Pav-Analytics

Objectives

The first thing we hope our project will aid in is helping local authorities to produce better and more specific maintenance systems targeted toward foot/cycle paths. A consistent method to assess the condition of routes, should aid in the creation of these maintenance systems. One there are better maintenance systems, there may be more confidence in allocating budget toward the maintenance and renewal of cycle ways, greenways, and footpaths. 

Incorporating a more convenient and better way for the public to report issues that incorporates automation, may also lead to problems on path actually getting fixed. People who previously wouldn't have bothered, may now report it. The more people who report, the more likely it is to be fixed. 

If authorities are better informed on issues, they are more likely to put more effort into maintaining cycle/foot paths. A better maintained route makes it more accessible for all users who would likely to use it. Users of active travel will be increased, bringing with it all the benefits to health, society and the environment.

Overall, overcoming the problems of no budgets, no maintenance programs, poor reporting systems, lack of automation etc. will address our societal challenge of making cycle/foot paths safer and more comfortable for all.

Abstract

Pav-Analytics is an intelligent sensing system designed for cost-effective data collection and analysis on cycle routes and greenways. It uses advanced sensors mounted on mobile units to rate pavement conditions. The system also includes reliable data analysis and visualization software for standard pavement condition ratings, with stakeholder engagement driving the development of a modified PSCI rating system.

Our Team

Dr Ihsan Ullah 

Dr. Ihsan Ullah did his Ph.D. in the University of Milan, specializing in designing lightweight deep neural network architectures with the pyramidal approach. He has more than nine years of research and development experience in applying Deep Learning to a variety of images, video, text, and time-series recognition problems while working with renowned labs in the US (Computational Vision and Geometry Lab at Stanford University), Europe (at CVPR Lab at the University of Naples Parthenope, Italy), and the Middle East (Visual Computing Lab in King Saud University, Saudi Arabia). Before joining the School of Computer Science in NUI Galway, he was a Senior Research Data Scientist in CeADAR Ireland's Centre for Applied AI in University College Dublin where he was the head of the Special Projects group and was actively involved in applying for various national and international funding e.g., Horizon Europe, SFI, EI. Prior to that, he worked in Data Mining and Machine Learning Group of School of Computer Science in NUI Galway as a Senior Postdoc, Adjunct Lecturer, and Project Manager of the H2020 project 'ROCSAFE'. He also worked as a Postdoc at INSIGHT Research Centre in NUI Galway and Research Engineer in Prosa Srl Italy. Currently, his main areas of research interest are in designing lightweight deep learning models, computer vision and Pattern Recognition, explainable AI, federated learning, and differential privacy.

He was an invited member of the National Standards Authority of Ireland prestigious 'Top Team' on setting the national Standards in AI, and he is a steering committee member of Oblivious.ai.    

Dr Waqar Shahid Qureshi 

Dr. Waqar Shahid Qureshi has 20 years of research and development experience in both industry and academia, encompassing various domains of computer science and engineering. Dr. Waqar Shahid Qureshi joined the University of Galway's School of Computer Science in January 2024. He is co-leading a project to develop a surface condition assessment rating and sensing system for cycle tracks. This project is in close cooperation with Transport Infrastructure Ireland, Road Management Office, collaborator from Pavement Management Services Ireland, mentors from Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin), and other vehicle users. This initiative builds on his prior work at TU Dublin, where he developed a deep learning based automated image analysis of visual pavement surface condition rating system for regional and local roads. His work contributed to a patent, which PMS has agreed to buy a 3-year evaluation license. Dr. Qureshi is an entrepreneurial academic with significant industry engagement. He has previously held the role of Vice Chief Software Engineer at XYZ Printing Ltd, during which he developed three commercial products and secured multiple patents for a novel 3D scanning method. During his five-year tenure at the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) in Pakistan, Dr. Qureshi supervised ten masters students and co-supervised two Ph.D. candidates, who have since pursued academic careers. His international collaborations span countries such as Australia, Thailand, Czech Republic, Taiwan, China, and the USA, leading to significant publications and generating industry interest. As the leader of the Agriculture Robotics group at National Center for Robotics and Automation (NCRA), NUST Pakistan, Dr. Qureshi focused on developing smart agricultural technologies that include on tree mango maturity device, crop health analysis mobile application, and utilization of aerial spraying drones. His work culminated in the formation of Robotics Private Limited, a start-up that pioneered locally assembled drones for pesticide spraying in sugarcane crops¿a breakthrough in combating the white fly pest in Pakistan. Dr. Qureshi's influence extends into policymaking; he was a vital member of the Ministry of Science and Technology's committee at NUST, where he helped draft Pakistan's first drone policy.

Katleen Bell-Bonjean

My entire career has been built on the premise that building strong customer relationships is the key to success, and I feel that I've embodied this over the last 25+ years. Whether it's resolving technical issues, promoting new products, or securing contract renewals, I've consistently exceeded expectations in every position I've held. I believe that providing a positive customer experience throughout the entire life cycle of communication is crucial for building and sustaining long-term growth. In order to do this, one must have excellent communication skills (although it certainly helps to be fluent in four languages!) and the ability to build rapport with persons from a variety of diverse backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. I'm eager to apply my unique skills, qualifications, and abilities towards a rewarding position with room for growth and development. Covid brought change both professionally and personally . I rediscovered cycling, the joy it brings & the benefits for my #Mentalhealth. I became a certified cycleright instructor and have started to hold classes for adults to get back onto their bikes ,discover locally and explore many of the greenways around Ireland. 

Research Team

Acknowledgement 

This research conducted with the financial support of the EU commission Recovery and Resilience Facility under the Research Ireland OurTech Challenge Grant Number 22/NCF/OT/11220.