Work Zone Safety: Virtual Reality-based Traffic Co-simulation Platform for Workforce Training and Pedestrian Behavior Analysis

Since 2006, fatalities in US roadway construction work zones have reached their highest level with a significant fraction involving workers struck by vehicles. This project aims to address this pressing challenge by (a) developing a virtual reality (VR) based traffic co-simulation platform for enabling immersive training of construction workers under realistic exposures to dangers, and (b) calibrating the modality of alarms (e.g. the frequency, sound, vibration and their variations) to promote safe behaviors when workers are exposed to different wearable alarm systems . Building off of the research team’s previous work on a smartwatch alarm application and worker attention monitoring system, this project will expand the scope to (a) understand workers’ behaviors to modalities of alarms in real physical work environments , (b) improve the VR based traffic co-simulation platform to co-simulate workers position in SUMO in real-time and calibrate vehicle trajectories in SUMO through larger work zone/traffic vehicle trajectory datasets. The project will then use the co-simulation platform to investigate its feasibility for worker safety training and the performance of alternative wearable alarm systems , such as augmented reality glasses and safety vests with haptic motors. The team will test the feasibility of using the outcomes of this effort for training DOT employees and present initial results to primary stakeholders to discuss strategies for implementation in professional practice .

• Record URL:
  https://c2smart.engineering.nyu.edu/work-zone-safety-virtual-reality-based-traffic-co-simulation-platform-for-workforce-training-and-pedestrian-behavior-analysis/

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Completed
• Funding: $130882
• Contract Numbers:

  69A3551747124

• Sponsor Organizations:

  New York University Tandon School of Engineering

  6 Metrotech Center
  Brooklyn, NY  United States  11201

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Managing Organizations:

  Connected Cities for Smart Mobility towards Accessible and Resilient Transportation Center (C2SMART)

  New York University
  Tandon School of Engineering
  Brooklyn, NY  United States 
• Performing Organizations:

  Connected Cities for Smart Mobility towards Accessible and Resilient Transportation Center (C2SMART)

  New York University
  Tandon School of Engineering
  Brooklyn, NY  United States 
• Principal Investigators:

  Ergan, Semiha

  Ozbay, Kaan

• Start Date: 20220301
• Expected Completion Date: 20230531
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Behavior; Pedestrians; State departments of transportation; Traffic simulation; Training; Virtual reality; Work zone safety
• Subject Areas: Construction; Highways; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Planning and Forecasting; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01842991
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Connected Cities for Smart Mobility towards Accessible and Resilient Transportation Center (C2SMART)
• Contract Numbers: 69A3551747124
• Files: UTC, RIP
• Created Date: Apr 22 2022 4:04PM