A really smart traffic signal
Can traffic signals help prevent accidents? Engineers are developing a system that uses cameras and computers to attempt to do just that, according to Discovery:
The alert system consists of two standard surveillance cameras, each mounted on a pole at an intersection. One camera faces the main road and the other faces the secondary road. As traffic approaches, the cameras record and send video to a computer at ground level. Image processing software discerns moving cars from the background and determines how fast the vehicles are traveling. The software automatically projects the cars' trajectories and, based on their speed and direction, calculates the likelihood of a collision.
