AMT Group developed new terminals of an emergency communication for handicapped passengers of the St. Petersburg subway

2020: Completion of test operation of the terminal of an emergency communication with functionality for handicapped passengers

On March 30, 2020 the AMT Group company announced completion of test operation of the terminal of an emergency communication and information support of the transmission system of disturbing information (TSDI) with functionality for handicapped groups of the population for the St. Petersburg subway. The first terminal was installed at the Baltiyskaya station. Demonstration of functionality of the terminal during tested confirmed their working capacity in the conditions of the operating subway.

According to the company, since 2018 AMT Group installs terminals of the updated sample at stations and lobbies of the St. Petersburg subway. The upgraded SPTI terminals are equipped with the built-in interactive monitor and the equipment ensuring functioning of the specialized information navigation system. For March, 2020 terminals work at stations "Dunayskaya", "Shushary", "Prospekt Slavy" and also at Novokrestovskaya and Running.

For improvement of service quality of passengers with a speech and hearing disorder and also the passengers moving in wheelchairs, the management of the St. Petersburg subway made the decision on completion of functionality of terminals. Specialists of AMT Group proposed the solution providing installation in the lower part of the terminal of the additional surveillance camera and the microphone and also an induction circuit for hearing-impaired passengers.

In addition, the software of the terminal was finished. For communication with operators of the Situational and Information centers the online chat is created. Passengers had an opportunity of sending short messages and obtaining replies of operators in the online mode. For operators the customized application allowing to interact with passengers is developed. To go to a conversation by means of text messages it is enough to passenger to select the "Online a Chat with the Operator" button from the menu. Further based on an online chat development of the translator for use by city visitors is planned.

For ensuring availability of navigation services to visually impaired passengers the special mode of the screen upon transition to which only the main menu is output by the increased font is provided.

On the front panel of the updated terminal the following components are placed:

• explanatory texts;
• the video camera for ensuring video conference with the operator;
• loudspeaker;
• microphone;
• interactive monitor 32';
• induction loop (for passengers with a hearing disorder);
• the red shining Emergency call key;
• the yellow shining Reference key.

On the screen of the terminal the interactive scheme of the subway with a possibility of the choice of the necessary station from the alphabetic list is displayed. Passengers have an opportunity to perform search of a route from the station of installation of the terminal to any other station with indication of changes and approximate transit time, the choice of one route from several in case of existence alternative options. In addition, the terminal provides a number of additional information and navigation services, such as neighbourhood map with a coverage not less than 2 km. from the station location with indication of the most significant objects of social and cultural value; information on routes of the movement of land public transport in the airport of St. Petersburg (with a possibility of the choice of a route of the movement from this metro station); information on the main stations and the nearest bus stations of St. Petersburg (including routes). Owners of cars will find information on the intercepting parkings of motor transport near metro stations.

The separate section is devoted to information on instructions for use of the subway, fare, an order of acquisition of tickets, operating time of the subway and other reference information. Also information on construction plans and development of the subway in the form of the subway map with dates of commissioning of stations is displayed. The Russian and English interface languages are supported.

One of the most important tasks for the subway – increase in level of comfort of use and ensuring availability of transport services to all categories of passengers. Expansion of functionality of SPTI terminals became one more step in this direction.

2019: Completion of upgrade of technology network

On September 25, 2019 the AMT Group company announced project completion on upgrade of a technology communication network of SUE "Petersburg Metro" (TSSM). During the project the architecture of network was rebuilt and replacement of the equipment at all levels of network hierarchy is made. As a result of the performed works capacity of the trunk communication channels providing communication between key nodes of network is increased up to 10 Gbit / c. Hardware upgrade increased reliability of network, provided failsafe functioning and fast recovery of network connectivity in case of possible failures of communication lines.

The technology communication network is used by services of the Subway as reference network for the connection of local networks of data transmission and the distributed data processing centers located in different geographically remote objects of the Subway. In the course of works the core of TSSM network is upgraded that allowed to provide failsafe connection of the existing level of aggregation of network and also connection of a geographically distributed data processing center of the Subway. Now all connection points (stations, depot, administrative buildings) have equivalent conditions on access to resources of the distributed DPC and to each other.

For ensuring isolation of different network services from each other the Subway uses the system of "virtual private networks" on the basis of MPLS (VPLS) technology. Before upgrade this technology was used only at the level of aggregation that significantly limited deployment of network services directly in connection points of the terminal equipment. As a result of the carried-out works TSSM turned into full-fledged network of operator level, and elements of virtual private networks connected to it became actually users of reference network with the unified access and a set of network services.

Upgrade of TSSM is performed using routers of the ASR 900 and 9000 series of production of Cisco Systems company.

Upgrade of a technology communication network gives us the chance of further development of the subway using modern digital technologies both for business process optimization, and for the solution of one of the major tasks – safety of our passengers, increases in level of their comfort when using of transport services, commented on project results Maxim Borisovich Smirnov, the chief of Service of information technologies of state unitary enterprise "The St. Petersburg subway

2012: End of the first stage of equipment of the St. Petersburg subway system of an emergency communication and information

Announced AMT Group in the fall of 2010 end of the first stage of equipment of the St. Petersburg subway the system of an emergency communication and information. The Terminals of an Emergency Call (TEC) set within an end-to-end automated system of information support and ensuring anti-terrorist security of the subway are placed on platforms of transfer stations of the subway.

The TEV main function is transfer of disturbing messages to the operator of the situational center of the subway at emergence of extraordinary or any other non-staff situations (falling of the person on the way, smoke, the fire, a fight, etc.) at stations of the subway for rapid response. By a call from the button of an emergency call of "SOS" located in the left part of the terminal connection with the operator of the situational center of the subway who was created by AMT Group in 2007 is performed. At the same time the video camera which is built in the terminal for display defiant and a surrounding situation automatically turns on. The employee of the situational center online obtains the complete information about the taking place event. At the moment the St. Petersburg subway is equipped 1.2 thousand video cameras in passenger zones (stations and lobbies), permanent record is kept.

The information key when which clicking the passenger obtains information on work of the subway interesting him from the operator of help desk is also provided in the terminal. By the end of 2010 in service operators will begin to work with knowledge of a foreign language, says AMT Group.

The built-in touch screen therefore the device of an emergency communication was transformed to "the information booth" with the multimedia interface became the new feature implemented for the first time in terminals of the St. Petersburg subway. Passengers can obtain the visual reference information about stations of the subway, cost and validity periods of tickets; select an optimal route using the interactive map of the subway; browse topical news and declarations of changes in an operation mode of stations, etc. The instruction to passengers" is in addition placed "(How to behave in case of occurrence of extreme situations, to give first aid, etc.).

The heading "The Subway — to Children" became one of new projects of the St. Petersburg subway. Passengers with children can browse via the screen of the terminal of the instruction for use of the subway, adapted for children. 7 animation rollers, in a comic form explaining to children the basic rules of security and behavior on the subway are created. Use of the touch screen allows to lower load of the operator of help desk and to increase visualization of the provided information. According to AMT Group, system implementation of TEV on zvolit to increase efficiency of monitoring of a situation in the subway for the purpose of prevention of emergencies, fire safety, protection of public order and prevention of offenses. Also the convenience of use of the subway to passengers increased. System implementation of an emergency communication and information at the stations of the subway adjacent to railway stations will become the next stage of the project.

In April, 2012 AMT Group announced project completion on equipment of the St. Petersburg subway the system of an emergency communication and information. Columns the Transmission Systems of Disturbing Information (TSDI) installed within an end-to-end automated system of information support and ensuring anti-terrorist security of the subway are placed on all platforms of the subway.

At 65 stations of the St. Petersburg subway 71 columns are set. Practically all of them are placed on platforms, several columns are in lobbies of stations.

During the time which passed since the beginning of project implementation the monthly growth of quantity of the calls made by passengers using columns of SPTI is observed. For example, according to the results of November, 2011 the number of the processed calls made 6,601, in February of the current year - already 12,751.

The disturbing calls received using SPTI of the SOS button located on a column are processed in the Situational center of the St. Petersburg subway. The passenger can address the operator of the Situational center at emergence of extraordinary or any other emergency situations (falling of the person on the way, smoke, the fire, a fight, etc.) at stations of the subway for rapid response.

By clicking the INFO button the call arrives to operators of the Directory Center (DC) of the St. Petersburg subway created by AMT Group in 2010. In 2011 in ISTs operators began to work with knowledge of English, the English-speaking version of the interface is in addition installed on parts of terminals in the test mode. Thus, today to obtain the reference information and a necessary assistance not only Russians, but also guests of St. Petersburg from foreign countries can. ISTs works in the round-the-clock mode and receives also calls from landline phones. Monthly operators process about 10,000 telephone requests. The staff of the center helps not only to orient with the subway, but also explains how to reach sights of St. Petersburg to city visitors.

Monitors of columns are also used now for demonstration of rollers on transport security.

In 2012 installation of columns at new stations is planned (International and Bucharest).

"The St. Petersburg subway on the level of technical equipment is one of the advanced enterprises of the city, - the deputy chief engineer of the St. Petersburg subway Korolyov M.Yu. says. – We pay to implementation of modern technologies special attention. In particular it concerns relevant technological solutions which promote increased security and comfort of passengers".