A project led by research scientists at two of the East Midlands' universities will look at the twin goals of tackling traffic congestion and reducing air pollution using artificial intelligence.

Traffic lights controlled by Artificial Intelligence (AI) could help to ease congestion on the world's roads and improve the air quality of its cities.

A project, led by De Montfort University (DMU) in Leicester, with researchers from the University of Leicester, will see the impact of AI and satellite data on managing traffic flow.

Researchers will examine information for the city's 'Star Trak' system - which tracks buses and feeds information on their status to passengers via electronic message boards at bus stops - in order to analyse traffic flow through the city at various times.

They will use the data to create computer models that will test how effectively artificially intelligent systems are at controlling traffic lights in order to help traffic run more smoothly.

The University of Leicester will also provide earth-observation satellite data as well as ground-based environmental sensors to monitor air quality.

 This information will be used to see when measures need to be taken to reduce air pollution in particular parts of the city during times of heavy traffic build-up.

Researchers aim to gather evidence to start a fill-scale trial in the city in the future.

DMU's Dr David Elizondo, the project co-ordinator, said: "We are linking with the Star Trak scheme and using computational intelligence to make predictions about what the traffic situation will be like in the next half an hour to an hour.

"We can then use that information to see what the best ways are to optimise traffic lights and ease congestion."

 Professor Paul Monks, of the University of Leicester Department of Chemistry, said: "Bringing together air pollution measurements for space and sat nav technology for intelligent journey planning is truly novel. The team is using two cutting edge technologies to make sure people will have a better environment to live in. Space observation is a powerful tool for chemical weather forecasting."

The project will also explore how to turn people's mobile phones into personal sat navs. Using the technology, bus passengers could opt-in to recieve updates that tell them not only when the next bus is due, but if an alternative bus would get them there quicker.

Dr Elizondo added: "The dynamic journet planning will, in time, offer public transport users the use of a 'passenger's sat nav'.

"Using live data from bus positioning systems, such as the Star Trak system and other traffic data sources, we will use artificial intelligence to redetermine the optimum route through the public transport network that takes account of delays and congestion.

"This would give passengers more options and help them make the best use of their time, for example, why stand at a bus stop for 45 minutes if you could stay at home and only leave when you know the bus is just around the corner?"

The project is funded by £30,000 for the Higher Education Collaboration Grant from East Midlands Transport Innovation Network (iNet).

Funded by the East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and the ERDF Competitiveness Programme, the Transport iNet is one of four sector-based networks established in the East Midlands region to enourage innovative business activities in the region. They bring together small and large businesses, universities and colleges, representatives of the public sector and individuals with an interest in innovation.

John Frodsham, the Project Director of Transport iNet said: "This project is another example of how innovation research can help tackle real, everyday problems such as traffic congestion. Using existing technology in novel ways we can find effective solutions and save time, money and the environment in the long term."

DMU's Dr Eric Goodyer has also been involved in the development of the project, consulting with transport officers from local authorities around the East Midlands region to establish the framework of the scheme.

Dr Goodyer runs DMU's Telematics Teaching Laboratory and is actively engaged in developing collaborative research projects between DMU and local companies focusing on downstream space services, such as global navigation and satellite communications.

For more information on iNets, please visit www.eminnovation.org.uk.

For more information, visit: http://www2.le.ac.uk/