IIT Kanpur Convenes Global Experts for Pedestrian Mobility and Safety Summit
The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT-K) recently served as the host for the prestigious international conference titled 'Sensing and Modelling for Pedestrian Mobility and Safety' (ICSM-PMS 2026). This significant event was held at the Pioneer Batch Continuing Education Centre (PBCEC) on the IIT Kanpur campus, drawing attention to one of the most pressing issues in urban planning and transportation worldwide.
A Collaborative Effort to Enhance Road Safety
Organized by the Department of Civil Engineering at IIT Kanpur, the two-day conference was a key component of a SPARC-funded international research collaboration. This partnership involves IIT-K and the University of Melbourne in Australia, highlighting the global nature of the initiative. The conference successfully brought together a diverse group of participants, including researchers, academics, and industry practitioners, all united by a common goal: to tackle the critical challenge of pedestrian mobility and road safety through innovative technological approaches.
Keynote and Technical Sessions Drive Innovation
The event featured a keynote address by Prof Milad Haghani, who serves as the Principal Research Fellow in Resilience and Mobility at the Department of Infrastructure Engineering, University of Melbourne. His insights set the tone for the conference, emphasizing the importance of resilience in mobility systems. The technical programme was structured around four thematic sessions, each focusing on essential aspects of the field:
- Mobility: Exploring the dynamics of pedestrian movement and flow in various environments.
- Mobility and Sensing: Integrating advanced sensing technologies to monitor and analyze pedestrian behavior.
- Pedestrian Safety: Addressing risk factors and developing strategies to enhance safety on roads.
In addition to these sessions, the conference included a hands-on demonstration session, allowing participants to engage directly with cutting-edge tools and methodologies. This practical component underscored the conference's commitment to applying research findings in real-world scenarios, leveraging data analytics and modelling to create safer pedestrian environments.
The ICSM-PMS 2026 conference at IIT Kanpur not only facilitated knowledge exchange but also strengthened international collaborations, paving the way for future innovations in pedestrian mobility and safety. By focusing on sensing and modelling, the event highlighted how technology can be harnessed to save lives and improve urban infrastructure globally.
