The MOLE™ System

Description

The MOLE™ system consists of transmitter and receiver units. To enforce red lights at an intersection, a transmitter unit must have been previously installed in the traffic control cabinet. This unit permanently resides inside the cabinet and transmits information about the status of all lights at the intersection.

	Identical map view of intersection

When a receiver unit is in range, it automatically displays an identical map of the intersection with the status of all its lights and corresponding street names.
 

How it is used

A police officer positions himself for stakeout anywhere in or around the intersection, where he can clearly and safely view the corresponding stop lines. By selecting the lights on the screen, he can choose the directions to enforce.

After selecting the lights, the officer can direct his attention to the intersection. Using voice prompts, the receiver unit will timely warn the officer a few seconds before the enforced light turns red. This gives him enough time to focus on the stop lines and on any potential violators.

Once the light turns red, a second voice prompt notifies the officer, allowing him to precisely determine if the observed vehicle committed a red light violation. In this case, the officer will already be positioned in place allowing him to easily and safely pull the driver over and issue the citation.

The inconvenience of having to face an officer right after committing a violation creates a stronger learning impact on scofflaws and potentially reduces its recidivism.
 

MOLE™ Products

Transmitter (Base Unit)

The transmitter control unit, MOLE™ TCU resides inside the traffic controller cabinet and is directly wired to the traffic lights. The unit transmits secured information about the light status. In order to provide adequate red light enforcement throughout the city, one MOLE™ TCU unit should be installed at each intersection where enforcement is required.

	MOLE™ TCU base unit

Mobile Unit  -  MOLE™ MDC

The mobile digital computer unit, MOLE™ MDC consists of a a small adapter and a software program that runs on the police car computer unit, or MDC. The small adapter connects to an exiting USB port of the vehicle's MDC unit.

	MOLE™ MDC screen shot		MOLE™ MDC on vehicle MDC unit

Using voice prompts, the program will automatically announce the street names of the approaching intersection equipped with a MOLE™ transmitter and will display an identical map of the intersection with its corresponding street names and the status of all its lights.

After parking the police car in a safe place where the officer can clearly and safely view the corresponding stop lines, he selects on the MDC screen the light(s) to enforce. The MOLE™ MDC program can concurrently run with other programs and can be minimized, allowing officers to perform other computer duties while enforcing the intersection.

The MOLE™ MDC graphical user interface is very simple and intuitive and is oriented to support MDC touch-screen displays for easy use.

Interface Unit  -  MOLE™ PDB

The MOLE™ PDB is a small, portable device that enables handheld computers, enterprise digital assistant (EDA) and personal digital assistant (PDA) to receive information from the MOLE™ transmitter units. The MOLE™ PDB is battery operated and can be hand-carried or installed anywhere in a motorcycle.

	MOLE™ PDB BlueTooth® unit

The unit is very simple to operate and only requires to turn it on by pressing one button. Its integrated microcomputer will automatically determine when to turn the unit off once the handheld computer, EDA or PDA is turned off.

The connection to handheld computers, EDAs and PDAs is done using BlueTooth® technology, eliminating cables and external antennas on handheld devices.

Handheld Software  -  MOLE™ WMS

The MOLE™ WMS is a Windows Mobile® based software that allows existing PDAs and EDAs running Electronic Citation Systems to enforce red light running.

Using voice prompts, the MOLE™ WMS program will automatically announce the street names of the approaching intersection equipped with a MOLE™ transmitter and will display an identical map of the intersection with its corresponding street names and the status of all its lights.

After positioning himself in a safe place where he can clearly and safely view the corresponding stop lines, the officer selects on the screen the light(s) to enforce. By tapping on the map's cardinal points, the officer can rotate the map to match his position with respect to the intersection, making it easier to understand the intersection's view from his standing point.

	MOLE™ WMS screen shot		MOLE™ WMS on EDA used for electronic citation

A short voice prompt will timely warn the officer a few seconds before the enforced light turns red, giving him time enough to focus on the stop lines and on any potential violators. Once the light turns red, a second voice prompt notifies the officer, allowing him to precisely determine if the observed vehicle committed a red light violation. In this case, the officer will already be positioned in place allowing him to easily and safely pull the driver over and issue the citation.

If the MOLE™ WMS program is running on an existing electronic citation device, the officer can switch and launch the citation program, issue the citation and print it. In this case, the MOLE™ WMS program simplifies the officer's job by not having to carry multiple units to perform enforcement. This feature adds value to your existing investment by enabling it to have multiple uses. A typical example of a portable electronic citation system consists of a handheld Intermec® CN3 device, an APS® traffic citation program and a wireless Bluetooth® printer. By loading the MOLE™ WMS software into your existing handheld device and using the MOLE™ PDB, our products will allow you to enforce red light running and issue citations with the same handheld device. This adds value to your existing investment and reduces the amount of devices that officers need to carry in the field.

Handheld Unit  -  MOLE™ PDA

The handheld unit, MOLE™ PDA consists of a commercial PDA unit running the MOLE™ WMS software. This unit is ideal for motorcycle or stand-alone operations, offering a lower cost solution, when compared to more expensive EDA units. The PDA is enclosed in a rugged, waterproof case and connects via BlueTooth^® to the MOLE™ PDB unit.

When used in a motorcycle, the MOLE™ PDA can be attached to the motorcycle or hand-carried. In the stand-alone operation an officer holding the MOLE™ PDA situates himself in a privileged position around the intersection and notifies red light runners via radio to other officers on the streets. Its features and operation are described in the MOLE™ WMS handheld software program.

	MOLE™ PDA running the MOLE™ WMS software

Brochure

You can download our tri-fold brochure here (PDF 2MB).
 

How does the MOLE™ compare to other devices

There are multiple methods and devices out in the market to enforce RLR, being red light cameras and 'rat-boxes' the most common. However, they have several financial and pragmatic drawbacks, including easy ways to deceit them and even fight the tickets. Some examples can be found at www.highwayrobbery.net and www.ticketassassin.com.

Red Light Cameras

A red light camera consists of photo cameras mounted on poles around an intersection. The cameras are connected to the traffic control equipment and are triggered by sensors that detect when a vehicle violates a red light.

The cost of the cameras and its installation can run between US$50,000 and US$100,000 per intersection and in most cases the cities have to split the amount of the fine with the vendor. The vendors can charge around 50% or more of the fine. This, together with vendor payments and recurrent program expenditures can create a huge deficit in the city's budget plan.

Many cities with red light cameras had yearly losses ranging from over US$150,000 to almost one million dollars. The Bureau of State Audits for California in its audit 2001-125 (PDF) of July 2002 about Red Light Camera Programs reveals these large operational costs and other cameras downsides.

The report also reveals weaknesses in the way the cameras operate making them vulnerable to legal challenges. Less than 25% of the potential photographed violators are cited. This is due to multiple reasons, such as gender match failure, poor clarity of driver or plate, vendor unable to match DMV records to vehicle photographed, among many others.

In conclusion, although the cameras reduce the amount of red light running only at the intersections where the cameras are installed, they don't proof too effective to reduce the overall problem in other areas, causing a big expense to the cities to run and maintain them.

Advantages of the MOLE™ versus Cameras:

• Low cost solution
• Easy, low cost installation (less than 30 minutes per intersection)
• Enforce all directions of an intersection
• Highly effective
• Inconspicuous device
• Deter RLR in a wide area
• No contracts, royalties or recurrent expenditures
• No maintenance required
   

Rat-Boxes

Rat-boxes -so dubbed because they ‘rat on’ the offender- consists of a small light that faces the opposite direction as the traffic light used to control the traffic being monitored.

The box turns on when the traffic light cycles to red. Officers can position for stakeout in a place where they can view the limit line and the rat-box from the same vantage point. With this device an officer no longer has to follow an offender through a red light to issue a ticket. This approach is simple and low cost, yet it also has several drawbacks.

Since the rat-boxes are directional, the officer has to position himself at the same location every time, in order to watch the tiny light. This limits the amount of corners in an intersection that an officer can enforce and makes him quite visible to the possible traffic violators. Once the drivers learn where the officers situate themselves at an intersection, the effectiveness of catching red light runners is reduced. It is the uncertainty of not knowing if there is an officer present that truly reduces the amount of red light runners.

Another disadvantage of the existing rat-box is that the police officer has to constantly stare at the tiny light indicator in order to know when the traffic light turns red. Since the officer is not seeing the traffic lights, he doesn't know when the light will turn red, forcing the officer to regularly and alternately check the cars crossing the intersection and the rat-box. This creates eyestrain on the officer and is subject to an imprecise judgment if the driver committed a violation or not. These factors can lead to a less effective enforcement of an intersection over a period of time.
 

Advantages of the MOLE™ versus Rat-Boxes:

• Enforce all directions of an intersection
• Warn officer before enforced lights turns red
• Inconspicuous device
• Deter RLR in a wide area
• Low cost, easy installation (doesn't require 'cherry-picker' trucks)