Wireless computers and the Internet could help car drivers save time and fuel getting through congested urban streets, according to Prof. Bob McLeod of the University of Manitoba's Internet Innovation Centre. McCleod was speaking to the opening of PACRIM 97, the international gathering of 300 communications, computers and signal processing researchers co-hosted in August by UVic and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
"Urban traffic control is a killer application for wireless technology," says McLeod. As cities become increasingly concerned about traffic jams and air pollution, wireless technology offers solutions that are "environmentally friendly and a relatively trivial expense compared to traffic light systems that cost about $90,000 per intersection."
Cars equipped with standardized transmitters would send signals to traffic lights controlled by a network computer. Flow patterns would be optimized and fuel savings would be considerable even if only a few minutes were saved in daily travel time, says McLeod. By connecting the traffic light network to the Internet, traffic conditions could be determined and routes planned to avoid congestion. Emergency vehicles could be given priority and traffic signals could be adjusted to maximize response time. Automated billing systems for highway toll booths offer other potential applications.
The Victoria conference was chaired by UVic Engineering Prof. Vijay Bhargava who founded the biennial event 10 years ago.
Ibrahim Gedeon, "roving ambassador" from Ontario-based global network provider Northern Telecom, spoke to delegates about the future of multimedia services.
"The potential new uses for communications are staggering," says Gedeon. He points to new opportunities in marketing, education, services, entertainment and "competition"&emdash; where business competitors also become each other's clients.
While potential applications are exciting, Gedeon says new technologies (interactive TV, Web TV, CD-ROM on-line or smartcards) will have to meet three tests if they are to gain wide acceptance. "People have to be shown why it is essential to access new services. They have to be shown that they're losing money without them, their career advancement hinges on them, or access to information is improved by them."
Northern Telecom has the business world's largest internal communications system. The company logs 87,000 phone calls in any given business day, its employees have 1.1 million internal web pages and it has 117 network agreements around the globe.
While it's thought that there will be 80 million Internet users by 1999 and information technology will be the world's largest industry by the turn of the century, the future of technology development and its impact on service providers is anybody's guess, says Gedeon. He offers a quote from AT&T Chair Robert Allan: "One could reasonably expect the Chairman of AT&T to know what his corporation will be in 10 years from now. He doesn't. At least he should know who his major competitors will be &emdash; stumped again."