TOKYO - Tokyo Metro has launched a trial using artificial intelligence and floor projections to guide passengers toward less crowded train cars, introducing a new approach to easing congestion on subway platforms.
The demonstration project, launched by three companies including Tokyo Metro and Sharp, uses AI to analyze footage from cameras installed on station platforms and predict how crowded individual train cars are likely to be.
The system then projects information onto the platform floor to help passengers choose where to board. The words "Crowded" appear in the direction of cars expected to have large numbers of passengers, while green indicators point toward relatively empty cars, encouraging people to move to less congested areas.
Hideyuki Yoshino of Tokyo Metro said the system was designed to influence passenger movement without requiring people to stop and check information displays. "We believe that by using something that naturally catches people's attention as they walk, we can encourage them to move toward less crowded areas," Yoshino said.
The trial is expected to continue for several months, during which the companies will evaluate whether the projections successfully redistribute passengers along platforms and reduce crowding.
If the system proves effective, Tokyo Metro will consider introducing the technology at other stations.
Source: FNN
