AI can help improve railway safety by enabling automated inspections of tracks, crossties, ballasts and retaining walls. Researchers at EPFL's Intelligent Maintenance and Operations Systems (IMOS) Laboratory have developed an AI-driven method that improves the efficiency of crack detection in concrete structures. Their research, recently published in Automation in Construction, introduces a novel method that employs explainable artificial intelligence, or a form of AI which allows users to understand the basis of AI decisions. "We trained an algorithm to differentiate between images with and without cracks in concrete walls [a binary classification task] by feeding it hundreds of image samples from both categories. Then we asked the algorithm to highlight which pixels it used to make its decision," says Florent Forest, a scientist at the IMOS lab and the study's lead author.

Electronic panels equipped with artificial intelligence debuted Tuesday at major train stations in the Tokyo area to provide tourist and transfer information for a trial period, with the railway operator aiming to use them to make up for a future labor shortage. East Japan Railway Co. set up 30 panels at six stations in Tokyo and neighboring Chiba Prefecture for the demonstration, which lasts through late January. As a measure against the coronavirus, users do not have to touch the panels directly to operate them and some can automatically measure a passenger's temperature. Available in Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean, the displays can respond to voice questions and finger movements. They are installed at Shinjuku, Shinagawa, Ikebukuro and Takanawa Gateway stations in Tokyo as well as at two locations in Chiba, Kaihinmakuhari and the Airport Terminal 2 station at Narita Airport.

Railway operators in the Tokyo area are in the final stages of preparations for the Olympics and Paralympics this summer. East Japan Railway Co., or JR East, is scheduled to open a new station on its Yamanote Line for the first time in 49 years in March. Takanawa Gateway Station, located close to a public viewing event site for the Olympics, is expected to be used by many passengers during the quadrennial sports event. JR East touts Takanawa Gateway as a "future station" that showcases cutting-edge Japanese technologies such as an autonomous security robot and a convenience store without shop assistants. By the end of this month, all train cars for the Yamanote Line will have space available for wheelchair users.

Machine learning can improve rail travel both in the long and the short-term by minimizing train delays and ensuring high service quality. Train delays can be really frustrating and disruptive, especially if you frequently commute by train for work. In addition to the trains being late, the fact that most predictions You might end up feeling so annoyed, you're almost sure the railway operator has something personal against you. But the fact is, delayed trains affect millions of people all over the world, and there is very little operators can do to minimize such delays. This is because rail delays are caused by numerous factors that are interrelated, making it hard to assess the effects and devise solutions.

The business challenge was, therefore, to optimize the utilization of MTR's limited resources--people, tools, workspace and time (four non-traffic hours every day)--and yet be able to comply with the statutory and safety regulations. In 2005, MTR embarked on a project called the Engineering Works & Traffic Information Management System (ETMS) which uses artificial intelligence (AI) for planning, scheduling and managing engineering works. The business challenge was, therefore, to optimize the utilization of MTR's limited resources--people, tools, workspace and time (four non-traffic hours every day)--and yet be able to comply with the statutory and safety regulations. In 2005, MTR embarked on a project called the Engineering Works & Traffic Information Management System (ETMS) which uses artificial intelligence (AI) for planning, scheduling and managing engineering works. The ETMS helps MTR to efficiently plan and execute preventive and corrective engineering works during the limited time available in the non-traffic hours.