MARCY, N.Y. — SUNY Polytechnic Institute has established a Transportation Research AI Lab — dubbed TRAIL — in Donovan Hall to serve as a hub for innovation in smart transportation, sustainability, and equity, as well as traffic operation and safety, the university announced. Founded by Abolfazl Karimpour, assistant professor of transportation engineering, TRAIL is financed […]
MARCY, N.Y. — SUNY Polytechnic Institute has established a Transportation Research AI Lab — dubbed TRAIL — in Donovan Hall to serve as a hub for innovation in smart transportation, sustainability, and equity, as well as traffic operation and safety, the university announced. Founded by Abolfazl Karimpour, assistant professor of transportation engineering, TRAIL is financed through a combination of external and internal grants. “Our research team is at the forefront of pioneering advancements, utilizing data-driven AI and machine-learning solutions to address transportation challenges in four key areas: operation, safety, sustainability, and resiliency,” Karimpour said in a news release. “TRAIL focuses on research, education, and workforce-development initiatives. Students using TRAIL are supported by these funded projects, gaining hands-on experience in transportation analysis, data analysis, and how to apply this knowledge to benefit the public.” Students working with Karimpour as part of the college’s summer undergraduate research program and his undergraduate research assistants are currently utilizing the lab. It’s equipped with strong computing systems and transportation software. The lab also has access to statewide traffic data. TRAIL serves both educational and research purposes, supporting endeavors such as classes, independent studies, and capstone projects while also utilizing its resources for conducting research. SUNY Poly plans to further enhance its capabilities in the future by adding emerging data-collection technologies like UAVs and virtual-reality sets over the summer. The additions will enable immersive experiences for transportation simulations, visualization, and comprehensive data gathering for research projects. “I commend Dr. Karimpour for his work in establishing TRAIL at SUNY Poly, which is a tremendous resource for our students and faculty,” Michael Carpenter, interim dean of the College of Engineering/associate provost for research, said. “Furthermore, TRAIL will enhance transportation systems’ efficiency, safety, and resilience, and position SUNY Poly as leaders in the field, driving forward innovative solutions for the future of transportation.” SUNY Poly offers graduate and undergraduate degrees in fields including engineering, cybersecurity, computer science, business, communication, nursing, and game design via its colleges of arts and sciences, business, engineering, and health sciences.