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Rail System Control & Automation Laboratory
Safety-critical hardware and software for railway signalling, interlocking and automation — plus an open list of project topics that can become your thesis.
Entry requirements
What we expect before you join
Knowledge of these topics is considered necessary — but in many cases a genuine willingness to learn them is enough.
Fundamentals
- Basic knowledge of rail systems and motivation for the field
- Familiarity with Safety Integrity Level (SIL)
- Fail-safe coding principles
- Basics of Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC)
- Willingness to document work properly
Technical competencies
- Basic proficiency in at least one programming language
- Reading and preparing technical documentation
- Modbus or a similar communication protocol
Toolchains
- SILworX IDE
- SCADE Suite (Display, Architecture)
- Ada language IDE
- Visual Studio
- Android Studio
- Xcode
Training
Before and during lab work
Laboratory entry training
Occupational health and safety training is mandatory and covers emergency procedures. Delivered by lab staff before you enter.
SCADE training
Students working with SCADE complete the relevant courses on the Numesys learning portal. learning.numesys.com.tr
SILworX training
Delivered in-house, within the laboratory, to students working on SILworX.
Open project topics
Twenty-six starting points
These topics are meant to spark ideas, not to limit them. If you have a different project in mind, get in touch — the aim is safer, more efficient and more sustainable transport.
Earthquake risk analysis & early warning
Seismic and fiber sensors with AI algorithms to detect events ahead of time and trigger precautions on high-risk lines.
Track geometry measurement
Laser scanning and image processing to detect deformation; gradient estimation with low-cost accelerometers.
Culvert monitoring & flood warning
Water level sensors, fiber optic sensing and meteorological data to anticipate flooding along the route.
New-generation track circuits
Fiber optic or wireless alternatives that resist seasonal resistance drift and locate trains more accurately.
Advanced battery systems
Longer range and shorter charging through new cell technologies and energy management algorithms.
Intelligent vehicle control
Automatic train operation and driver assistance built on modern control and learning methods.
5G-based FRMCS communication
Future Railway Mobile Communication System infrastructure with higher data rates and lower latency.
Door control & evacuation
Sensor and AI driven door control for passenger flow and energy, plus evacuation modelling with simulation and VR.
Predictive maintenance & occupancy
Big data, AI and fiber optic acoustic sensing to foresee failures; real-time carriage occupancy from image analysis.
High-speed & hyperloop
Vacuum tube and maglev concepts, high-speed train technology, line infrastructure and aerodynamic optimisation.
Train control, tracking & scheduling
TCMS, real-time train tracking and intelligent traffic management with schedule optimisation.
Recognition & security
AI-supported train authentication and the integration of security cameras with sensor networks.
Component condition monitoring
Pantograph condition monitoring, wheel defect detection, and rail monitoring with maintenance optimisation.
Interns wanted, every semester
The laboratory recruits interns each semester. Send your CV and the topics you care about; a willingness to learn counts more than a finished skill set.
Get in touch