T3 Alaska Students Protoype ATV Sensor
This summer, T3 Alaska/Upward Bound students worked with Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOTPF) to develop an ATV sensor for rural transportation corridors to measure traffic and monitor safety. Additional key partners in this project included Clarence Daniel from the Association of Village Council Presidents and Bernie Karl, owner of Chena Hot Springs.
DOTPF identified a significant lack of data collection on ATV and snowmobile traffic on many Alaskan navigational corridors. Road designation and federal funding are linked to the data collected and provided to the government. These corridors, loosely defined as undesignated roads, do not qualify for federal funding, making them difficult to respond to emergencies and maintain. The absence of data on these modes of transportation means rural areas do not receive the necessary funds for roadway emergency response and maintenance. Notably, Alaska has the highest rate of fatalities on ATVs.
The students engaged in the design model process with these partners, empathizing with and defining the problem. They iterated on solutions, with one participant, Cactus Smyth, stating, “We initially considered using a sonic sensor to detect objects moving past our project box, but realized it would detect everything—moose, birds, people, and ATVs. We needed a more detailed way of detecting ATVs specifically.”
The students developed several iterations, adding a camera to verify objects and more sound sensors. They also addressed the housing challenges. Alaskan weather, with its dramatic fluctuations in temperature and moisture, poses unique challenges, and batteries only last nine and a half hours. These factors needed consideration to keep the equipment operating full-time in remote locations.
While the project time ended before further prototypes could be developed, the students proudly showcased a working model of the ATV sensor at the June T3 Alaska Summer Program final presentations. With more time, this product can only improve in design, helping DOTPF complete its data collection on non-designated roads in Alaska to secure more funding for transportation. We are grateful for the collaboration with community partners and impressed with the students’ ability to contribute to our communities through their summer program learning experience!