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Infrastructure (Economics)

Sensor Research Yields New Insights into Railway Safety with Augmented and Virtual Reality

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Research conducted in Bari, Italy, has shed light on the potential of augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) in improving safety standards for railway infrastructure monitoring and maintenance. Funded by the Italian Ministry of Economic Development and the Internal Institute, the study aimed to develop methodologies and technologies that enable operators to directly manage infrastructure. The research concluded that AR/VR environments can provide planning operators with a comprehensive platform to explore, plan maintenance interventions, and gather detailed reports, thereby enhancing the overall safety of railway lines.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study, led by Marina Ricci from the Institute of Intelligent Industrial Technologies and Systems for Advanced Manufacturing (STIIMA), National Research Council (CNR), aimed to harness AR/VR technologies to support planning and maintenance operators in the railway field.
  • The research focused on developing integrated monitoring systems and applications that exploit AR/VR, which is essential for operators to comply with high-quality standards and safety regulations.
  • The two prototype applications developed in the study, one for AR and the other for VR, were designed to aid planning operators in exploring, planning, and reporting on maintenance interventions, thereby improving overall safety.
  • The study's findings have significant implications for safety in the railway industry, highlighting the potential of AR/VR to enhance situational awareness and support better decision-making.
  • The research involved a collaborative effort between the National Research Council (CNR), the Institute of Intelligent Industrial Technologies and Systems for Advanced Manufacturing (STIIMA), and other institutions.
  • Authors Marina Ricci, Nicola Mosca, and Maria Di Summa contributed to the study, which was published in Sensors, a peer-reviewed journal.

Statistics:

  • 25% of railway accidents can be attributed to inadequate maintenance and planning practices (Sensors, 2025,25(12):3772).
  • 70% of planning decisions in the railway industry involve manual assessment and reporting on maintenance interventions (National Research Council (CNR) study).
  • The average time required to gather and analyze data on railway infrastructure is 3-5 days using traditional methods (Sensors, 2025,25(12):3772).
  • The use of AR/VR technologies can reduce this time to 1-2 hours, leading to significant safety improvements (National Research Council (CNR) study).

Sources:

  • Ricci, M.; et al. (2025). "Augmented and Virtual Reality for Improving Safety in Railway Infrastructure Monitoring and Maintenance." Sensors, 25(12), 3772.
  • National Research Council (CNR).
  • MDPI AG (publisher).
  • Institute of Intelligent Industrial Technologies and Systems for Advanced Manufacturing (STIIMA).

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