PUDDLE HOPS: Battery-powered modular trains | Airport tech | Computer Vision
Utilizing existing freight lines
PITTSBURGH—Urban areas in the U.S. have underutilized freight lines that could also support transit service. A team of Carnegie Mellon affiliates are developing Pop-Up Metro, a battery-powered, modular train that can be inserted onto existing infrastructure. It’s the first battery powered train in the U.S.
Kansas City airport rolls out interactive tech
KANSAS CITY, MO—Siemens and SITA are providing the Kansas City Aviation Department with scalable technologies for the Kansas City International Airport’s New Terminal project. Dubbed Build KCI, the project will roll out interactive technology for airport staff and deploy next-generation passenger touchpoints like touchless kiosks, flight information display systems and video walls that provide a more intuitive journey through the new terminal.
Making longer lasting bridges with technology
SOUTHFIELD, MI—Lawrence Technological University’s Center for Innovative Materials Research has been developing bridges made with pretensioned carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) strands instead of steel bars for reinforcement — producing longer-lasting bridges that cost less to maintain. In partnership with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), the school demonstrated the strength of a 41-foot-long section on a test bridge. The bridge took nearly 180,000 pounds of pressure, bowing downward nearly two feet before collapsing.
A way for developers to share their datasets
DES MOINES, IA—Computer Vision company Roboflow is launching a community hub that will allow developers to share their computer vision datasets with the world. Roboflow Universe will enable the Des Moines community-at-large to collaborate on projects and bring them to production faster. To date, developers have used Roboflow for use, ranging from protecting endangered species to accelerating microbiology research to cleaning the world’s oceans. Fast Future interviewed the company’s CEO last month.