Intelligent GIS-Based Road Accident Analysis and Real-Time Monitoring Automated System using WiMAX/GPRS

Abstract

It has been a big concern for many people and government to reduce the amount of road accident specially in Malaysia since it could be a big threat to this country. Malaysian government has spent millions of money in order to reduce the number of accident occurrence through several modes of campaign. Unfortunately, from years to years the number keeps increasing. The lack of a comprehensive accident recording and analysis system in Malaysia can be effective in these kinds of problems. By making use of IRAS (Intelligent Road Accident System), the police would be control and manage whole accident events as a real-time monitoring system. This system exploits WiMAX and GPRS communications to connect to the server for transfer the specific data to the data center. This system can be used for a comprehensive intelligent GIS-based solution for accident analysis and management. The system is developed based on object and aspect oriented software design such as .NET technology.

Full text

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Ehsan Zarrinbashar, Ahmad Rodzi Mahmud
International Journal of Engineering, Volume (2) : Issue (1) 1

Intelligent GIS-Based Road Accident Analysis and Real-Time
Monitoring Automated System using WiMAX/GPRS



Ahmad Rodzi Mahmud armcorp@gmail.com
Ehsan Zarrinbashar ehsan_zarrinbashar@yahoo.com
Faculty of Engineering, University Putra Malaysia
43400 UPM Serdang, Malaysia(

Abstract

It has been a big concern for many people and government to reduce the amount of road accident
specially in Malaysia since it could be a big threat to this country. Malaysian government has spent
millions of money in order to reduce the number of accident occurrence through several modes of
campaign. Unfortunately, from years to years the number keeps increasing. The lack of a comprehensive
accident recording and analysis system in Malaysia can be effective in these kinds of problems. By
making use of IRAS (Intelligent Road Accident System), the police would be control and manage whole
accident events as a real-time monitoring system. This system exploits WiMAX and GPRS
communications to connect to the server for transfer the specific data to the data center. This system can
be used for a comprehensive intelligent GIS-based solution for accident analysis and management. The
system is developed based on object and aspect oriented software design such as .NET technology.

Keyword: GIS, Accident, WiMAX, GPRS, LBS, Monitoring

1. Introduction
Road traffic accident is complicated to analyze as it crosses the boundaries of engineering, geography,
and human behavior. Therefore, there is a need for a more systematic approach, which can automatically
detect statistically significant spatial accident clusters and offering repeatable results. To implement traffic
accident countermeasures effectively and efficiently, it is important to identify accident-prone locations
and to analyze accident patterns so that the most appropriate measures can be taken for each specific
location.

2. Research Motivation
The research undertaken intends to find a completed solution to covering all aspects in managing and
monitoring accident data. The system is based on GIS and telecommunications infrastructures
technologies. In this case, IRAS (Intelligent Road Accident System) is used to get the better results from
accident data, which includes the most effective and useful queries, reports, charts and advanced
graphical user interface. The work evaluates for performance of a GIS-based solution in order to
integrate infrastructure communication systems such as WiMAX and GPRS to develop a multiplatform
middle-ware for real-time monitoring, automated services. The development is based on aspect and
object oriented software design. In addition, the other objective is to be established a dataware house for
the real-time smart decision support system for automated services and analysis. Also, this system offers
Location Based Services (LBS) for Clients’ cell phone, PDAs, smart phones and laptops.

3. System Architecture


3.1. Enabling Telegeoinformatics

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Ehsan Zarrinbashar, Ahmad Rodzi Mahmud
International Journal of Engineering, Volume (2) : Issue (1) 2

Telegeoinformatics is enabled through advanced in such fields as geopositioning, mobile computing, and
wireless networking. There are different architectures possible for Telegeoinformatics, but one that is
expected to be widely used is based on a distributed mobile computing environment where clients are
location aware, that is capable of determining their location in real-time, and interconnected to
intermediary servers via WiMAX/GPRS or even wired networks.
Telegeoinformatics can be based on different architectures to meet different requirements of applications,
where clients and servers are connected via wireless networks. The middleware is used for performing
many computations and activities and linking the different components of Telegeoinformatics. One of the
key responsibilities of the middleware is ensuring interoperability among heterogeneous data, software,
and functions. Figure 1 shows an ideal middleware for Telegeoinformatics.


3.2. Interoperability of Telegeoinformatics
In order to make Telegeoinformatics interoperable, the middleware must be based on special mechanism
and protocols. Insomuch as geospatial data and geoprocessing are central to Telegeoinformatics,
providing geospatial interoperability, eg., in Location-Based Services (LBSs) led by the Open GIS
Consortium (OGC), should be one of the objectives of the middleware (OpenLS, 2001).













Figure 1: Telegeoinformatics Architecture
3.3. Strategies and Adaptation
One adaptation strategy in Telegeoinformatics is to adapt to the client machine the user would use to
access the system. There are several client variations: PDA, Desktop PC, laptop, cell phone. Differences
include storage capacity, processing power and user interface. Telegeoinformatics should have
knowledge about these client’s limitations with respect to the output interface and adjust its output
information presentation to the capabilities available. Heineman (1999) has analyzed and evaluated
various adaptation techniques for software components. On such technique is active interface. This

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International Journal of Engineering, Volume (2) : Issue (1) 3

technique acts on port requests between software components, which is where method request are
received. Another technique is Automatic Path Creation (APC), which is a data format, and routing
technique that allows multi data format adaptation and adapts to current network conditions (Zao and
Katz, 2002). Adaptation is not the modification of components by system designers; this is considered
component evolution. Adaptation should be accomplished automatically by the system with little user
intervention. In addition, adaptation should be considered a design capable of adapting to users with
respect to the user’s needs (Stephanidis, 2001).


3.4. Terminal-Centric Positioning
The Terminal-Centric methods rely on the positioning software installed in the mobile terminal. The
method, which is used in this research, is Network Assisted GPS (A-GPS); this method can also be used
in the network-centric mode, according to Andersson (2001). A-GPS uses an assisting network of GPS
receivers that can provide information enabling a significant reduction of the time-to-first-fix (TTFF) from
20-45 s, to 1-8 s, so the receiver does not need to wait until the broadcast navigation message is read. It
only needs to acquire the signal to compute its position almost instantly. For the timing information to be
available through the network, the network and GPS would have to be synchronized to the same time
reference. According to Andersson (2001) the assistance data is normally broadcast every hour, and thus
it has a very little impact on the network’s operability.


3.5. Network-Centric and Hybrid Positioning
Cell Global Identity with Timing Advance (CGI-TA) is one of the network-centric and hybrid positioning
methods, which is used in this research. CGI uses the cell ID to locate the user within the cell, where the
cell is defined as a coverage area of a base station (the tower nearest to the user). It is an inexpensive
method, compatible with the existing devices, with the accuracy limited to the size of the cell, which may
range from 10-500 m indoor micro cell to an outdoor macro cell reaching several kilometers (Andersson,
2002). CGI is often supplemented by the Timing Advance (TA) information that provides the time between
the start of the radio frame and the data burst. This enables the adjustment of a mobile set’s transmit time
to correctly align the time, at which its signal arrives at the base (Snap Track, 2002).


4. Network-Based Service
The deployment of wireless-based LBSs relies on a common standards-based network infrastructure.
The telecom market is currently experiencing a transition in the delivery of services from proprietary and
network closed implementations to an open, IP-based service environment. The positioning service will
be an important component in this open, IP-based service environment. The building of positioning
information with LBSs, personalization, security, and messaging will be key for any operator when
offering service packaging to the clients. The LBSs request/response flow is generally carried out within a
wireless carrier network that includes mobile phone, the wireless network, the positioning server, gateway
servers, geospatial server and the LBS application. The mobile phone provides a keypad for query and
either a numeric or graphical interface for display. The positioning server, usually embedded in the
wireless carrier’s infrastructure, calculates the position of the device using one or more positioning
approaches. The various wireless location measurement technologies fall into two broad categories:
network-based and handset-based solutions (Campbell, 2001). Network-based solutions rely on base
station radios to triangulate the position of a roaming mobile device, either with received radio signals or
with transmitted synchronization pulses. The advantage of this approach is that it enables every user to
access LBS without the need to upgrade the handset. Handset-based solution are systems that
incorporate the measuring and processing of the location information within the handset. GPS is the
principal technology and has been further enhanced by the development of A-GPS, which allows faster
and more accurate service (Moeglein, 2001).


5. Multi Criteria Decision Making (MCDM)

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International Journal of Engineering, Volume (2) : Issue (1) 4

The MCDM tool, which is embedded in server-side application, indicates AHP (Analytical Hierarchy
Process) method, which can be used for decision making in GIS-based solution using input numeric
values by the user. This tool is based on pairwise comparison method that developed by Tomas Saaty in
1970 in context of MADM (which is refer to attributes) method. It represents a theoretically founded
approach to computing weights that are representing the relative importance of criteria. In this technique,
weights are not assigning directly, but represent a “best fit” set of weights derived from the eigenvector of
square reciprocal matrix. The objective of the AHP is to ensure that evaluation of weighting is consisted
or not.

The AHP relies on three fundamental assumptions:
i. Preferences for different alternatives depend on separate criteria, which can be reasoned about
independently and given numerical scores.

ii. The score for a given criteria can be calculated from sub-criteria. That is, the criteria can be
arranged in a hierarchy and the score at each level of hierarchy can be calculated as a weighted
sum of the lower level scores.

iii. Suitable scores can be calculated from only pairwise comparisons.

AHP is a mathematical decision making technique that allows consideration of both qualitative and
quantitative aspects of decisions. It reduces complex decisions to a series of one-on-one comparisons,
and then synthesizes the results. Compared to other techniques like ranking and rating, the AHP uses the
human ability to compare single properties of alternatives, it not only helps decision makers choose the
best alternative, but also provides a clear rational for the choice.


6. Methodology
The develop system consist of the main module that operate as a real-time monitoring system. The
system started with a field data collection which perform as client. All data which are related to accident,
can be categorizes into spatial data and non-spatial data which are merged into one database. The
merged data is transferred to the dataware house via internet by using WiMAX/GPRS. Dataware house
will then be established with two different reference of data includes Road Networks (map data) and
Datacenter (description data). The main system uses integrated data from the dataware house and
analyzes on them to achieve various types of statistical reports, these reports can be customized and
improved with different elements by interaction through the designed GUI.


The main system will be able to recycle the outcome of the primary analyses into the system and pass the
statistical reports to MCDM unit (Multi Criteria Decision Making). Under the module, AHP (Analytical
Hierarchy Process) technique is used for decisions making process. The results will then be used in the
next module, which is SDM (Smart Decision Maker). In this module, reports can be compared together,
make the best decision for diagnosis, and define the proposed solution related to current situation. SDM
unit has potential to modeling suggested solution based on GIS interface. Figure 2 shows the process
and relations between main system and the other parts to provide the proposed solution.

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International Journal of Engineering, Volume (2) : Issue (1) 5










Figure 2: The relationship between main system and MCDM and SDM modules

There are two types of clients that should be defined to the system, Police and end users (citizens). After
each accident, the clients (citizens) can provide necessary information to the main system by using their
Mobile Phone (SMS) or using their PDA (WiMAX/GPRS). The main system automatically will search and
announce the nearest police vehicle via internet around the accident location and suggest the best path
to get to the accident location based on the traffics information, time and distance. In this case, police
officers using PDA via internet directly to the main system will key all accident information in and then the
system will automatically send data to the dataware house and update the database. Also at the same
time, system will be able to inform other involved organizations and companies such as medical
emergency services, insurance and car service companies. Figure 3 shows the relationship between
main system and clients.















Figure 3: The relationship between main system and clients

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International Journal of Engineering, Volume (2) : Issue (1) 6

7. Results and Discussion
The system being developed manage to support online communication through the GSM/GPRS/WiMAX
services. User who wants to use this system must have a few equipments on his/her car which call On-
Board Unit (OBU). These equipments consist of GPS and wireless communication devices. The main
system also consists of Auto Alarming System (AAS) to inform the system for any accident events
throughout the city. In this case, when an accident occurs, the location of the accident sends to the main
system by client (citizen) using GPS devices installed on the vehicle, this task is done by calling OBU
which, automatically or manually send the accident position to the server via internet using WiMAX or
GPRS. From the signal received, the system will find the nearest police vehicle according to the accident
coordinate system and sends the primary information to client (police officer) in their PDAs via internet.
Then, accident data will be send to data center and store on the system and dataware house. This
system can send online data to road accident database using PDA or Smartphone by police officers in
real time access. In addition, Smart Decision Making (SDM), Multi Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) and
Automatically Proposed solution system (APSS) units can be applied professionally and analytically for
making the particular reports and queries in a proper manner.


8. Conclusion
The research outcome is a comprehensive system to cover accident management and analysis, smart
automated service for accident locations, accident and service diagnosis, reducing the number of
accidents, increasing the level of road safety and fast delivery services such as insurance companies and
emergency services. For further works, the system should also include the ability to inform clients about
the risk zones in all over the city using LBS services, based on the main system reports, queries and real
time traffic monitoring. The system classifies and categorizes the road networks into four zones, so when
a vehicle enter to each zone, the system will automatically send the risk message to alert the accident
risk on that particular zone or location of the city. In addition, the system shall offer some services for
clients such as air download client version (for PDAs or Smartphone) of application for using these LBS
services. All LBS data, which will be shown on client phone, are generated by the main system with real
time updates via internet, so the clients have real time information about the traffic conditions and
accident risk zones around them.

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