IEM Corp.: Smart Infrastructure Monitoring System

IEM Corp.'s Smart Infrastructure Monitoring System (SIMS) is the backbone of the company's vibration monitoring system (VMS) and wheel flaw subsystem (WFD). While modern rail operations include many mitigating measures to reduce the impacts of vibration, real-time performance monitoring identifies associated noise and ground movement that can impact sensitive communities and facilities. Such rail corridors include hospitals and research operations containing vibration-sensitive equipment, museums with fragile collections and concert halls designed to optimize sound.

SIMS integrates "smart objects" (such as geophones, accelerometers and acoustic sensors) that can sense, analyze and automate machine-to-machine communications. Expanding the reach of the system is as easy as adding and configuring additional modular sensors.

Data from the sensors are housed on a system of servers with web-based access, enabling users with varied use needs to recover the information in formats that best suit them. Analysis of this data may be used to modify operating conditions in sensitive areas, such as reducing train speed.