DESC0025139
Project Grant
Overview
Grant Description
Offline reinforcement learning-based traffic management to improve system wide energy efficiency
Awardee
Funding Goals
OFFLINE REINFORCEMENT LEARNING-BASED TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT TO IMPROVE SYSTEM WIDE ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Grant Program (CFDA)
Awarding Agency
Funding Agency
Place of Performance
Eden Prairie,
Minnesota
55346-2510
United States
Geographic Scope
Single Zip Code
Related Opportunity
Analysis Notes
Amendment Since initial award the End Date has been extended from 01/21/25 to 06/30/25.
QEN Labs was awarded
Project Grant DESC0025139
worth $199,952
from the Office of Science in July 2024 with work to be completed primarily in Eden Prairie Minnesota United States.
The grant
has a duration of 1 year and
was awarded through assistance program 81.049 Office of Science Financial Assistance Program.
The Project Grant was awarded through grant opportunity FY 2024 Phase I Release 2.
SBIR Details
Research Type
SBIR Phase I
Title
Offline Reinforcement Learning-Based Traffic Management to Improve System Wide Energy Efficiency
Abstract
Qen Labs Inc. is pioneering the development of a citywide traffic management system that adeptly navigates the multifaceted challenges associated with treating automatic traffic signal control as a multi-objective optimization problem. Distinctively, our methodology circumvents the need for real-world traffic system trials by harnessing Offline Reinforcement Learning (Offline-RL). This technique necessitates detailed vehicular movement data to refine traffic control strategies. Our holistic strategy incorporates an amalgamation of historical data, taxi trip records, crowdsourced trajectories, generative AI-created trajectories, and simulated data to construct a rich dataset for training our offline-RL model, which yields traffic signal control policies. By leveraging a diverse array of data sources, we obtain a multi-layered perspective on urban mobility patterns, vital for the planning, management, and optimization of transportation networks. Conventional simulator-based traffic modeling, which falls short in integrating historical traffic data, is eclipsed by our approach. Moreover, the use of real-world reinforcement learning experiments, fraught with ethical concerns due to the imposition of untested systems on actual traffic flows, is replaced by our novel application of offline reinforcement learning. This approach utilizes real-world traffic data to optimize traffic management objectives, notably enhancing system-level energy efficiency without the risk of operational disruptions. Our use of Offline-RL has demonstrated up to a 30% improvement in traffic flows at signal intersections, marking a significant advancement in traffic management solutions. Finally, we will make edge level implementations possible to ensure swift decision-making and significantly reduce latency, thereby enhancing the efficiency and responsiveness of the urban traffic management ecosystem.
Topic Code
C58-22c
Solicitation Number
DE-FOA-0003202
Status
(Complete)
Last Modified 5/21/25
Period of Performance
7/22/24
Start Date
6/30/25
End Date
Funding Split
$200.0K
Federal Obligation
$0.0
Non-Federal Obligation
$200.0K
Total Obligated
Activity Timeline
Transaction History
Modifications to DESC0025139
Additional Detail
Award ID FAIN
DESC0025139
SAI Number
None
Award ID URI
SAI EXEMPT
Awardee Classifications
Small Business
Awarding Office
892430 SC CHICAGO SERVICE CENTER
Funding Office
892401 SCIENCE
Awardee UEI
KG5KRE1TD753
Awardee CAGE
9SY78
Performance District
MN-03
Senators
Amy Klobuchar
Tina Smith
Tina Smith
Modified: 5/21/25