Description: Travel is an essential part of all of our lives. Yet, very few people understand the technology that makes travel possible. This course considers both the "hard" and "soft" technologies that support a variety of recent advances in travel. It will help you both understand what moves the world today and what might move the world in the future. It is designed for students with an interest, but no previous background, in technology. However, students in "tech" disciplines are also welcome.

Textbook: This course does not have a required textbook. Optional readings are listed in the right-most column. They are available online through the JMU Library from O'Reilly for Higher Education.

Outline: This course is organized as follows (though specific topics and dates may change).

Lectures in this course will be delivered on-line during scheduled meeting times. Students may participate in lectures synchronously, or watch a recording asynchronously (at any time after it has been delivered).

Some course meeting times will be devoted to face-to-face discussion/question-and-answer sessions. For these sessions, students have been divided into two groups/cohorts, purple and gold. Students may attend these sessions only with their assigned cohort. When the other cohort is meeting, you may use the time as you see fit.

Exams will be delivered on-line during scheduled exam times.

Readings are listed in the right-most column.

Part I: Introduction and Background
█ 8/26	About the Course
█ 8/28	About the Course
█ 8/31	The Technology of Data and The Technology of Computation
█ 9/2	Waves and Electromagnetic Waves
█ 9/4	The Technology of Communication , Transmission Hardware and Transmission Media
█ 9/7	Communications Networks and Communications Protocols
Part II: The Technology of Determining Your Location
█ 9/9	3D Coordinates Systems and Geographic Coordinates	A 1
█ 9/11	Historical Tech: Determining Latitude and Determining Longitude
█ 9/14	Overview of Automatic Vehicle Location , Sensors , Dead Reckoning , Triangulation and The Global Positioning System	A2
Part III: The Technology of Mapping
█ 9/16	Cartography and Geodesy , Remote Sensing and Map Projections
█ 9/18	Digitizing , Geocoding and Map Matching
█ 9/21	Extra Office Hours
█ 9/23	Question and Answer Session
█ 9/25	Exam 1
Part IV: The Technology of Finding Your Way
█ 9/28	Distances: On a Plane , On a Sphere and Using Pieces of String
█ 9/30	A Shortest Path Algorithm , Recalculating and Representing Street Networks
█ 10/2	Class Discussion: Efficiency, Equity and Fairness
Part V: The Technology of Congestion and Traffic
█ 10/5	Congestion and Queueing
█ 10/7	Route Swapping and Equilibrium	RSP 15
Part VI: The Technology of Sensors I
█ 10/9	Digital Cameras	K 1
█ 10/12	Radar and Lidar	C 9.1
Part VII: The Technology of Toll/Fare Collection
█ 10/14	Optical Technologies , Radio Technologies , Encryption (i.e., Privacy) and Digital Signatures (i.e., Integrity/Authentication)	E 1
█ 10/16	Congestion Pricing
█ 10/19	Question and Answer Session
█ 10/21	Exam 2
Part VIII: The Technology of Sensors II
█ 10/23	Sensor Overview and Inductive Loops, Pneumatic Tubes, and Piezoelectric Cables
█ 10/26	Image Analysis	M 1
Part IX: The Technology of Traffic Control and Parking Management
█ 10/28	Sensors for Traffic Control and Traditional Traffic Signals
█ 10/30	Smart Traffic Signals and Ramp Metering
█ 11/2	Parking Management
Part X: The Technology of Driver Assistance and Autonomous Vehicles
█ 11/4	Lane Departure Technology , Blind Spot (Side and Rear) Technology and Forward Collision Avoidance Technology
█ 11/6	Connected Vehicle Networks
█ 11/9	Semi-Autonomous and Autonomous Vehicles and Linear Regression	WS 12
█ 11/11	Logistic Regression and Machine Learning
Part XI: The Technology of Alternative Fuel Vehicles
█ 11/13	Planes, Trains and Automobiles (and Buses and Trucks)
█ 11/16	Question and Answer Session
█ 11/18	Exam 3
█ 11/20	Lecture Cancelled
Part XII: Final Project
█ 11/30-12/9	Independent Work
█ 12/18	Presentations (10:30-12:30)

Grading: Final grades will be based on your performance on: 3 in-class exams (25% each) , several homework assignments (10% total) and 1 final project (15% total).

Homework Assignments: 10 homework assignments will be assigned during the semester. Note that their due dates are subject to change. Note also that the links to assignments on Canvas will only work if you first login to Canvas.

Make sure you read and understand all of the policies related to homework assignments.

Final Project: Each student must complete a project. All project proposals are due on 11/13. All project materials are due on the day of the presentation . Make sure you read and understand all of the policies related to projects.

Office Hours: You may meet (either face-to-face or virtually, depending on the situation and schedule) with Prof. Bernstein during his scheduled office hours or you may schedule an appointment with him.