Engineering-related scientific and technical services

Tender description

Network Rail plans to carry out field testing of fibre optical acoustic sensing (FOAS), internet of things (IoT) sensors and smart cameras along the railway trackside to provide ‘real-time’ data for exploiting artificial intelligence (AI), big-data, data analytics, etc. techniques for addressing railway remote condition monitoring (RCM) challenges to support efficient, reliable and safe rail operations. Network Rail invites applications to attend a briefing event being held on Tuesday 25th February to provide a detailed overview on the project delivery strategy, test activities scope, must-have requirements, desired outcomes and the procurement process. Network Rail’s infrastructure maintenance strategy is to implement predict and prevent approach towards remote condition monitoring (RCM) to reduce high costs and safety risks associated with scheduled maintenance regimes. Implementation challenges include having nationally scalable sensor technology and reliable predictive analytics. Fibre optical acoustic sensing (FOAS) is a particularly attractive technology as use of ‘dark’ track-side fibres can potentially result in network-wide monitoring technology. Use of FOAS has been shown to be potentially promising for a range of railway RCM applications, however, it requires further algorithm developments to provide service acceptable performance. A more effective approach for achieving reliable condition monitoring is to combine FOAS data with those from other complimentary sensor technologies such as IoT sensors and smart cameras and other data sources using advanced AI data analytics. Network Rail has decided to pursue this technical approach of using ‘live-data’ and advanced AI data analytics by carrying out a field trial comprising FOAS, IoT Sensors and smart camera technologies. The use-cases primarily to be addressed in this test trial will be: 1) Train movement and position reporting; 2) Rail and wheel defects identification; 3) Level-crossing safety management; 4) Trespass and trackside presence detection. The test trial will be carried out at Network Rail’s test track at Rail Innovation Development Centre (RIDC) Melton and over operational railway from Melton Mowbray to Leicester on the Midlands Main Line (MML). As this is an innovative approach for combining multiple sensor technologies with advance data science capabilities using live data-feeds, Network Rail considers this test trial will be best carried by suppliers having technology expertise in specified sensor systems (FOAS, IoT and smart cameras) OEMs, data analytics businesses system integrator. To provide more details on Network Rail’s requirements, Network Rail will be holding a supplier briefing event and is soliciting expression of interest from entities’ having technology capabilities in the above areas. This briefing event will provide a more detailed overview on the project delivery strategy, test activities scope, must have requirements, desired outcomes and the procurement process. It will also provide attendees with an opportunity for networking. Suppliers wishing to express interest in taking part in this briefing event should register their interest by providing the following information by 18.2.2020, via email, to meera.majeethia@networkrail.co.uk: — company name, address and registration number, — contact name, job title, telephone number and email address. Due to capacity, the invites will be sent on a ‘first come, first served’ basis and attendees will be limited to no more than 2 individuals per organisation. In the event you are unable to attend the event, please note that the information presented at the event, as well as any Q&A will be distributed to all suppliers. For further information please follow the below instructions: 1) Follow the link — https://networkrail.bravosolution.co.uk/web/login.html 2) From the welcome screen, access the ‘View Current Opportunities’ link and select ‘#12480 – Fibre Optical Acoustic Sensing and Internet of Things Technologies Testing for addressing Railway Remote Condition Monitoring Challenges’; 3) Click on the attachment – ‘Fibre Optical Acoustic Sensing and Internet of Things Project Opportunity Overview’.