Groundbreaking, award-winning research by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Center for Urban Informatics and Progress (CUIP) is being showcased at this week’s annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
CUIP’s Smart Corridor along a section of Martin Luther King Boulevard—a first-of-its-kind research testbed using 3D technology to understand pedestrian safety in high-traffic areas—will be featured by CUIP partner Seoul Robotics at the show.
CES organizers have confirmed more than 2,200 exhibitors, registered participants from 195 of the Fortune Global 500 companies and 66 of the world’s top retailers, along with US and international media outlets from 159 countries.
With representatives from around the world, CES is a chance for CUIP and its research to make a global impression.
“This is a great opportunity to showcase the research being conducted on the Smart City testbed that CUIP established over the past 2½ years. Our innovative and collaborative work in Smart Cities will be demonstrated at CES. This is a big step for us,” said CUIP Director Mina Sartipi.
Seoul Robotics describes itself as a “3D perception solution company using deep learning AI (artificial intelligence) to power the future of mobility.”
With information from visual sensors located along the MLK Smart Corridor, Seoul Robotics software creates extremely accurate, 3D representations that enable researchers to better understand vehicular and pedestrian traffic patterns where potential danger exists.
Another CUIP partner, Ouster Technology, provides the visual sensors, which employ Light Detection and Ranging, or LiDAR, for the high-resolution images sent through the Seoul Robotics software.
“The testbed was built for this type of collaboration where industry partners as well as researchers test and develop cutting-edge solutions related to the Smart Cities in a real- world setting,” said CUIP Testbed Manager Austin Harris.
The MLK project recently received federal funding that will double the size of the testbed.
“The level of collaboration with the City of Chattanooga and our industry partners will enable us to expand our Smart Cities projects and scale them at a much faster pace than we had originally envisioned,” Sartipi said. “This shows the investment done by UTC and UT Systems on establishing the testbed and close collaboration with the City of Chattanooga and the Smart City Director Kevin Comstock is paying off.”
