WVXU: CVG is using AI to predict passenger movement
UC engineering student created system to predict surges in visitors to terminal
WVXU highlighted a research project by Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport and the University of Cincinnati that uses AI to predict when more or less people will arrive.
UC College of Engineering and Applied Science doctoral student Javier Viaña used airport technology that identifies the number of people entering the terminals to build a custom algorithm that can help the airport predict surges of travelers in 15-minute increments.
This information could help the Transportation Security Administration anticipate when to open new lines, Viaña said.
Airports already know how many passengers to expect from flight reservations. But Viaña said that doesn’t tell them how many people to expect in a terminal at any given time.
His algorithm more precisely predicts how many people will filter through check-in and security in 15-minute intervals, Viaña said.
"The important thing here is to work with algorithms that are called 'noise resilient,' which means we are able to work when there is noise in the data or even big uncertainty," Viaña told WVXU.
Featured image at top: An airplane on a tarmac. University of Cincinnati engineering student Javier Viaña is using AI to help airports predict surges in foot traffic. Photo/Iwan Shimko/Unsplash
UC College of Engineering and Applied Science student Javier Viaña developed an algorithm to help Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport predict increases in arriving visitors. Photo/Andrew Higley/UC Creative + Brand
Related Stories
What makes us happy?
August 3, 2026
Suzie White, an assistant professor in the UC School of Education, was interviewed by the publication Upworthy for a story about the communal nature of happiness. White teaches the class, Happiness in Action, which applies the science of happiness to everyday life.
Summer grads ready for life’s next chapter
August 3, 2026
The University of Cincinnati will honor 2,125 summer 2026 graduates in two ceremonies at Fifth Third Arena, highlighting record enrollment, co-op success and global student stories.
UC engineering student completes Ironman race
August 3, 2026
Mateja Rudmann, construction management student at the University of Cincinnati College of Engineering and Applied Science spent six months training for the Ironman: a specific, ultralong triathlon. She trained and completed the triathlon all while working full-time at Garney Construction through the cooperative education (co-op) program.