DEUTA RedCloud® - Processing, Analyzing, Planning

DEUTA RedCloud® DEUTA RedCloud® is a cloud-based software solution for real time acquisition, processing and analysis of event recorder and sensor data, improving efficiency of railway operations, proving compliance and supporting maintenance activities. Our approach We use Lean Product development with human-centred Design Thinking to develop our solution. We partner with potential customers to understand their goals, challenges, problems and pain points.

We immerse ourselves in the world of our customers and users. We test user interactions using prototypes. We iteratively develop the solution, continuously testing after each iteration. This ensures we address our customer’s most important problems and our solutions are intuitive and fit into existing workflows.

Your evaluation - and fleet data at a glance The goal of DEUTA RedCloud® is to provide a fleet-level view by aggregating data from multiple trains and subsystems. This would provide insights into train use, operations and maintenance activities, which can improve uptime, reliability, safety and reduce cost. The innovative user interface of the DEUTA RedCloud® presents all data clearly at a glance: speed, analogue and digital tracks and train control data are displayed at the same time.

Fleet Management

The Fleet Management module provides a view of operational status across the entire fleet. It provides details on fleet location, standstill, upcoming scheduled maintenance based on mileage or operating hours, and the ability to drilldown into the details of a single locomotive

The Fleet Management module includes algorithms to estimate dates for planned maintenance based on past mileage (for mileage-based maintenance) and operating hours (for operating hours-based maintenance). The module also allows modelling maintenance dates by increasing/decreasing utilization.

Maintenance Planning

The Maintenance Planning module provides details on all upcoming scheduled maintenance and past completed maintenance operations faciliating more efficient planning. The module also provides the ability to store the log of maintenance tasks performed ensuring all information is accessible in a single place.

Driving data evaluation

The innovative user interface of the DEUTA RedCloud® presents all data clearly at a glance. Speed, analogue and digital tracks and train control data are displayed at the same time. You have the choice of viewing the data chronologically (time based) or over a certain stretch of the track (route based). The table display shows decoded signals and messages chronologically. Additional items of information such as vehicle number, owner and data scope are also provided. 

Edge AI platform the only viable solution

This successful installation has shown that for smart applications to be deployed in rural or remote areas, they must use a solution that can be easily implemented, can be highly reliable and can operate in harsh conditions, including extreme weather and widely varying temperatures. The solution must also be cost-effective. The investment for deploying an industrial-grade AI edge platform is a fraction of that when using a cloud-based service. Also, data transmission distances from the network edge to the cloud and back would not be timely and could cause problematic delays, so the high-performance edge AI platforms needed to be installed roadside so they could handle massive data from multiple cameras and sensors without communication issues. The IronYun installation has proved that edge computing is the only viable solution in critical rail applications where safety and speed of reaction are crucial. 

Apart from having a comprehensive product portfolio, the involvement of Advantech was key to this installation. The Taiwan-headquartered company has developed strong partnership alignments over many years and delivers products earlier than other providers. This meant that VIADIO could run pressure tests, quickly respond to test results and deploy all the surveillance systems on-site in the fastest time possible.

In addition, Advantech offers a diverse product portfolio of edge AI platforms in different form factors, including GPU cards and AI accelerators, which are all compatible with the VIADIO software platform and perform at different surveillance scales. This means that whether working on a new installation, a system upgrade or expansion, Advantech is able to offer a one-stop supply service for smart surveillance applications. This service includes R&D and support for both hardware and software, delivering minimal compatibility issues and low total cost of ownership (TCO), as well as worldwide backup from 14 repair centres and four logistics centres.

Helping to drive AI evolution

AI is evolving all the time and is a key component in providing better performances in the rail sector and many other industries and Advantech is continually bringing new products to market to help drive this evolution. That’s why, with its focus firmly on the future, the company has created the MIC-733-AO, its newest edge AI inference system based on NVIDIA® Jetson AGX Orin™. Designed to empower energy-efficient autonomous machines, the MIC-733-AO offers eight times the performance of NVIDIA® Jetson AGX Xavier™ modules while supporting multiple sensors and the latest high-speed interfaces.

Ideally suited to edge AI applications, the MIC-733-AO is a fanless system that is capable of enduring wide operating temperatures (-10°C to 60°C) while offering flexible expansion slots and multiple I/Os. To cope with growing high-performance AI demands, the MIC-733-AO also features four GbE ports for high-speed data transmission that allows 5G communication.

Enabling rail transportation to move forward 

It has long been understood that artificial intelligence is superior in terms of accuracy, reliability, and efficiency when compared to a manual approach. But there has been resistance in some sectors to adopt AI. The reasons have tended to be long system development times, compatibility issues integrating hardware components, and issues with maintenance and inspection that cannot be customised to specific needs. That’s why Advantech’s rail transportation AI solution is fully integrated – combining an industrial camera, processing unit and application software to deliver a complete package that simplifies the project development process and allows for rapid machine vision inspection, without any coding, through an easy-to-use program. This significantly reduces system implementation time and subsequent maintenance costs, which are essential requirements in the demanding and rapidly evolving world of rail transportation.

Backed by its record over many years of delivering powerful and flexible edge AI solutions supporting NVIDIA® Jetson™ and remote management, Advantech is enabling rail transportation to move forward into a new era where automation and autonomous operation can boost efficiency and safety levels higher than have been previously possible. 

About Advantech

Established in 1983, Advantech is a leading provider of trusted innovative products, services, and solutions. Advantech offers comprehensive system integration, hardware, software, customer-centric design services, embedded systems, automation products, and global logistics support. We cooperate closely with our partners to provide complete solutions for a wide range of applications in diverse industries. Our mission is to enable an intelligent planet by developing automated and embedded computing products and solutions that facilitate smarter working and living. The number of applications and innovations made possible using Advantech products is unlimited. 

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