With this revolutionary smart floor tile, researchers can now track pedestrian traffic without the use of an external power source. Junrui Liang and his research team created 15-millimeter thick tiles. To design these autonomous, interactive spaces, these kinetic tiles incorporate complex networks of quasi-static-toggling (QST) electromagnetic harvesters for total energy autonomy. This cutting edge tech uses people counting technology to see how many people are traveling through a specific area. It dictates what path they take with astounding precision.
The innovation with the smart floor tile is that it works in detecting individual footsteps. For instance, it notes that the heel makes contact first, then the ball of the foot, and finally the toes. This kind of sequential detection allows the tile to determine how many people walk over it. It further notes down the most recent assigned destination for each of them. In lab trials, the tiles were able to reach an astonishing 97.4 percent accuracy rate at figuring out which way a traveler was headed.
In real-world applications, the smart floor tile also reached a high success rate of 94.8 percent for counting pedestrians. Most importantly, perhaps, it reliably detected their direction of movement even under difficult, real-world conditions. During one experiment, it recorded 714 correct counts, with only 35 missed counts and 2 opposite counts, showcasing its reliability in active environments.
Liang focused on the need for more public safety in the development of this technology. “Public safety accidents associated with large-scale pedestrian gatherings occur periodically across the globe, particularly in metropolises,” he stated. Inspired by their ideal, Liang and his winning team focused on developing new solutions to track pedestrian flow. Their combined efforts led to the development of a battery-free floor tile.
The floor tile’s low-cost design helps make it a more flexible option to deploy for different settings. This is a highly attractive aspect to urban planners and event organizers. Perhaps most importantly, it assists them in improving their crowd control at big events. It operates independently, so no batteries or outside power are required. Beyond the research benefits, this patented capability fills the longstanding need for a sustainable solution for real-time pedestrian tracking.
Furthermore, ICARUS has demonstrated its durability in harsh environments. Liang noted, “Even during running, the success rate remained at 92.6 percent,” highlighting its effectiveness even as individuals move at greater speeds. In industries that thrive on rapid innovation, agility is critically important. Consider public transportation stations or busy city streets, where high-speed interaction is the order of the day.
Pedestrian safety and crowd management are, unfortunately, perennial challenges for cities. The smart floor tile provides an exciting new technology to help tackle these challenges. Its adoption in public environments would greatly mitigate dangers posed by congestion and allow for improved control of pedestrian movement.