Augmented reality system for visualization of traffic information in a transportation environment
An augmented reality visualization framework for precision traffic analysis combines traffic data with content representative of physical-world characteristics, such as conditions in an intersection or roadway in which traffic activity occurs, and images of the intersection and roadway itself. The framework includes a visualization platform that enables display of the combined traffic data and content representing physical-world characteristics, and continual augmentations of such information in response to adjustments directed by users or automatically detected from actions such as user movement, other user manipulation, or movement of the visualization platform itself. The framework enables traffic applications such that a user can, when the platform is interfaced with intersection or roadway equipment, adjust machine activity or signal timing based upon the visualizations or data presented via the visualization platform. The visualization platform may also be configured to present the traffic data, and the content representative of physical-world characteristics, in a virtual reality setting.
1. A method, comprising:
capturing input data representing a physical-world characteristic relative to a transportation environment that includes at least one of an intersection, a roadway, and conditions in the transportation environment where traffic activity occurs, the input data including at least one of a video image, a video stream, or a map of the physical-world characteristic;
rendering the input data on a visualization platform for display of the at least one of a video image, a video stream, or a map of the physical-world characteristic;
detecting a geographical position, and one or more of a movement, tilt or a change in direction of the visualization platform;
requesting traffic data for the physical-world characteristic based on the geographical position and the one or more of a movement, tilt or a change in direction of the visualization platform;
blending the input data and traffic data by overlaying the traffic data onto the at least one of a video image, a video stream, or a map of the physical-world characteristic to augment the input data with the traffic data on the visualization platform; and
continually augmenting the input data by modifying the traffic data based on additional input generated by user manipulation of the visualization platform, to generate an augmented reality visualization of the physical-world characteristic; and
initiating one or more responsive actions from the augmented reality visualization of the physical-world characteristic, the one or more responsive actions including at least one of modification of traffic data detection, and an adjustment of a traffic signal timing.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the visualization platform is a display apparatus worn by a user.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more of a movement, tilt or a change in direction of the visualization platform results from the user manipulation of the visualization platform.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user manipulation of the visualization platform includes one or more of tactile, verbal, and orientational manipulation.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the one or more responsive actions from the continual augmented reality visualization of the physical world characteristic are initiated by the user manipulation of the visualization platform.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the traffic data includes one or more of traffic activity information, an identification of one or more vulnerable road users, environmental or situational areas of interest, points of interest in the physical world characteristic, scouting reports, objects located in the transportation environment, sensor data, satellite data, vehicle data that includes one or more of a classification of a vehicle and a speed of a vehicle, equipment located within the transportation environment, and tracks of past movement of equipment in the transportation environment.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the visualization platform is a display apparatus that includes at least one of a mobile device, a wearable device, a display inside a piece of traffic equipment, a holo-glass image displayed inside a piece of traffic equipment, a heads-up display, and a three-dimension projection.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the input data is further augmented on the visualization platform with one or more of flags, markers, icons, floating images, or colorized three-dimensional overlays.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the conditions in the transportation environment where traffic activity occurs include one or more of vehicle-related conditions, pavement-related conditions, and weather-related conditions.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the continually augmenting the input data further comprises creating a virtual reality visualization of the physical-world characteristic with which the user can interact using the visualization platform, wherein the augmented reality visualization is blended with the virtual reality visualization.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating a multi-period traffic performance map for the transportation environment encompassed by the physical-world characteristic.
12. A method, comprising:
ingesting at least one of a video image, a video stream, or a map as input data representing a physical-world characteristic relative to a transportation environment that includes at least one of an intersection, a roadway, and conditions in the transportation environment where traffic activity occurs;
analyzing the input data in a plurality of data processing modules within a computing environment in which the plurality of data processing modules are executed in conjunction with at least one specifically-configured processor, the data processing modules configured to generate an augmented reality visualization of the physical-world characteristic, by
configuring the input data on a visualization platform for display of the at least one a video image, a video stream, or a map;
determining a geographical position of the visualization platform;
identifying a manipulation of the visualization platform from one or more of a movement, tilt or a change in direction;
requesting traffic data for the physical-world characteristic based on the geographical position and the manipulation of the visualization platform;
overlaying the traffic data onto the at least one a video image, a video stream, or a map of the physical-world characteristic to augment the input data with the traffic data on the visualization platform; and
continually augmenting the input data by modifying the traffic data based on additional input generated by the manipulation of the visualization platform; and
generating, as output data, instructions for one or more responsive actions from the augmented reality visualization of the physical-world characteristic, the one or more responsive actions including at least one of modification of traffic data detection, and an adjustment of a traffic signal timing.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the visualization platform is a display apparatus worn by a user.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the manipulation of the visualization platform includes one or more of tactile, verbal, and orientational manipulation.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the one or more responsive actions from the continual augmented reality visualization of the physical-world characteristic are initiated by the manipulation of the visualization platform.
16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the traffic data includes one or more of traffic activity information, an identification of one or more vulnerable road users, environmental or situational areas of interest, points of interest in the physical world characteristic, scouting reports, objects located in the transportation environment, sensor data, satellite data, vehicle data that includes one or more of a classification of a vehicle and a speed of a vehicle, equipment located within the transportation environment, and tracks of past movement of equipment in the transportation environment.
17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the visualization platform is a display apparatus that includes at least one of a mobile device, a wearable device, a display inside a piece of traffic equipment, a holo-glass image displayed inside a piece of traffic equipment, a heads-up display, and a three-dimension projection.
18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the input data is further augmented on the visualization platform with one or more of flags, markers, icons, floating images, or colorized three-dimensional overlays.
19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the conditions in the transportation environment where traffic activity occurs include one or more of vehicle-related conditions, pavement-related conditions, and weather-related conditions.
20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the continually augmenting the input data further comprises creating a virtual reality visualization of the physical-world characteristic with which the user can interact using the visualization platform, wherein the augmented reality visualization is blended with the virtual reality visualization.
21. The method of claim 12 , further comprising generating a multi-period traffic performance map for the transportation environment encompassed by the physical-world characteristic.
22. An augmented reality system for traffic applications, comprising:
a computing environment including at least one computer-readable storage medium having program instructions stored therein and a computer processor operable to execute the program instructions to generate an augmented reality visualization of the physical-world characteristic, the plurality of data processing modules including:
a data ingest module configured to ingest at least one of a video image, a video stream, or a map as input data representing a physical-world characteristic relative to a transportation environment that includes at least one of an intersection, a roadway, and conditions in the transportation environment where traffic activity occurs;
a visualization platform configured to display the input data and traffic for the physical-world characteristic, the visualization platform including a display apparatus that includes at least one of a mobile device, a wearable device, a display inside a piece of traffic equipment, a holo-glass image displayed inside a piece of traffic equipment, a heads-up display, and a three-dimension projection;
a blending module configured to continually augment the input data with the traffic data in the visualization platform, by
configuring the input data on a visualization platform for display of the at least one a video image, a video stream, or a map;
determining a geographical position of the visualization platform;
identifying a manipulation of the visualization platform from one or more of a movement, tilt or a change in direction;
requesting the traffic data for the physical-world characteristic based on the geographical position and the manipulation of the visualization platform;
overlaying the traffic data onto the at least one a video image, a video stream, or a map of the physical-world characteristic to augment the input data with the traffic data on the visualization platform; and
modifying the traffic data based on additional input generated by the manipulation of the visualization platform,
wherein the visualization platform is configured to initiate one or more responsive actions from the augmented reality visualization of the physical-world characteristic, the one or more responsive actions including at least one of modification of traffic data detection, and an adjustment of a traffic signal timing.
23. The system of claim 22 , wherein the manipulation of the visualization platform includes one or more of tactile, verbal, and orientational manipulation.
24. The system of claim 23 , wherein the one or more responsive actions from the continual augmented reality visualization of the physical-world characteristic are initiated by the manipulation of the visualization platform.
25. The system of claim 22 , wherein the traffic data includes one or more of traffic activity information, an identification of one or more vulnerable road users, environmental or situational areas of interest, points of interest in the physical-world characteristic, scouting reports, objects located in the transportation environment, sensor data, satellite data, vehicle data that includes one or more of a classification of a vehicle and a speed of a vehicle, equipment located within the transportation environment, and tracks of past movement of equipment in the transportation environment.
26. The system of claim 22 , wherein the input data is further augmented on the visualization platform with one or more of flags, markers, icons, floating images, or colorized three-dimensional overlays.
27. The system of claim 22 , wherein the conditions in the transportation environment where traffic activity occurs include one or more of vehicle-related conditions, pavement-related conditions, and weather-related conditions.
28. The system of claim 22 , further comprising creating a virtual reality visualization of the physical-world characteristic with which the user can interact using the visualization platform, wherein the augmented reality visualization is blended with the virtual reality visualization.
29. The system of claim 22 , wherein the visualization platform is further configured to generate a multi-period traffic performance map for the transportation environment encompassed by the physical-world characteristic.