Using radio irregularity for vehicle detection in adaptive roadway lighting

The need to reduce power consumption makes a great impact in the world of roadway lighting. The adaptive lighting is now used to define the concept of varying the levels of lighting in order to significantly reduce the consumed power. In this paper a novel approach in vehicle detection and tracking using WSN (Wireless Sensor Networks) radio irregularity is proposed for use in adaptive roadway lighting. Radio irregularity is a common phenomenon which arises from multiple factors and is considered a shortcoming of wireless communication. However, this phenomenon can be exploited for detecting obstacles in the propagation path, such as vehicles on roadways. The idea is based on monitoring RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) between WSN nodes, where the propagation path intersects the roadway. The method is analyzed experimentally using XBee Series 2 modules in different scenarios and the comparison is given. The advantage over the existing detection methods is the reduction in cost by avoiding the need to additionally install multiple sensors for vehicle detection.