Xavid Ramirez
UTRGV Computer Engineering student Xavid Ramirez, completed his UTCRS REU experience at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. Mr. Ramirez was deeply interested in the practical applications of computer engineering, that is, building hardware and software for systems destined to a particular task. He found an application in the problem of traffic congestion monitoring. Thus, Mr. Ramirez devised and built a novel, inexpensive and portable system, designed to monitor and predict congestion at a Highway-Railway Grade Crossing (HRGC). His system was able to detect Wi-Fi signals from the transiting vehicles at the HRGC, assign a time stamp to these signals, sort and collect the data gathered and make the data remotely available for its analysis. His system provides with an innovative way to detect and analyze traffic congestions at HRGCs, or any other location where congestion may be an issue, while minimizing the need to periodically visit the study sites to collect data. In this manner, the system designed by Mr. Ramirez can be utilized by researchers, the government or the industry to easily evaluate and address the increasing burden of traffic congestion.