read More

Highlighted Content