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| RadioScape helps to create safety system for tunnels  RadioScape has provided the Digital Audio Broadcasting expertise for a new DAB safety broadcast system for use in road tunnels called RadioScape TunnelAlert. When an incident occurs in a particular tunnel bore, the system is switched in with the effect of replacing the audio on all the DAB audio services being re-broadcast in that tunnel bore with a live emergency message, thus providing the occupants of the vehicles in the tunnel with appropriate instructions. Prompted by the Mont Blanc disaster a few years ago, an EU mandate came into effect in May 2005 that long tunnels over 500 metres must have an emergency broadcast system that will automatically change the in-car entertainment system to the emergency channel. There are over 2000 tunnels in Europe that will require such a system.RadioScape has partnered with Tyco Traffic & Transportation to create TunnelAlert. RadioScape used its unique end-to-end systems knowledge of Digital Audio Broadcast to create the DAB part of the system. The system provided by RadioScape monitors the specified on-air DAB multiplexes, dynamically updating the in-tunnel DAB multiplexer system to follow their configuration. This local multiplexer can then be switched in to replace the rebroadcast signal if an incident occurs, encoding the warning messages in real-time. In this way, all the DAB car radios in the tunnel switch seamlessly from the external service to the warning message. The first tunnel to have TunnelAlert installed will be the Rotherhithe Tunnel in the UK, which is expected to go live early in the New Year. write your comments about the article :: © 2005 Construction News :: home page |