Transportation

Georgia Tech Launches Tech AI to Accelerate the Real-World Impact of Artificial Intelligence

admin — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 18:54:41 +0000

Georgia Tech Launches Tech AI to Accelerate the Real-World Impact of Artificial Intelligence admin Mon, 03/24/2025 - 14:54

ATLANTA — March 24, 2025 — Georgia Tech has officially launched Tech AI, a bold new initiative designed to accelerate the real-world impact of artificial intelligence across industry and government. The announcement marks the start of Tech AI Fest, the Southeast’s leading AI event, bringing together leading academics, industry experts, government figures, and students for three days of immersive discussion, creative partnerships, and transformative ideas.

Georgia Tech distinguishes itself through its exceptional ability to merge foundational research with dynamic real-world partnerships. Through Tech AI, the Institute connects top-tier researchers with public and private sector collaborators to translate scientific breakthroughs into tangible societal benefits — from optimizing supply chains and modernizing health systems to strengthening national security and improving transportation infrastructure.

“AI is both a force to drive innovation in science and engineering and a technology to deliver concrete, scalable solutions to challenging industrial problems,” said Pascal Van Hentenryck, director of Tech AI and A. Russell Chandler III Chair and professor at Georgia Tech. “Through Tech AI, Georgia Tech is redefining the pathway from academic research to tangible societal benefits, advancing fields like energy, supply chains, manufacturing, transportation, enterprise systems, and healthcare to shape a smarter, more sustainable future."

One of the AI ecosystem's greatest challenges — securing highly skilled talent — is being addressed head-on. Tech AI is preparing the next wave of AI innovators through advanced education and training, helping to close the widening talent gap.

Tech AI is built on four strategic pillars: applied research, industry partnerships, AI engineering, and workforce development. Together, these pillars form a dynamic ecosystem that develops responsible, rigorously validated AI technologies — and speeds their deployment in critical sectors such as energy, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, transportation, and essential services.

Tech AI is more than an initiative — it’s a catalyst. By turning world-class research into scalable solutions, Georgia Tech is shaping the future of artificial intelligence and delivering impact where it matters most. Tech AI leverages the groundbreaking work of Georgia Tech’s three National Science Foundation-funded AI Institutes and its network of Interdisciplinary Research Institutes, creating a powerful hub to accelerate AI solutions from research to real-world impact.

Happening this week at Georgia Tech’s campus, Tech AI Fest showcases the initiative’s wide-ranging impact through hands-on demos, research spotlights, student showcases, and panels featuring thought leaders from academia, industry, and government. The event reinforces Georgia Tech’s role as a national hub for cutting-edge AI exploration and collaboration.

To learn more about Tech AI or explore partnership opportunities, visit ai.gatech.edu.

Subtitle

Summary sentence

The announcement marks the start of Tech AI Fest, the Southeast’s leading AI event, bringing together leading academics, industry experts, government figures, and students for three days of creative partnerships and transformative ideas.

Summary

Georgia Tech has officially launched Tech AI, a bold new initiative designed to accelerate the real-world impact of AI. The announcement coincides with Tech AI Fest, the Southeast’s leading AI event, featuring academics, industry experts, government figures, and students.

Dateline

Mon, 03/24/2025 - 12:00

media@gatech.edu

Contact

Georgia Tech Media Relations

Associated importer

Keywords

Georgia Tech

Tech AI

artificial intelligence

AI Initiative

real-world impact

AI Fest

AI Event

industry partnerships

Applied Research

AI Engineering

workforce development

Societal Benefits

supply chains

health systems

National Security

Transportation

infrastructure

Talent Development

AI Innovators

AI in Healthcare

AI in Agriculture

AI and Cybersecurity

AI in Education

Pascal Van Hentenryck

Panels

Expert Speakers

Keynotes

Interactive Sessions

Research Spotlights

Student Showcases

alumni networking

News room topics

Business and Economic Development

Campus and Community

Science and Technology

Digital Inspection Portal Uses AI and Machine Vision to Examine Moving Trains

admin — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 13:50:41 +0000

Digital Inspection Portal Uses AI and Machine Vision to Examine Moving Trains admin Fri, 01/26/2024 - 08:50

Collaboration between Norfolk Southern Corporation and the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) has led to the development of digital train inspection portals that use advanced machine vision and artificial intelligence to examine trains moving at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour to identify mechanical defects that may exist.

Machine vision technology in the portals produces images of key components located on the front and back, top, bottom, and sides of train cars, providing a 360-degree view of the complete train. Images produced by the portal are analyzed within minutes of a train’s passage, allowing any issues identified to be reported immediately.

Two train portals are currently in operation on adjacent tracks in Leetonia, Ohio, and the company plans to have as many as a dozen in service by the end of 2024. Among them will be a train portal already under construction near Jackson, Georgia, which is located south of Atlanta.

“Norfolk Southern is deploying Digital Train Inspection Portals to enhance rail safety across the company’s 22-state network,” said Mabby Amouie, chief data scientist for the company. “The portals feature cutting-edge machine vision inspection technology developed in partnership with GTRI, which engineered the hardware, and Norfolk Southern’s Data Science/Artificial Intelligence and Mechanical teams, which built the brains behind the program.”

The machine vision portion uses 38 high-resolution cameras consisting of a mix of area and line scan cameras to photograph critical components of each rail car moving through the portals. Powerful lights comparable to those used in sports stadiums allow the cameras to take approximately a thousand photographs of each moving rail car.

“Being able to look at the train while it’s moving at 60 miles per hour provides visibility into defects that would be difficult to see otherwise,” said Gary McMurray, division chief of GTRI’s Intelligent Sustainable Technologies Division. “You want to be able to look at a train while it’s in motion because that’s when components are stressed, and you can see other dynamic faults.”

To reduce the amount of data that must be analyzed, each camera is aimed at a specific area of the train and takes photographs only when components of interest are visible. “The high-speed cameras are strategically placed at angles to capture things that are difficult to detect with the human eye during stationary inspections,” said Amouie.

Sensors at each portal determine the speed of each train passing through and use that information to precisely control when the photographs are taken.

“Even with a train traveling 60 miles per hour, we are able to calculate in real time when to tell each camera to take a picture,” said Colin Usher, a GTRI senior research scientist who led development of the machine vision system. “Only images of critical components are taken and the other areas of the train that are inconsequential to identifying defects are not captured. That optimizes the image capture and saves space in the computer system.”

The images produced by the system are analyzed by artificial intelligence algorithms developed by Norfolk Southern. The algorithms were designed to provide a combination of high accuracy and very low rates of false positives. If defects are spotted, the AI systems reports them immediately.

“The computer transmits the information to Norfolk Southern’s Network Operations Center, where the data is reviewed by subject-matter experts to identify and address issues to proactively ensure the safety of rail operations,” Amouie said. “Critical defects are flagged for immediate handling.”

The machine vision system uses image compression techniques to reduce the size of the photographs processed by computer servers located in the portals. For a single train, the data analyzed can amount to as much as 500 gigabytes. Because the inspection needs to be done quickly, the image processing is done on-site.

The inspection portals must operate year-round in all kinds of weather conditions and in geographic locations that range from extreme heat to cold. The machine vision system therefore has to operate despite heavy vibration levels, temperature extremes, rain and snow – and to remain clean as trains pass over.

To protect the cameras, air blown over the camera lenses shields them, while air-conditioned enclosures prevent overheating of the equipment. The system operates in a tunnel structure that helps protect the equipment and control lighting, which must be consistent across the train being inspected.

The project, which began in 2021, involved approximately a dozen researchers in four GTRI laboratories. The research built on imaging work done earlier for a variety of applications, including the food processing industry, which needed to monitor poultry on moving processing lines.

“By partnering with GTRI, Norfolk Southern is tapping into the best in machine vision technology in any market,” Amouie said. “We chose GTRI to be a partner because they develop advanced technology solutions and large-scale system prototypes to address the most difficult problems in national security, economic development and the overall human condition.”

Writer: John Toon (john.toon@gtri.gatech.edu)
GTRI Communications
Georgia Tech Research Institute
Atlanta, Georgia USA

The Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) is the nonprofit, applied research division of the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech). Founded in 1934 as the Engineering Experiment Station, GTRI has grown to more than 2,900 employees, supporting eight laboratories in over 20 locations around the country and performing more than $940 million of problem-solving research annually for government and industry. GTRI's renowned researchers combine science, engineering, economics, policy, and technical expertise to solve complex problems for the U.S. federal government, state, and industry.

Summary sentence

Norfolk Southern Corporation and the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) have developed digital train inspection portals that use advanced machine vision and artificial intelligence to identify mechanical defects that may exist on moving trains.

Summary

Collaboration between Norfolk Southern Corporation and the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) has led to the development of digital train inspection portals that use advanced machine vision and artificial intelligence to examine trains moving at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour to identify mechanical defects that may exist.

Dateline

Fri, 01/19/2024 - 12:00

michelle.gowdy@gtri.gatech.edu

Contact

(Interim) Director of Communications

Michelle Gowdy

Michelle.Gowdy@gtri.gatech.edu

404-407-8060

Associated importer

Keywords

GTRI

Research

go-researchnews

science and technology

innovation

Norfolk Southern

Transportation

Trains

security

inspection

artificialintelligence

railways

Rail

machinevision

nationalsecurity

Georgia

News room topics

Business and Economic Development

Georgia Tech Partners to Launch MARTA Reach Pilot Program Across Atlanta

bwaye3 — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 11:33:32 +0000

Georgia Tech Partners to Launch MARTA Reach Pilot Program Across Atlanta bwaye3 Tue, 03/01/2022 - 06:33

Great solutions often start with a simple idea.

For Georgia Tech industrial engineering professor Pascal Van Hentenryck, it started four years ago: an idea to tackle one of the biggest challenges for America’s eight largest rapid transit systems.

“One of the big issues is connecting to and from the system. First and last mile,” Van Hentenryck said.

So, during the pandemic, Van Hentenryck decided to contact MARTA officials directly, and, with his team of student researchers at Georgia Tech, he developed a system to make MARTA more efficient and able to better serve communities that have a vital need for reliable transit.

That’s how MARTA Reach was born.

“We were contacted by Pascal in late 2020 about the possibility of an on-demand network,” said MARTA Interim General Manager and CEO Collie Greenwood.

Van Hentenryck describes MARTA Reach as an on-demand multimodal transportation solution — smartphones and shuttles outfitted with tablets connected to an app that helps riders find a quick route to their nearest MARTA station. Think ridesharing platforms like Lyft or Uber — except this ride is a flat, low-cost fee. MARTA says this program is meant to work with the city of Atlanta’s existing transportation services and will help minimize waiting and walking, eliminating the inconvenience of users having to walk a mile or more to their nearest MARTA station.

“Public transit is the most cost-effective way to move people,” said Van Hentenryck, A. Russell Chandler III Chair and Professor in the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering.

“But in Atlanta, some people may face challenges getting to the MARTA station.” Thanks to this new pilot program, they can download the smartphone app and request a ride.

On March 1, MARTA and Georgia Tech will begin pilot testing this program in three strategic neighborhoods: West Atlanta, Belvedere Park, and Fort Gillem. Van Hentenryck says there’s never been a piloted on-demand public transit system like this in a major U.S. metropolitan area like Atlanta.

The chosen neighborhoods were selected not only because they are lacking in transportation options but because of the different communities they serve. Fort Gillem is an area with a high number of distribution centers with employees who could use more efficient transportation. West Atlanta is highly residential, with roads often too narrow for MARTA’s full-sized buses. And Belvedere Park is a mixed-use neighborhood that combines business and residential zoning.

During the pilot test, folks in these areas can use the MARTA Reach app to call for a shuttle to pick them up and take them to the nearest MARTA transportation hub.

When users call for a pickup, their requests will be routed through a server at Georgia Tech that connects to the drivers on MARTA’s new fleet of Reach vehicles.

“We developed the cloud computing platform, connected riders and drivers, and we’re making sure the whole system is synchronized,” said Van Hentenryck.

“We couldn’t be happier they are willing to study our ridership to see what the needs are and tailor a solution,” said Greenwood.

For the Georgia Tech researchers, it’s a perfect partnership as well.

“We’ve been thinking about transportation for years. It connects people to everything from jobs and education to groceries,” explained Van Hentenryck. “It’s amazing that a large agency like MARTA would allow us to come in and test this.”

The pilot has been funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation, and from March until August, the service will be available from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. every weekday.

“Georgia Tech’s mission calls us to develop leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition. To use our research and expertise to improve lives and livelihoods. That’s why we’re here," said Georgia Tech president Ángel Cabrera. "We’re grateful for the opportunity, for the support of MARTA and the National Science Foundation, and for the great work by Professor Van Hentenryck’s team."

MARTA officials will be looking to see how many users take advantage of this new first-and-last-mile option. Georgia Tech’s researchers will be watching closely, too, analyzing data including how long it takes to fulfill riders’ requests.

MARTA officials say if the data shows positive impacts, the pilot could expand to other parts of the city. Georgia Tech researchers say this on-demand project could also serve as a model for more major metropolitan areas to follow.

“We can take on projects that are not just technologically cool and exciting, but at the same time they also have a big impact on society,” said Van Hentenryck.

Learn more about the MARTA Reach program and download the app here.

Summary sentence

New on-demand program will connect riders to stations

Summary

New on-demand shuttle program developed by Georgia Tech researchers in partnership with MARTA will connect riders to stations.

Dateline

Mon, 02/28/2022 - 12:00

snorris@gatech.edu

Contact

Steven Norris
Director, Media Relations & Social Media

Location

Atlanta, GA

Associated importer

Keywords

Georgia Tech

Transportation

mobility

public transpoortation

MARTA

Pascal Van Hentenryck

engineering

atlanta

buses

subway

train

Travel

collie greenwood

News room topics

Business and Economic Development

Campus and Community

Core research areas

Public Service, Leadership, and Policy

Mercury ID

655839

Source updated

Mon, 02/28/2022 - 21:50

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Georgia Tech Launches Tech AI to Accelerate the Real-World Impact of Artificial Intelligence

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Digital Inspection Portal Uses AI and Machine Vision to Examine Moving Trains

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Georgia Tech Partners to Launch MARTA Reach Pilot Program Across Atlanta

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