A wait off your mind
Poly students invent system that lets commuters know where a bus is
along its route
Gracia Chiang
[email protected]
TIRED of waiting for buses? So are three final-year students from
Ngee Ann Polytechnic. That's why they developed a smart system that
allows commuters to track where a bus is along its route.
.
"Usually, people don't like taking buses because the timings are so
unpredictable. When we miss a bus, we're not sure whether to take
an alternative route because we don't know when the next bus is
coming," said Mr Christopher Choo, 19, one of the students behind
the project.
.
Collaborating with the Land Transport Authority (LTA), he and two
electrical engineering teammates, Mr Du Si Jun, 25, and Ms Cheng
Xi, 20, have come up with the Intelligent Bus User System (iBus),
which extracts data from bus-operator servers.
.
The system makes use of plasma screens installed at bus stops to
indicate if a bus is six to eight stops away, and it is programmed
to alert commuters when a bus is approaching.
.
The aim is to help commuters especially the elderly, who may not
be able to see bus numbers from afar flag the bus in good
time.
.
There is also a space for advertisements, a map showing the buses'
real-time movement and a news ticker on each screen. In addition, a
SMS function allows commuters to find out the location of a bus or
request an alert when a bus is at a certain location by sending a
message.
.
"If I am at the library, for example, I could ask it to alert me
when the bus is three stops away, so I can pack up and make my way
to the bus stop just in time to board," said Mr Choo.
.
But it could be six months before the public gets a look at the
iBus trial system, which will be set up at the bus stop outside
Ngee Ann Polytechnic along Clementi Road.
.
The three are still looking for $50,000 in funding and will
approach SBS Transit with a proposal.
.
The operator has its own service that lets commuters check bus
arrival times via their mobile phones. When contacted, SBS Transit
would only say that it "welcomes innovations that enable us to
deliver better service".
.
SMRT was also non-committal, saying: "There are many factors to
consider, such as operational feasibility, compatibility with our
existing system and economic viability."
.
The LTA said it would have to conduct vigorous testing and improve
the prototypes before the system can be adopted.
.
Meanwhile, the team will focus on ironing out issues such as how to
prevent theft and vandalism of the screens.
.
But if an interested company wants to take over the effort, said Mr
Choo: "We'd be more than glad. At least we managed to help the
public."
