Intelligent road signs system from Gdańsk Tech receives the "Teraz Polska" emblem | Gdańsk University of Technology

On 9 June 2022, the 32nd "Teraz Polska" Gala was held at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw - the final of the competition for the best products, services and innovations, organized by the Polish Promotional Emblem Foundation.

23 companies were awarded the "Teraz Polska" emblem. The winners include representatives of many industries, such as: medical, pharmaceutical, transport, construction, tourism, energy and others. The awards were also presented to the best national innovators and representatives of the new technologies sector - and it was in the "Innovations" category that the award was received - along with the team - by prof. Andrzej Czyżewski, head of the Department of Multimedia Systems at the Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Informatics at Gdańsk Tech.

Smart signs from Gdańsk Tech will improve road safety

The main task of the intelligent and autonomous INZNAK road signs developed at Gdańsk University of Technology is to prevent traffic congestion and the resulting collisions of vehicles on motorways and expressways.

– Our signs provide information to drivers acting autonomously, i.e. based on real-time traffic measurements carried out with the use of specialized sensors that are built into them – explains Prof. Andrzej Czyżewski. – The signs exchange information obtained on a given road section via a wireless network, thanks to which they can display to drivers the recommended driving speed, which is adjusted on an ongoing basis.

In other words, signs from the INZNAK system communicate the speed calculated on the basis of the traffic they are examining and on the basis of information received from a sequence of similar signs with variable message, located along the motorway section. The recommended driving speed is then communicated to drivers by displaying it on a sign, equipped with an innovative, modular electronic display, and also transmitted wirelessly to vehicles equipped with a V2X interface (interface for the electronic communication system: vehicle-infrastructure).

The result? The system can significantly reduce the risk of accidents on highways and thus improve the safety of travelers.

Second distinction for Gdańsk Tech and the team of prof. Czyżewski

So far, over 6,000 Polish companies representing all sectors of the national economy have participated in individual editions of the "Teraz Polska" competition. Both the largest Polish enterprises and small companies take part in it.

During this year's gala, the statuettes were presented by Agata Kornhauser-Duda. - I would like to express my appreciation to all nominees for their passion, for the well-established successes achieved in a relatively short time, but above all for the fact that you constantly set new horizons and break new records - said the First Lady of the Republic of Poland.

This is the second award for the team of prof. Andrzej Czyżewski and for Gdańsk University of Technology and the ETI Faculty - and also the third award in the history of the entire competition, which has been awarded to Polish scientists from the academic sector.

– Previously, in 2015, we received the emblem for the CyberOko invention, which makes it possible to communicate with people who do not show signs of consciousness - recalls prof. Andrzej Czyżewski. – The "Teraz Polska" emblem, awarded on the basis of a competitive selection, is for us a confirmation of the high evaluation of the usefulness of our studies and a motivation to undertake further research and implementation projects. By using the logo of the "Teraz Polska" emblem, we promote the university, the home faculty, as well as the aspect of social usefulness of research results - he adds.

– The awarded products, services and innovations are very interesting – comments Krzysztof Przybył, president of the Polish Promotional Emblem Foundation. – They clearly show where the real potential of the national economy is and who is its best ambassador and representative. They also allow for a slightly more optimistic view of the future, despite the uncertainty inherent in our times. All organizations, enterprises and companies whose products are entitled to use the "Teraz Polska" emblem are the undisputed leaders of trust.

The INZNAK project was co-financed by European funds from the National Center for Research and Development. Scientists from the AGH University of Science and Technology in Kraków, as well as companies representing the electronics industry: Siled and Microsystem, also participated in some stages of the project.