Emergency Function
Technical Sheet No.11
Emergency evacuation monitoring for all situations
Idris® Emergency Function Systems (EFS) are developed for use when evacuation or emergency situations arise, such as hurricanes or other adverse weather conditions, for reasons of homeland security or for traffic re-routing programs where road incidents may cause traffic congestion or hazardous situations.
The Idris EFS provides real time information on traffic movement supplying individual vehicle speeds, counts and headway. An Idris EFS obtains all the required information from standard inductive road loops. The system's versatility enables outstations in several locations to monitor various routes including ramps and junctions. The system set up and hardware is inexpensive and the EFS capability may be incorporated into existing Idris applications. Alternatively a system may be customised for individual client requirements, for example, where Idris is installed in a toll facility an Idris EFS can be incorporated to function as an evacuation data collection site. Alternatively a suitably configured Idris EFS could operate as a high quality Incident Detection System for choke points in tunnels and on bridges.
Features of an Idris EFS:
Obtains all necessary information from loops only
Multiple communication routing
Re-configurable for reverse lane flow
Additional functionality available
Benefits of an Idris EFS:
Determines whether there is congestion or an accident
Assists in providing information to determine whether emergency services are required
High quality real time data in congestion
Confirms traffic is flowing
Monitors the whole road system
Unaffected by adverse weather conditions (cameras can be affected by severe weather e.g. hurricanes)
Cost effective & low maintenance
An integrated system
In emergency situations traffic does not follow predicted routes and road users often become worried, nervous and erratic in their driving behaviour – generating hazardous driving conditions in an already critical environment. By putting into place conditional traffic instructions, speed restrictions, no overtaking, the authorities are able to dampen out the effects of road turbulence and shockwaves which arise from traffic incidents or evacuation procedures.
In conjunction with variable message signs (VMS) Idris can help to disperse road turbulence / shock-wave traffic. Idris gathers road information which is then used to issue instructions to drivers via VMS back along the flow of traffic; in this way shockwave traffic may be dispersed. Shock-waves are generally caused by a driver touching their vehicle brakes, this means the person behind brakes, generally harder, and so on down the line of following traffic. Using Idris’ detection ability to detect the onset of a shock-wave and sending messages back to the control centre, traffic can be made to reduce speed which will assist in damping the shock-wave and reducing traffic congestion, also preventing other incidents due to the sudden braking of vehicles.
Road Authorities are interested in detecting potential situations or vehicles that may cause an incident, and not just in the detection of the incident. Idris enables this ability and, through early detection and response, incidents may often be prevented.
Additional functionality
- Incorporating the parametric matching functions of Idris can provide Road Authorities with information to determine vehicle journey times. This information can be supplied to vehicle users via VMS giving drivers / Road Authorities the option to use alternative routes, thereby decreasing potential road congestion.
- Reversed flow is another function of the EFS.To enable rapid evacuation of traffic through limited corridors, some evacuation plans call for traffic to be routed down the wrong side. In these conditions you need units capable of operating in reverse flow, severe weather conditions and unforeseen challenging traffic conditions.
- Installation of additional sites for data collection, i.e. FHWA 15 data in all traffic conditions meeting high accuracy levels.
Multi-route communications
Idris provides multi-route EFS which offers multiple routes out for data information, for example fixed line, mobile phone, radio or satellite. Idris processors are fully capable network computers, so can be used to directly control VMS systems when central control has failed in emergency situations. The communication and processing versatility provides benefits of system resilience, and ensures that should one communications route cease to operate, for example phone lines being taken out, there are still other means of communication and control to ensure continued evacuation management and road monitoring.
The Idris Technology is protected by one or more of the following patents:![]()
EP0879457, USA 6345228, 6483443 and 6337640
Registered Patents also include but not limited to European Countries, Brazil, Mexico, Canada & Australia.
Idris® is a registered trademark of Diamond Consulting Services Ltd.
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