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We are trying to reduce traffic accidents by improving infrastructure, specifically in small-town settings. Currently, the approach to intersection design is reactive as opposed to proactive. This means that metrics on intersection design are generally only collected after a concerned citizen has complained or after there have already been a significant number of accidents. A traffic camera system that includes hardware that is easy to install and maintain combined with computer vision software that can deliver metrics can assess safety aspects of a street or intersection. This tool would enable a proactive identification of traffic intersection safety problems before accidents happen and lives are lost.
We are trying to reduce traffic accidents by improving infrastructure, specifically in small-town settings. Currently, the approach to intersection design is reactive as opposed to proactive. This means that metrics on intersection design are generally only collected after a concerned citizen has complained or after there have already been a significant number of accidents. A traffic camera system that includes hardware that is easy to install and maintain combined with computer vision software that can deliver metrics can assess safety aspects of a street or intersection. This tool would enable a proactive identification of traffic intersection safety problems before accidents happen and lives are lost.
Video will be recorded of public areas. There is no expectation of privacy in the chosen areas, as they are public intersections. As per the Massachusetts Phone Tap laws, no audio will be recorded. A maximum of 48 hours is recorded locally on the camera, and after that time, the video is overwritten.
Data will be collected from our camera(s) and transferred to a private server on Olin campus. The videos are low-resolution to prevent any distinguishing features, such as licence plates from being recorded. Videos may be used in public presentations of our work on the TrafficGUI software. In any such cases, any remaining identifying details will be obfuscated. Long term storage of data will be deleted by the end of the project, May 2017.
The software will track and store the trajectories of moving objects but the software will not store any information about the moving object, other than its classification as a pedestrian, car, or bicycle.
We will not allow anybody outside of the team access to the video data, except in the following situations:
- We are required by law to cooperate with law enforcement.
- In the event of a major criminal investigation that our footage could assist in, we would provide the relevant footage to the relevant law enforcement agencies.
- Any other unforeseen circumstance in which the benefit to the public would far surpass any other concerns.