MTA Uses Google Pixel Smartphones and AI To Detect Subway Track Defects (betanews.com)
(Friday February 28, 2025 @05:00AM (BeauHD)
from the AI-to-the-rescue dept.)
- Reference: 0176566375
- News link: https://tech.slashdot.org/story/25/02/28/018235/mta-uses-google-pixel-smartphones-and-ai-to-detect-subway-track-defects
- Source link: https://betanews.com/2025/02/27/mta-google-pixel-ai-subway/
[1]BrianFagioli shares a report from BetaNews:
> [T]he MTA is testing a system that effectively [2]transforms Google Pixel Android smartphones into powerful diagnostic tools for tracking rail defects . The project, called " [3]TrackInspect ," attaches Google Pixel phones to subway cars. Then, by using the Android devices' built-in microphones and motion sensors, it detects vibrations and sound patterns. These sounds can indicate areas of track that may need maintenance.
>
> Once the data is collected, it is uploaded to Google Cloud, where AI analyzes it. By highlighting areas that might need attention, it allows human crews to focus on specific sections of track. This is far more efficient than conducting broad, time-consuming inspections. During the pilot, the MTA successfully gathered a shocking amount of data -- an insane 335 million sensor readings, a million GPS locations, and 1,200 hours of audio recordings. TrackInspect was able to identify 92 percent of the track defects that human inspectors later confirmed. If the results continue to be promising, subway riders could see many benefits, including fewer delays, quicker repairs, and a more reliable transit system.
[1] https://slashdot.org/~BrianFagioli
[2] https://betanews.com/2025/02/27/mta-google-pixel-ai-subway/
[3] https://www.mta.info/press-release/mta-and-google-public-sector-announce-preventive-track-maintenance-pilot-program
> [T]he MTA is testing a system that effectively [2]transforms Google Pixel Android smartphones into powerful diagnostic tools for tracking rail defects . The project, called " [3]TrackInspect ," attaches Google Pixel phones to subway cars. Then, by using the Android devices' built-in microphones and motion sensors, it detects vibrations and sound patterns. These sounds can indicate areas of track that may need maintenance.
>
> Once the data is collected, it is uploaded to Google Cloud, where AI analyzes it. By highlighting areas that might need attention, it allows human crews to focus on specific sections of track. This is far more efficient than conducting broad, time-consuming inspections. During the pilot, the MTA successfully gathered a shocking amount of data -- an insane 335 million sensor readings, a million GPS locations, and 1,200 hours of audio recordings. TrackInspect was able to identify 92 percent of the track defects that human inspectors later confirmed. If the results continue to be promising, subway riders could see many benefits, including fewer delays, quicker repairs, and a more reliable transit system.
[1] https://slashdot.org/~BrianFagioli
[2] https://betanews.com/2025/02/27/mta-google-pixel-ai-subway/
[3] https://www.mta.info/press-release/mta-and-google-public-sector-announce-preventive-track-maintenance-pilot-program
Use Google Pixel to detect duplicates (Score:2)
by ChunderDownunder ( 709234 )
C'mon, this story was only posted yesterday.
Petition: Replace Slashdot Editors with an AI (Score:2)
by greytree ( 7124971 )
I think it's time they used Eliza.
MTA is Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Score:2)
... for the rest of the world, since nobody bothers to mention it, summary or article. Also it's about the New York subway.