Data driven solutions to empower railway operations are becoming essential. The question is not if they're implemented, it's how and when. Being data driven urges the rail industry to re-think its structures and processes. What was historically split in departments and divisions needs to be brought together to collaborate more closely - just as we do with our customers.
Only by pro-active cooperation, these data led solutions can realise their full potential. Training smart algorithms by means of artificial intelligence and machine learning is an integral part of this. But it is also important to feed them with actual field data - which is where customer input is critical. Our customers are the experts in what they're doing - be it traffic management, maintenance or security: With their feedback the Sensonic solution becomes better and better with each day and track kilometre.
Data is at the heart of Sensonic. Our Sensonic Solution starts collecting data right away once connected to an optical fibre along the trackside. Our team feed the system with calibration data and then real network operational data to listen to each networks characteristic. The system is fine-tuned by our team to optimise the system capabilities.
Smart algorithms start to process the raw data once it is captured. We generate a SonicTwin® of the railway. Our expert teams work with clients to make sure we are capturing the right events to best understand the asset and network intricacies. Client input with local asset knowledge is an essential part of capturing the ground-truth to fully enable the benefits of this vibration Digital Twin.
This is where the Sensonic system starts to add value our clients' operations. Combining current and historic performance data, asset insights can be revealed. Whether that is finding a deteriorating track asset, or highlighting intruders on the permanent way, the Sensonic applications start to characterise events, and deliver useful actionable information to the railway. Optimisation of the data analysis algorithms by our teams depends on close partnership working with elevated levels of client input to ensure insights generated are tailored to the networks needs and capabilities.
New data and insights are only valuable if they are acted upon to improve the railway. Improvements may be made in decision making, safety, efficiency, or security, among others. Our clients know their railway assets, systems, capabilities and needs best, so we work in partnership to tailor reporting and information requirements to their needs.
Feedback is a critical part of getting the most from the Sensonic system. Whether that is feedback to improve algorithms and machine learning, or whether that be tailoring output information to suit client needs, working in close partnership with our rail clients ensures that they we get the most from listening to railway assets to enable better decisions.
