Compact Weather Sensor Node for Predicting Road Surface Temperature

Abstract

We propose a compact road weather sensor node to predict the road surface temperature. This node is based on the model of the environment and temperature of roads (METRo) developed by the Government of Canada. The model requires an atmospheric forecast, the station configuration, and observation information as inputs. Observation data have commonly been produced by a road weather information system (RWIS), but this system is larger than necessary, and it has been difficult to maintain the surface sensors embedded on roads. We experimentally determined that the air and surface temperatures are key parameters for the model to predict the surface temperature. The proposed node was designed to be compact with an integrated environmental sensor for measuring atmospheric parameters and an infrared (IR) non-contact thermometer to obtain the surface temperature. In field tests with the prototype, we verified the good observation performance of the IR remote sensor by using a standard instrument for measuring the surface temperature. The results of the model based on data obtained by the prototype also showed excellent predictive performance during nighttime. This weather sensor node uses long range (LoRa) technology, which makes it suitable for long-range, low-power, and low-data-rate performance, suggesting the possibility of its commercialization.

Road Adhesion Coefficient Estimation Based on Second‐Order Linear Extended State Observer

“…Ishihama et al identifed the road surface by collecting the sound wave spectrum refected by the sound wave emitter [6]. Eom et al used infrared sensors and temperature sensors to identify the road surface temperature by analyzing the solar radiation intensity, but the calculation accuracy was not high [7]. Te cause-based method directly uses the sensor to identify the road adhesion coefcient, which is simple and easy to operate, but the sensor is expensive, so it cannot be used in massproduction vehicles.…”

Roadway Snow Detection Using Dual-Spectrum Camera Images and Computer Vision

“…Sensing technologies have been deployed for real-time data collection, where the road surface temperature and slippery conditions are essential parameters to facilitate hazardous road condition detection and warning. Much effort has been invested on this front ( 2 – 4 ). One popular solution is the Roadway Weather Information System (RWIS), which provides data on temperature, humidity, and precipitation ( 5 , 6 ).…”