Advanced Traffic Pole Upgrade Module (ATPUM) : A Comprehensive Study on Hardware Design and System Operation Flowchart for Real-Time Hazard Detection and Warning

Pedestrian safety remains a significant challenge within Finnish urban infrastructure, exacerbated by harsh Nordic winters that frequently lead to hazardous road conditions. Addressing this critical issue, this thesis proposes an Advanced Traffic Pole Upgrade Module (ATPUM), designed as a retrofit solution for existing traffic poles, integrating smart sensors and proactive alert systems for real-time hazard detection. The research adopts a constructive approach, emphasizing the selection and integration of robust hardware components through rigorous Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA), primarily the Weighted Scoring System and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). A high emphasis (weighted at 0.99) was placed on temperature tolerance during component evaluation, ensuring the system’s functionality and reliability in sub-zero Finnish conditions. The study presents two conceptual designs along with a detailed operational flowchart that delineates ATPUM's intelligent hazard detection and alert logic. Although constrained by theoretical scope and limited resources, this work contributes significantly to future practical implementations aimed at enhancing pedestrian safety. The author expresses sincere gratitude to Olli Rossi, Head of Unit for Traffic Lights and Automated Speed Enforcement at Fintraffic, and Passi Ikonen, Electronics B2B & Embedded System Design Manager at InnoTrafik Oy, for their valuable industry insights during the initial phases of the project, as well as to thesis supervisor Professor Tauno Kekäle for his continuous support and expert guidance throughout the research process.