Project Rumble Strip
Original Mission created by RENSIC.
Submit Your Research MissionMission Overview: Infrastructure Vibration Mapping
Local infrastructure is degrading rapidly, and municipalities often rely on outdated visual inspections or wait for catastrophic failures before taking action. We want to change that by turning everyday commutes into a massive, decentralized seismic survey.
The Goal: We are building a high-fidelity "vibration map" of our local roads to identify degrading infrastructure, subsurface voids, and severe surface cracks before they cause accidents or vehicle damage.
The Science: Modern smartphones are equipped with incredibly sensitive accelerometers. By securely mounting your phone in your car and driving a designated route, we can record the micro-vibrations and acoustic signatures of the road surface. We are utilizing Phyphox, an open-source physics application developed by RWTH Aachen University, to capture this raw telemetry.
The Rensic Value: Instead of waiting for city planners, we will crowdsource an immutable, data-driven map of infrastructure decay. This data will be synthesized to force municipal action, file targeted government complaints, and warn citizens of dangerous road conditions.
Mandatory Tools First
In order to participate in Missions, you will need at least one of these two apps for all missions. Other specialized tools may be required by the Mission:
ProofMode
A lightweight app that turns your phone into a secure evidence-gathering device by automatically adding cryptographic signatures and metadata.
proofmode.orgPhyphox
An open-source physics application developed by RWTH Aachen University that utilizes your smartphone's sensors for data collection.
phyphox.orgOpen Source Forensic Tools (Digital & Network Analysis):
Audacity
An open-source, cross-platform audio software for multi-track recording and editing. Essential for analyzing the acoustic signatures of road surface anomalies captured during the mission.
audacityteam.orgQGIS
A free and open-source geographic information system (GIS) application. Required for visualizing and analyzing the GPS-tagged heat map of "Resonance Zones" and "Impact Events."
qgis.orgWhen you download the apps, this is what you need to do before you use them:
- Phyphox: Vibration Frequency set to 100Hz.
- ProofMode: Video set to 1080 30fps. DO NOT use 4K video.
For additional operational resources, consult the Tools and Testing, Ethical Testing Guide, Verification Guide, and Smart Contracts pages.
The "Double-Pass" Methodology
Directive RS-01: Standardized Acoustic & Vibration Collection
To ensure our data is legally actionable and scientifically sound enough for a formal government complaint, we cannot rely on random bump detection. We are implementing a strict "Double-Pass" Methodology to standardize the data across different vehicles and speeds.
Phase 1: Standardization & The "Reference Bump"
Every car has a different suspension system. To calibrate the data, users must first drive over a specific, known obstacle (e.g., a designated local speed hump or standardized manhole cover). This establishes a baseline suspension sensitivity signature for your specific device and vehicle.
Critical App Setup Requirements
To create verifiable, corroborating evidence that holds up to scrutiny, you must configure your data collection apps in a specific order with exact settings:
- First, set up Phyphox: Open the app and set the Vibration Frequency to exactly 100Hz. This specific frequency is required to capture the micro-vibrations of the road surface accurately without overloading the sensor data.
- Next, set up ProofMode: Configure the Video settings to 1080p at 30fps. Do not use 4K video. 4K video files are too large for the decentralized storage network, cause unnecessary processing delays, and can lead to dropped frames which invalidate the cryptographic proof. 1080p at 30fps provides the perfect balance of visual clarity and verifiable metadata.
Pass 1: The "Damping" Test (Sub-base Density)
Instead of just measuring the initial impact of a bump, this pass measures vibration decay to detect weak soil or voids under the asphalt.
- The Science: When a car hits a standard anomaly, the phone's accelerometer records how long the "ringing" effect lasts.
- Solid Foundation: The vibration stops almost instantly (high damping).
- Weak/Void Soil: The road flexes and resonates longer because the ground underneath is failing to support the asphalt slab (low damping).
- The Data Output: A GPS-tagged heat map of "Resonance Zones."
Pass 2: The "Impact" Test (Surface Cracks & Potholes)
This pass focuses on the Z-axis (vertical) accelerometer spikes to map physical gaps and surface degradation.
- The "Speed Governor": To ensure the impact data is comparable across all users, the custom Phyphox script will ONLY record data when your GPS verifies you are traveling between 25–30 mph.
- The Science: High-frequency, high-magnitude vertical spikes indicate severe physical gaps in the pavement.
- The Data Output: GPS-tagged "Impact Events."
Phase 2: The Open-Source "Validator"
Users do not need to analyze the raw telemetry. Simply export the CSV files from Phyphox and submit them. A portion of the mission funding will be used to pay a researcher to build a Python-based "Validator" script. This script will ingest the Damping and Impact CSVs, cross-reference the GPS tags, and automatically generate a unified "Correlation Score" for the infrastructure's health.
Milestones
This mission is structured in three progressive milestones to ensure systematic and verifiable mapping of degrading infrastructure.
Milestone 1: The Initial Sweep
$150Goal: Establish the foundational data collection protocol and initial testing.
- Fund the creation of a custom `.phyphox` experiment file that filters for soil density and road cracks.
- Reward the first batch of users (up to 30) for completing the "Double-Pass" tests (Damping and Impact) on local roads.
Milestone 2: The Validator & Expansion
$500Goal: Standardize the data analysis and expand the mapping area.
- Pay a researcher to build the Python "Validator" script to process the CSV files and generate "Correlation Scores."
- Fund additional bounties to expand the data collection across wider municipal zones.
Milestone 3: The City-Wide Heatmap
$2,000Goal: Create a comprehensive, actionable report for government submission.
- Build a live, interactive map of "Resonance Zones" and "Impact Events."
- Synthesize the data into a formal, verifiable government complaint regarding degrading infrastructure.
Mission Downloads
The following files are pre-configured specifically for Project Rumble Strip. Citizen Researchers can use these templates to compile legally verifiable, corroborating evidence for submission to municipal authorities or courts.
Submission Requirements
Citizen Researchers are required to submit these two files (completely filled out; the .json is pre-filled with Mission-specific metadata) alongside the raw evidence Phyphox .csv file and the ProofMode video file for full review, validation, and payment.
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)
Follow this step-by-step checklist to ensure your vibration data is accurate, standardized, and forensically valid.
1 Preparation & App Setup
- Mounting: You MUST use a rigid dashboard or windshield mount for your smartphone. Do NOT hold the phone, place it in a cup holder, or leave it loose on the seat.
- Phyphox Setup: Open Phyphox, select "Acceleration with g", and set the Vibration Frequency to 100Hz.
- ProofMode Setup: Open ProofMode and ensure video is set to 1080p at 30fps. Do NOT use 4K.
- Vehicle Prep: Ensure your tires are properly inflated to the manufacturer's recommended pressure.
2 The Reference Bump (Calibration)
- Locate Obstacle: Find a known, standardized obstacle (like a speed hump or a specific manhole cover) in your area.
- Start Recording: Start both Phyphox (data collection) and ProofMode (video recording with metadata).
- Drive Over: Drive over the reference obstacle at a steady, safe speed (e.g., 15 mph).
- Stop & Save: Pull over safely, stop both recordings, and save the data. This establishes your vehicle's baseline suspension signature.
3 The Target Route (Double-Pass)
- Start Recording: Start new recordings on both Phyphox and ProofMode.
- Pass 1 (Damping): Drive the target route at the posted speed limit. Maintain a steady speed.
- Turn Around: Safely turn your vehicle around to drive the exact same route in the opposite direction.
- Pass 2 (Impact): Drive the target route again at the posted speed limit.
- Stop & Save: Pull over safely, stop both recordings, and save the data. Export the Phyphox data as a CSV file.
4 Documentation & Submission
- Metadata: Fill out the provided Evidence Metadata JSON file with your specific mission details.
- Verification: Ensure the ProofMode zip file contains the video and all cryptographic metadata.
- Upload: Upload the Phyphox CSV, the ProofMode zip file, and the completed JSON metadata file to the RENSIC portal.
Mission Budget Breakdown
Total Funding Necessary: $150
The money will be used for the Rewards. Payout $5 for a verified "Double-Pass" submission (total 30 tasks) via PayPal.
Mission Timeline
Mission Created
Project Rumble Strip initialized. Initial funding round opened.
Data Collection Phase
Users capture Double-Pass accelerometer data.
Vibration Data Analysis
Validator script processes CSV files to generate Correlation Scores.
Activity Log
Mission started. Awaiting first submissions.
Audit Results
Results will be populated as verified data is collected.
How do you want to participate?
This is a Live Test Mission and needs 30 people to do a quick test (takes a few minutes; see Overview and Protocol tabs). We'll pay $5 via PayPal - no catch - to the first 30 people who send their results to our email info@rensic.com.
Minimum contribution: $10.00
This mission is currently in manual funding phase. All contributions are tracked publicly. Full platform automation launching Q3 2026.
NOTE: All transactions are securely processed and tracked for Escrow services.
Milestone 1 is Fully Funded! Any new contributions will be applied directly toward the next Milestone.