Speaker: Alain L. Kornhauser, Director, Transportation Program Professor, Civil Engineering & Operations Research Princeton University Princeton, N.J.

A common task faced by transportation policy makers, planners, system designers and users is to decide which of a variety of incremental options none should adopt so as to evolve towards a comprehensive proposal or solution. While the task is simply deciding on which policy, plan, system, or path element to adopt, the generation of the alternatives and the ranking of alternatives is enormously challenging. Invariably. The decision process involves the objective and subjective evaluation of numerous implications resulting from numerous alternatives that vary in both space and time, Computer graphics have evolved to become an efficient tool for both the transportation professional and traveling public to use to help generate, communicate and evaluate alternatives. The value come from the ability to interactively edit alternatives and obtain instantaneous feedback on the implications, many of which can be effectively transmitted through time varying 2 and 3D graphic images.

In the presentation, Professor Kornhauser will use his various systems to demonstrate the value and current limitations of interactive animation for transportation decision-making.

Over the past 25 years, Professor Kornhauser has participated in the development of interactive computer graphic tools for the generation, communication and evaluation of transportation alternatives. Beginning with his development of the Princeton Transportation Network Model (PTNM) in the mid 1970's. He pioneered some of the early computer geographic applications to transportation planning and policy analysis. The interactive computer graphic basis of this System continues to be valuable in the formulation, evolution and implementation of national rail freight transportation policy, strategic planning, tactical planning and real-time operational decisions. His Flight Analysis and Display System (FADS) developed in the mid 1980's focused on time as the third dimension in evaluating area-wide string lines conveyed complicated operational dynamics that continue to be used in analyzing area-wide dynamic traffic operations in all modes of transportation. More recently, Professor Kornhauser has been developing interactive tools for the design and visualization of new transportation infrastructure. The objective is to allow everyone involved in the transportation facility design process to experience the design from their own perspective This includes the public, who may wish to the view the system from its perspective, which may not necessarily be that of the designer's and may wish to interactively view the impact of proposed changes that tend to be suggested at public hearings. The Princeton Transportation Visualization System (PTVS) is a prototype of such a system. It combines interactive system alignment and cross-section design with the real-time animation of simulated time-dependent operations. Viewing can be done from "any'' position. Thus, it imitates a ride in a vehicle through the current system design. One can also view the system's operation from any other vintage point. Finally, Professor Kornhauser has been developing consumer-oriented traveler information tools to assist users in making better real-time trip-nuking choices.