IIT Roorkee conceptualise a defogging system in anticipation of the winter season

If you have travelled at night, during the winters, you are no stranger to the zero visibility that Indian drivers encounter. Every year, numerous road accidents, pile-ups, and delays occur owing to foggy roads. More often than not, drivers find themselves following the taillight of the car in front of them, hoping to God the other person doesn’t decide to floor the brakes suddenly.

A team of researchers from IIT Roorkee has come forward with a project that will enable a better driving experience in such conditions. The institute has developed an architecture and algorithm that will support the drivers in the midst of fog while driving. A defogging system will be built to ensure that the drivers get a clear image of the road up ahead.

The journal Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems has also published the research. According to one of the team members, the research had an aim to design a system for real-time defogging. The system would take the input of foggy frames from the streaming sensors, and produce a clear image.

The system will work not only for cars but also for larger transports such as trucks and trains. This will be a huge boon for the now privatized railway industry as the delays caused due to fog are many and seen as inevitable in the winter months.

Accidents due to poor visibility result in loss of life, property, and life-altering injuries for many people. In recent years, the fog-related crashes have become deadlier. They happen during the winter months (from late November to mid-Jan) mostly, and in that short span of time account for over 50% of all road accidents. Climate change and pollution further reduce visibility.

As per IIT Roorkee Director, Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi, the advanced defogging system will aid drivers with real-time information. This will work towards effectively minimizing the risks of road and train mishaps due to fog.

Check out how IITs across the country continue to uphold the premier standards and give us innovative developments even in these difficult times:

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• IIT Madras launched online Bachelor’s degree in Programming and Data Science