Bombardier Wins International Innovation Awards
Revolutionary TrackSafe technology recognized for ability to improve safety and productivity
February 13, 2013 /3BL Media/ - Rail technology leader Bombardier Transportation has won two international innovation awards for its TrackSafe technology designed to improve safety and productivity for railway track workers.
Bombardier received one of 15 Innovation Awards presented by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) to companies across a wide variety of engineering and technology disciplines that are using innovation and imagination to enhance peoples’ lives. The competition attracted 430 entries from 25 countries.
The IET judging panel said: “TrackSafe has the potential to have a major social impact because on a global scale it would improve both trackside worker safety and urban transportation productivity. The project has demonstrated a high degree of collaboration between industry, local operators and academia in order to gain the full benefits of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and other technologies.”
The Bombardier TrackSafe technology also received the Altran UK Foundation Award, and was cited for fulfilling one of the main missions of the Foundation: “To promote technological innovation for human benefit.”
Bombardier developed the TrackSafe product in collaboration with the McMaster RFID Applications Lab at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, to reduce the hazards of inspecting and repairing track and related infrastructure. TrackSafe takes advantage of RFID technology to create improved location awareness for track workers and train operators, alerting both to potential hazards.
At present, Bombardier and the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority in the United States are conducting a TrackSafe demonstration project on the Authority’s Green Line. The project was approved by the Federal Transit Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation, following a request for proposals specifically aimed at improving right-of-way safety for rail transit workers through the innovative use of new and advanced technologies.
“Safety is a top priority at Bombardier, from the safety of our employees, to the safety of the millions of passengers that we carry every year on our rail vehicles, to the safety of transit workers,” said Matt Byrne, Vice President, Services North America, Bombardier Transportation. “TrackSafe is a powerful solution that provides an enhanced layer of safety for track level employees and we are very proud that it has been recognized by both the IET and the Altran UK Foundation.”
About the IET and the Innovation Awards
The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) is Europe’s largest professional engineering society, sharing and advancing knowledge to promote science, engineering and technology across the world. The IET Innovation Awards celebrate the products, technologies and processes that lead the way in engineering innovation.
About Altran
Altran is a global leader in innovation consulting. The Altran Foundation for Innovation organizes national competitions for innovative scientific projects that benefit the common good.
About Bombardier
Bombardier is the world’s only manufacturer of both planes and trains. Looking far ahead while delivering today, Bombardier is evolving mobility worldwide by answering the call for more efficient, sustainable and enjoyable transportation everywhere. Our vehicles, services and, most of all, our employees are what make us a global leader in transportation.
Bombardier is headquartered in Montréal, Canada. Our shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD) and we are listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability World and North America indexes. In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011, we posted revenues of $18.3 billion USD. News and information are available at bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier.
Follow Bombardier Transportation on Twitter @BombardierRail.
BOMBARDIER is a trademark of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.
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