With around a million football fans expected to visit the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar, the authorities there have installed hundreds of smart city centres in a bid to keep them safe.

The World Cup takes place from 20 November to 18 December, and the presence of vast pedestrian numbers in one of Asia’s smallest countries introduces traffic flow challenges that the Qatari government wanted to address.

As a result, the country has installed 700 FLIR TrafiOne smart city sensors to monitor traffic and control crowd flow. These all-in-one sensors from Teledyne FLIR take advantage of Wi-Fi and thermal technologies to ensure traffic runs smoothly, while enhancing pedestrian safety.

The FLIR TrafiOne identifies pedestrian movement on the pavement and automatically adjusts traffic signal timing accordingly. It is possible to prioritise signals for pedestrians ahead of vehicle traffic, promoting safer, more effective pedestrian crossings during this festival of football. Importantly, thermal cameras featuring video analytics detect and classify pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles even in complete darkness or adverse weather conditions.

TrafiOne also generates high-resolution data for measuring travel times to improve traffic flows, reduce vehicle idling times, monitor congestion and enhance safety for vulnerable road users. Data collected by TrafiOne is accessible for further processing by the FLIR ITS-IQ, a cloud-based data analysis solution.

In a statement, Teledyne FLIR says it “is proud to be part of this critical mission to promote safety during the biggest single-sport event in the world. The compact and affordable TrafiOne has already received a positive reception from the Qatari authorities thanks to advantages such as smart technology, programmable detection zones and touch-free sensors. The ambition is to roll out this dynamic traffic control solution across the country.”

(Picture – Teledyne FLIR)