Connected Places Catapult has announced the companies that have been selected to trial new technology as part of Bristol Temple Meads’s Station Innovation Zone.
After a longlist, consisting of eight companies, was announced in January, the three firms that will work to trial how new technology can improve a number of areas of passenger experience have been confirmed as Chrome Angel Solutions, Co-You, and CrossTech.
As part of this programme, £75,000 will be given to all of the companies to support them as they move forward with their proposals. This follows £2,000 that was allocated so that the firms could develop their trial plan, whilst also being given business support and pitch coaching.
Network Rail’s Senior Programme Manager, Brian Worthman, commented:
“We are delighted to be continuing our partnership with Connected Places Catapult on the second year of the Station Innovation Zone. Working closely with GWR and the wider industry, we will provide innovators opportunities to test and develop their exciting ideas in an operational station environment. This will provide Network Rail with new, innovative ways to further improve and enhance the experience of our passengers. The three chosen SMEs each have fantastic potential to help us deliver a cutting-edge service to passengers while furthering our sustainability goals and enhancing safety for everyone who uses the station.
“We are committed to developing Bristol Temple Meads into a world class transport hub for the benefit of our passengers, the city of Bristol and wider West of England region, so it’s fitting that Bristol Temple Meads continues to lead the way as the UK’s first Station Innovation Zone.”
Chrome Angel Solutions will use the funding to bring ‘serious games’ technology into use to overcome performance, safety, and customer experience issues for operators. This will see low-cost simulations being put on mobile devices, tablets, PCs, and virtual reality headsets to support the building of staff confidence and competence when it comes to complex and critical operations processes.
Co-You’s trial will see an innovative carbon dioxide absorbing panel being used within the station to capture the CO2 at is emitted by diesel trans. This is also scalable to ensure that it helps achieve net zero targets.
Automated computer vision inspection software will be used by CrossTech to help with the improvement of efficiency and safety for those involved in the operation of the station. This will work by locating and predicting potential hazards, including the detection and alerting of passengers approaching stairs when they have unsuitable luggage.
Dr Alan Peters, Ecosystem Director for Rail and Stations at Connected Places Catapult, also said:
“We’re pleased to be working closely with Connected Places Catapult and Network Rail as part of the Station Innovation Zone to test and trial new ways to continuously improve passengers’ experience.
“New technologies have the potential to deliver real benefits for them, whether that is from a new app dedicated to those who are neurodiverse, or a safety innovation to reduce slips on stairs – all helping those using our services to get the very best as they pass through the station.”
The driving force behind the developments of these innovations is the work to cover two industry challenges that have been established by Network Rail and the Catapult, with these being ‘Sustainable Station’ and ‘Safe Station’.
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