News & Event Highlights
Transportation Research Analysis and Visualization Laboratory unveiled
November 15, 2011 - The advanced Transportation Research Analysis and Visualization Laboratory (TRAVL), located in the National Transportation Research Center II and managed by the Center for Transportation Analysis (CTA), provides new opportunities to achieve excellence in transportation science. TRAVL is a fully integrated, next generation user laboratory which features a 15 panel high definition Video Wall, capable of rendering 3D content, IP streaming video, and accompanied by 5.1 stereo audio. Each screen is a 46 inch LCD panel for a combined screen size of 6830x2304 and nearly 16 million pixels. The state-of-the-art, 32-seat facility was custom designed to showcase ORNL-developed transportation energy modeling and simulation tools. A high-performance content rendering engine provides for full 3D graphics acceleration at over 15x high definition on the actively-rendered 15xHD display surface. This system uniquely allows the hybrid composition of 30 high-definition sources at up to 60FPS in full HD (1920x1200) resolution across any portion of the wall. The Video Wall Processor, combined with the content rendering engine, provides ultra high resolution content across the 15 panel display. The processor positions any input sources anywhere on the wall with no limit to the number of simultaneous capture sources, their position, overlay or multiplicity; configures and recalls layouts in a single touch.
In addition to supporting 15x HD content, the system can support up to 30 simultaneous high-definition video content sources, such as digital signage players, TV tuners, satellite feeds, Blu-ray players, and gaming consoles, for a total processing throughput in excess of 62 million pixels. Any variety of video feeds can be displayed simultaneously in any combination.
The accelerated performance is driven by a PCI Express Gen2 backbone and twin Intel Xeon processors with fully buffered GDDR3 memory. Google Earth, ArcGIS, Bing Maps, and 3D simulation and modeling applications are rendered at 15 times high definition. Any input source can be converted to IP stream and broadcast over a network for remote, real-time collaboration. The systems runs entirely on Windows 7, is compatible with any standard Windows application, and can be easily operated much like any typical PC. CTA researchers have found that the system’s flexible architecture promotes fluid, spontaneous, ultra high resolution collaboration. The entire system is controlled via an iPad™ with a custom user interface, allowing users of the system to easily manage content and switch between sources.
CTA develops advanced transportation models and simulation software to support a number of federal sponsors, such as the Department of Transportation (DOT), Department of Defense (DoD), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). CTA’s data discovery and analysis findings for these sponsors are frequently developed and displayed as geo-spatial maps, dashboards, and animations. Data analysis and geo-spatial simulations using as Google Earth, ArcGIS, and Bing Maps can be run in real-time. Much of what CTA’s transportation researchers do is concerned with creating, mining, and integrating huge quantities of laboratory, simulation or abstract data to aid cognition, hypothesis building, and knowledge discovery. For instance, the North American Intermodal network model conveys visual information for all major modes and commodities to describe freight systems and test alternative scenarios based on time, distance, and cost. With the new Video Wall, different scenarios can be displayed side by side to analyze output. The same view could also import streaming video of the corridor or real-time traffic information by combining complex interactions together on a single wall. This technology provides a new medium for collaboration and training as well as being an aid to advance individual research projects.
Future TRAVL projects will include visualization of freight on highway, rail and waterways systems, large scale truck tracking to assess energy efficiency and safety, transport of hazardous materials, and integrating geo-visualization with human factors research.
New methodology to estimate national fuel economy rates
November 15, 2011 - The Office of Highway Policy Information of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) tasked ORNL’s Center for Transportation Analysis with formulating new methodology to estimate the national fuel economy rates (miles per gallon) for passenger cars, as well as light, medium, and heavy duty trucks. The purpose of the new methodology is to ensure that total vehicle miles traveled, number of vehicles, and total fuel consumption statistics are both consistent and reasonable. Shih-Miao Chin was the project investigator for this significant work. The methodology has been published as Table VM-1 in Highway Statistics. The FHWA’s news release for this event can be found at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pressroom/fhwa1155.htm.
2011 Press Releases
Raceway to Driveway
FMCSA renews committment to CMVRTC
Davidson reappointed to TRACS
Davidson elected to Board of Directors of ACT
Sujit Das presents at DOT workshop
CTA outstanding mentors named
Fuel from Food
Lin and Greene receive R&D Award
CTA is ready to TRAVL!
David Green Receives Edward L. Ullman Award
Sujit Das appointed to TRB's Committee on Transportation Economics
Roltek receives 2010 Small Business Award for their work with CTA
Inaugural issue of CTA Newsletter
Want to Green Your Commute? Learn about Vanpooling on March 8 at ORNL Cafeteria
Oscar Franzese and Bill Knee receive Pyke Johnson Award for Best Paper
Model of Feedstock and Supply Process Operation of Biomass Steam Plant
Pat Hu Named Director of the Bureau of Transportation Statistics
2010 Press Releases
ORNL is ready with ORNLReady
Public Release of 2009 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) Data
Real-Time Dynamic Brake Assessment Project Completed
ORNL Main Campus Traffic Analysis
New version of Freight Analysis Framework released
CTA Staff nominated for TRB Pyke Johnson Award
Commercial Vehicle Safety Technologies Showcased in Tennessee
