The authors have developed a new surveillance instrument to monitor personal travel behaviour. The data collection device is called PEAMON (PErsonal Activity MONitor); it combines a three-dimensional accelerometer with a cellular-phone (personal handy-phone system (PHS))-based positioning unit. PEAMON is not a real-time device; rather it accumulates position and acceleration data. Individuals carry PEAMON (i.e., in a pocket) during their typical travel activities. Their behaviour is then modeled on such criteria as routes and modes of travel. In order to extend the range of PEAMON into areas with lower density PHS coverage, the authors introduced power antennas (PAs) to the monitoring system. This paper explains the involvement of PAs in their system and provides some performance test results from an actual field trial of a PA-assisted monitoring system.
Abstract