Application of CDS Photoresistors: An Inexpensive Approach to Implementing Intelligent Road Traffic Signal Control in Developing Countries

Considering the increase rate at which traffic congestion occur in urban cities which is associated with longer waiting time of vehicles on traffic queues, despite good road networks; it is imperative to apply state-of-the-art technologies to curb this challenge. This research applied CDS Photoresistors as an inexpensive approach to implementing an intelligent road traffic signal control in developing countries. In doing this, inexpensive and open-source materials like Arduino mega microcontroller, LEDs, and photoresistors were used in developing a prototype system. Despite the application of the inexpensive CDS Photoresistors, methods such as object-oriented system analysis and design and fuzzy logic modelling were applied in the analysis of the traffic signal control system as well as incorporation of intelligence into the prototype system. The microcontroller was used to run the fuzzy logic operations in order to make the traffic signal control have a level of intelligence that will mimic the behavior of a human traffic controller so that the system can learn traffic situations of the road at all time. Results obtained indicate that by adding intelligence to the traffic control system through the application of the CDS Photoresistor sensor (for monitoring) and fuzzy logic (for reasoning), the prototype system displayed a better performance as it senses its environment and strikes a balance in the flow of traffic for the different lanes