Safely Back to Work
monitor and ensure compliance with face masks and / or social distancing . Hence the need for an automated solution .
Sensing technologies and full-stack IoT solutions are now readily available , already having confronted problems such as occupancy detection , indoor location tracking , and employee safety in pre-COVID times . As more sensors are available to track the employees and more devices become connected , the transition back to work can be allowed in a safe and seamless manner . What may not have been possible 15 years ago , is now enabled through the use of efficient and well developed IoT architectures and solutions .
We present a survey and analysis of various cost-effective and easily scalable approaches that can be used to achieve the tasks of occupancy tracking , social distance measurement and facial mask compliance . These approaches make use of either existing infrastructure or minimal additional infrastructural requirements to fulfill these objectives . This is accomplished by the use of various sensors and concepts of IoT , AI and computer vision .
PROBLEM SPACE
Facilities managers at large organizations are faced with many challenges as they are asked to prepare for an employee back to work scenario . In addition , offices are expected to comply with all laws and regulations of the local jurisdiction in redesigning the new office space and workplace experience . The same challenge is faced by many other organizations including but not limited to schools , shopping areas and factories . In order to ensure the safety of employees and workers , the following workplace activities will need to be measured :
Occupancy
Local jurisdictions have begun to enforce restrictions on the number of people that can be accommodated in an indoor location . For example , some restaurants have begun enforcing a 25 % -50 % 3 capacity or a seating capacity 4 . Office environments have limited the number of employees returning to the office by allowing a certain number of workers back in phases . Occupancy counts will be a very important factor in ensuring that employees are returning back to work in safe numbers . Indoor spaces will vary in the number of employees it will be able to accommodate and will depend on factors like size , window access , air movement , etc . Measurement devices that can accurately determine the number of people in various locations regardless of what type of space it is ( office , factory floor , cafe , conference room , etc .) will allow
IIC Journal of Innovation - 19 -