OVERHEAD INFRARED-SENSOR FOR MONITORING VEHICULAR TRAFFIC

An experimental infrared optical system was designed to detect and mon itor vehicular road traffic. The system used was developed and first t ested in the laboratory using infrared laser sources and detectors in conjunction with computerized signal processing and correlation techni ques. Preliminary road tests confirmed the system's capability to dete ct, monitor, and count the passage of vehicular road traffic. It is ex pected that a system based on the technology described would be cost-e ffective and weather resistant. Additional developments should give it the potential for more sophisticated applications, including vehicle speed measurement and length classification.