Since its launch in 2006, SmartSensor HD has pushed the boundaries of non-intrusive vehicle detection. It was the first ITS detection device to offer a dual-beam radar in high definition, with higher resolution and the ability to detect the individual speeds of unique vehicles. To date, HD is the only freeway and arterial detection device to offer a detection range capable of monitoring up to 22 lanes of traffic; and it is the only non-intrusive technology proven to provide detection accuracies comparable to loops.
Ten years later, HD continues to lead the industry in reliability and accuracy. This year, Wavetronix is releasing an updated version of its HD sensor management software, and many of the new features now available are a direct result of the feedback provided by customers. SmartSensor Manager HD version 4.0 has been extensively tested and is proving to be as reliable and easy to use as customers have come to expect from Wavetronix.
Pulse visited with Brandon Taylor, a SmartSensor HD product engineer at Wavetronix, and Ryan Lindsey, director of the Wavetronix product office, to find out more about the 4.0 software, the benefits it provides to users, and the company’s commitment to quality.
Pulse: What is SmartSensor Manager HD 4.0?
Ryan Lindsey: The HD manager is the software that controls the configuration of SmartSensor HD. It allows users to verify detections and gives users the ability to access the data generated by the sensor. Version 4.0 updates some key features and offers some new functionality that our customers have been requesting.
Pulse: What can customers expect from version 4.0?
RL: The first thing customers will notice is the updated user interface, which is cleaner, easier to navigate and provides shortcuts to commonly used features.
Brandon Taylor: Customers complained about the layout of the previous UI and said it was clunky. Our focus has been on customer needs, so the new UI is much improved and easier to use.
Pulse: How has a focus on customer needs influenced the way version 4.0 was created?
BT: Most of the functionality is a result of customer feedback and our company’s commitment to understanding what our customers need to be successful.
Pulse: What are some of the features that customers have requested?
RL: There are several examples. First, version 4.0 allows users to see the event list screen and the detection verification screen side-by-side for simultaneous viewing. That is a great functional improvement. Second, we’ve added the ability to export data from the sensor into multiple formats. In previous versions, users had to download data in a text file and then figure out a way to export it into a usable format. Version 4.0 now includes the ability to export to text, CSV or Excel, making it much easier for customers to use HD data.
BT: We’ve also made some localization improvements for different languages and regions, we’ve increased the maximum speed threshold from 120 miles per hour to 145, and we now have a mixed mode for the United Kingdom that allows them to report data in kilometers, miles or, because the UK uses miles to report speed but meters to report lengths and distances, a combination of both simultaneously.
RL: There is also a brand new feature in the UI that we call Zero Volume Equals Zero Speed. Customers requested the ability to report zero speeds in intervals that show zero volume.
Pulse: Why is that useful?
RL: Suppose in Interval One the sensor detects 20 vehicles with an average speed of 65 miles per hour, and then in Interval Two there is no traffic to detect. In previous versions of the software, the average speed from the first interval would be carried over to the second interval in order to maintain the average, even though there were essentially no speeds to detect in the second interval. Now users can select this option to show a zero speed in any interval with no volume detections.
Pulse: What features in version 4.0 are you most proud of?
BT: I’m very proud of the bulk upgrading tool, a feature we haven’t even talked about yet! This tool allows you to upgrade a series or network of sensors at once instead of one at a time. So if you have a whole bunch of sensors with remote access, you can enter a list of sensors and upgrade them all at the same time.
RL: I’m proud of the updated UI, but I think I’m proudest of the amount of testing we’ve done to get this right and provide our customers with the reliability and functionality they expect from us.
Pulse: How long have you been developing this version?
BT: We began working on 4.0 a little more than 18 months ago. We took our time and tested it extensively so that customers could have a high level of confidence in the design and build.
Pulse: What did the testing process look like?
RL: We actually created custom software to test 4.0 in ways we never have before. We thoroughly tested it internally first, and then turned it over for on-site beta testing. The process allowed us to fix bugs and identify areas needing improvement, many of which may not have ever been noticed by customers, but the result is a cleaner UI and a management tool that customers can trust.
Pulse: After 10 years in the market, how does this version of the management software differ from previous versions?
RL: We’ve learned from many years of experience, and our design and testing processes have been heavily influenced by that experience.
BT: Quality control at Wavetronix has evolved, and it has created a leap forward in terms of the ways that we test and review our products.
RL: As a result, we’re able to deliver on customers’ needs in ways we haven’t before. That means current products, like SmartSensor Manager HD 4.0, are the best tools we can offer, and future products will continue to provide the kind of reliability our customers can depend on.
