Traffic Control With Diodes and Lasers

Nearly fifty years ago, in 1962, Nick Holonyak, Jr., revolutionized the world of manmade lighting with the invention of light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Once a phenomenon widely used as simple indicator lights on consumer electronic devices, their uses today are innumerable.

In naming Mr. Holonyak the winner of the 2004 Lemelson-MIT Prize, the award cited, ‘LEDs may one day be used in lieu of fluorescent lighting in offices and homes.” After a few short years, we’re already there.

The higher cost of LED light bulbs is offset by energy efficiency, leaving the health of the planet in a much better condition than it would be otherwise. For example, a 40-watt incandescent light bulb can outlast the life of 30 incandescent bulbs; a 40-watt bulb lasts about 1,000 hours while an LED can operate for more than 30,000 hours. Putting a carbon print on the two types of bulbs, in a ten-hour day, a 40-watt incandescent bulb generates 196 pounds (89 kg) of carbon dioxide; a 13-watt LED (100-watt equivalent) emits 63 pounds (29 kg).

Through technological enhancements, the 2010 Times Square New Year’s Eve ball was made up of 32,256 LEDs, three times the number used in 2009 yet 10%-20% more energy efficient, and 78% more efficient than the 2007 one.

LEDs are small in size, but can be grouped together for higher intensity applications. Of course, we’re more accustomed to the daily consumer conveniences of LED lights – indicator lights on electronics, cell phones included, alarm clocks, coffee makers, indoor/outdoor lamps, night lights, etc. LED lighting can also be set up without wiring or the need of an electrician.

LEDs are also used as aircraft runway landing lights. Similarly so, flashing amber in-pavement lighting systems are used to ensure motorist attention at mid-block crosswalks that have no stop control devices. Of course, you won’t find this degree of technology in Hernando County, but other innovations in pedestrian safety have been implemented over the past year.

Last fall, travelling east on Cortez Blvd. from Deltona Blvd. in Hernando County, I noticed a new, improved crosswalk signal at July Avenue. I shot off an inquisitive email to county government and received an succinct, informative answer from Gerald O’Dell, Traffic Coordinator:

“The device is called an LED Countdown Signal. Its purpose is to provide the pedestrian visual indication of the crossing’s clearance times. It is a new (last year or so) technology adopted by the Florida Department of Transportation, at least in this area.

The FDOT is providing these pedestrian signals to local maintaining agencies to upgrade existing pedestrian signals. Hernando County has adopted this State standard as its standard for all new and upgraded traffic singles. Our goal is that all Hernando County signals will be retrofitted to this standard for uniform traffic control.”

This same technology could also be used to better control traffic flow at all traffic light intersections.

Among the numerous aspects that anger driver’s about red-light camera traffic citations, one of the ‘gimmicks’ used is to trap unsuspecting drivers into breaking the law with too-short a duration of yellow light signals, not to mention the inconsistent timing of those signals at different intersections.

With a uniform timing of no less than 10-seconds, yellow traffic lights could be fitted with LED lights that flash the numbers downward to when the red light demands a complete stop. This would give drivers a predetermined amount of time to travel through a signal light with the sole purpose of reducing the number of incidents when motorists put theirs’ and other peoples’ lives in danger. As also used on pedestrian crossing signals, automatic detection sensors could extend the time duration during periods of heavy traffic.

No, none of this would solve the problem of driver’s putting others at risk because of their impatience. And no, it won’t stop registered owners of cited vehicles, regardless who was driving at the time of the infraction, from being angry at an unjust burden of financial responsibility from the questionable use of red light cameras.

Nor would it stop the momentum of H.R. 1235 proceeding through the State legislative process, a bill sponsored by Rep. Robert Schenck that would outlaw the “hidden tax” incurred through the ‘use of traffic infraction detectors & cameras by county or municipality’. In other words, put an end to the use of red-light camera fines as an easy fix to offset the loss of property tax revenues, which makes it possible to keep government ‘big’.

Speaking of red light cameras… the laser technology that’s used in CD/DVD/BluRay players, laser printers, fiber optics, surgery, etc., is also used to trigger the non-flash camera pictures of drivers running through red lights. It’s interesting to note that these laser diodes were invented by Nick Holonyak, Jr., the same inventor of light-emitting diodes.