Grant: Applied Research and Development Grants - Level 1

The increased usage of smart phones and mobile devices comes with heightened traffic safety risks. This is due to the fact the users perception of their surrounding environment decreases while using devices involving talking, listening to music, and other activities. A 2012 Maryland study indicates that the number of pedestrians who have been killed or injured while wearing headphones has more than tripled over the previous six years. Thus, there is a great need for a system to alert pedestrians to potential dangers in their surrounding environment. The Pedestrian Warning System (PWS) research project will explore various techniques for gathering contextual information from both the pedestrians and cyclists environment using their mobile devices and utilizing them to issue effective warning signals with the objective of increasing the safety of both parties. The work carried out in the PWS research project will be expanded to include variations of the system to fit dog collars, white canes used by the visually impaired, and individuals using hearing aids. Once completed, this research can serve as the base for future work involving the development of a device capable of communicating between pedestrians, cyclists, and motor vehicles with the ultimate goal of establishing a comprehensive system for improving public safety and reducing accidents and fatalities. The School of Applied Computing at Sheridan College offers a variety of courses in mobile computing across different programs. This will position Sheridan as an ideal partner to carry out this research project, given the expertise of its faculty members and students.