This is a follow-on project to a recently completed Transit IDEA Project T-100 in which the research team  developed the designs and studied the feasibility of a robotic system, TrainMate, to assist passengers with disabilities at non-accessible street level train transit stations. The project successfully produced electromechanical blueprints as well as software components of the proposed robotic system and ran them through end-to-end software simulations to ensure that they could work in real-life scenarios and be used to take the research to  the prototyping phase  In this Type 2 project, a prototype version of the TrainMate will be built and its capabilities demonstrated in enabling individuals using mobility devices to independently board and deboard trains efficiently and conveniently. 

The project work will involve building a physical full-scale prototype unit with focus on meeting the specific requirements of the users and the transit agencies. In the earlier proof-of-concept project, 3-D models of the system were designed, and the integrated system components were tested in various simulation environments. The results validated the proposed prototype design. Several software systems were  surveyed or developed dealing with artificial intelligence, autonomous navigation, machine vision, robotic operating system, and the speech to text and text to speech capability to establish the feasibility of the integrating software components with the electromechanical components.  In this follow-on project, those software systems will be further developed and tested on the prototype platform to ensure their applicability and useability. The fully working prototype unit (robotic base and the wheelchair lift module) including the sensor network and software components, shall pass all technical verifications and tests conducted in laboratory set-up in a mockup train station. The system will be made ready for pilot program testing. New Jersey Transit will allow access to one of its railyards to test the system in a safe and controlled environment using real railcars before moving on to the public train stations. The TrainMate system will be taken to different train stations identified by the NJ Transit and tested over several months in actual public transportation environments to assess its field readiness, useability, and applicability to serve the intended use. A passengers’ survey will be conducted for their feedback on their satisfaction with the TrainMate system. Calibration and enhancement of the system will continue. Finally, the project will be concluded with a field demonstration before invited officials and NJ Transit executives  at the New Jersey’s Hoboken train station.

The benefits of the robotic TrainMate system are significant, particularly for disabled passengers who require accessible transportation. With TrainMate, this disadvantaged section of the public will no longer have to rely on assistance from others or deal with limited mobility when using public transportation. It will be a safe, reliable, and convenient way for them to travel with confidence, providing them with a greater sense of independence and autonomy.