I-Corps: Translation Potential of a Train Protection System

I-Corps项目的更广泛影响是开发技术，增加基于人工智能的列车控制系统的经济和生态效益，而不会产生与基于测试的质量保证相关的安全风险。该技术的好处包括提高基础设施利用率，从而增加现有铁路网络的吞吐量。此外，较低的能源消耗具有生态效益，而提高效率则使运输成本更低。经过验证的控制包络内的安全学习的底层技术可以推广到其他系统，如汽车和机器人。这个I-Corps项目利用体验式学习，结合对行业生态系统的第一手调查，评估该技术的转化潜力。该解决方案基于经过验证的列车保护系统的开发。列车保护系统通过将运动保持在安全范围内来保护铁路运营。这些系统决定列车何时减速以避免与其他列车相撞，保持在运行当局内部，并安全地在斜坡，弯道和隧道中行驶。该技术是一种经过正式验证的列车保护系统，这意味着它在数学上被证明是安全的，并通过计算机检查证明，确保高水平的安全性和可靠性。目前确保列车软件可靠性的方法是进行广泛的测试和模拟。然而，这些方法只能检查无限可能性中的有限数量的场景，迫使保守的工程决策。相比之下，这些证明通过在更多可能的情况下检查安全性来提供更强的正确性保证。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact of this I-Corps project is the development of technology that makes increases the economic and ecological benefits of artificial-intelligence-based train control systems without incurring safety risks associated with testing-based quality assurance. The benefits of the technology include improved infrastructure utilization, leading to increased throughput in the existing rail network. Additionally, lower energy consumption has ecological benefits, while increased efficiency makes transportation cheaper. The underlying technology of safe learning inside a verified control envelope can be generalized to other systems like cars and robots.This I-Corps project utilizes experiential learning coupled with a first-hand investigation of the industry ecosystem to assess the translation potential of the technology. This solution is based on the development of a verified train protection system. Train protection systems safeguard railroad operations by keeping motion within a safe envelope. These systems decide when to slow trains down to avoid collisions with other trains, stay inside movement authorities, and navigate slopes, curves, and tunnels safely. The technology is a train protection system that is formally verified, meaning that it is mathematically proven to be safe, with computer-checked proofs, ensuring high levels of safety and reliability. The current approach to ensuring train software reliability is to run extensive tests and simulations. However, these methods can check only a finite number of scenarios out of the infinite possibilities, forcing conservative engineering decisions. In contrast, these proofs give a stronger guarantee of correctness by checking safety in many more possible cases. The resulting verified train protection system technology provides a safe path to deploy new technologies.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.