Eight technology firms with concepts designed to make rail stations safer, easier to navigate and more sustainable have been selected to develop proposals; with three ultimately invited to trial their innovations at Bristol Temple Meads.
Over the coming months the SMEs will be supported by Connected Places Catapult to develop proposals to trial their technologies as part of the Station Innovation Zone – a multi-million-pound programme at Bristol Temple Meads established to test new ways to improve various aspects of the passenger experience.
Innovations being taken forward as part of the programme cover three industry ‘challenges’ – set by Network Rail and the Catapult, with the support of a cross-industry advisory board – which are ‘Sustainable Station’, ‘Seamless Station’ and ‘Safe Station’.
Solutions selected include technologies focused on making journeys easier for people with accessibility needs; making stations more environmentally sustainable; and using artificial intelligence to identify behaviours that might be unsafe.
This year’s eight firms welcomed onto the Station Innovation Zone and their innovations – listed under each challenge – are:
Sustainable Station:
Co-You – Creating an innovative carbon dioxide absorbing panel system, to be deployed in a station to capture CO2 from diesel train emissions. The panel system, developed by the London-based SME, is scalable to help achieve net zero targets.
Tumblebug – Recovering food waste through passenger and staff engagement, and processing it on site through innovative food waste technology; thereby regenerating climate and soil through the rotation of carbon and nutrients back into the earth.
Seamless Station:
The Virtual Tour Experts – Making the world more accessible and navigable through immersive 360° content. Its solution provides passengers with travel anxiety or mobility issues with personalised support leading to an improved transit experience. An enhanced Virtual Accessibility System for Transport product will provide passengers with an improved wayfinding solution.
There Maps – Developing software for the rail sector which guides passengers directly to their platforms and nearby destinations, and goods to the relevant delivery point. A smart mapping and navigation systems for commercial operators and consumers.
Video Window – Creating an extension of physical space using an ‘always-on’ video conferencing portal. Life-sized video kiosks placed strategically around a station will mean that customers can always get human assistance for wayfinding, onward journey planning and any other queries.
Safe Station
Chrome Angel Solutions – Applying ‘serious games’ technology to tackle the toughest performance, safety and customer experience challenges for railway operators. Rapidly scalable, low-cost simulations deployed through app stores on mobile devices, tablets, PC and virtual reality headsets build staff confidence and competence for complex and critical operational processes and situations.
CrossTech – Helping clients involved in the station, infrastructure and rolling stock domains to improve operational performance, efficiency and safety by locating or predicting potential hazards before they cause delays or potential risks. Specialists in automated computer vision inspection software for railway industry domains.
Innovation Factory – Harnessing the power of advanced AI vision and precision laser beams to effectively ward off pigeons from train stations using an innovative bird deterrent system. This cutting-edge solution not only ensures the safety and cleanliness of these public spaces but also prioritises the wellbeing of the birds and the environment.
Companies in this cohort are taking part in year two of the Station Innovation Zone, following the trial competition launch at the beginning of 2023.
