TECHNOLOGY
Rise of the machines
By Kim Kemp
Safety within the civils and construction sectors is being augmented with technology, from‘ wearables’ to drones— and more.
In this world of high-tech, everything from the device you hold to your ear every day and the dashboard in your car, to the display on your fridge door reminding you to replenish contents, can be interconnected. The Internet of things( IoT) is insidious, ever pervasive, and overarching. The advent of drones that fly to heights unavailable— or unwise— for humans to attempt, ensures that lives remain safe, while delivering faster, more reliable data. Increasingly, technology is ensuring the safety of the workforce through IoT. According to a US report, Construction Technology Trends – 2018 Report, in which 158 construction industry professionals from small to midsize businesses( SMB) in North America were questioned about their current technology and software uses, as well as future plans, drones are expected to be commonplace, with 26 % of SMB construction professionals already using or planning to use them by 2020. The report adds that while drones lead the trend, the construction industry is adopting robots and autonomous equipment at a similar rate to drones, with 24 % of construction industry professionals indicating that they will implement autonomous equipment by 2020. Often, the reasoning is that control of the construction site is difficult, with accident rates escalating. Thus, an investment in safety directly impacts the positive performance of the sector. According to McKinsey Global Institute, construction remains one of the least digitised industries in the world, while even a fraction of a percentage change in productivity could equate to substantial savings. Fatal injuries in construction rose by 2 % to 924 cases in 2015— the highest level since 2008, according to the National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries in 2015 report by the Bureau of Labour Statistics( US).
20- CEC March 2018
McKinsey Global Institute estimated in a report that the world will need to spend USD57-trillion on infrastructure by 2030 to keep up with global GDP growth; a substantial market that can benefit from improved safety for its workforce— through technology.
Wearables
Once the domain of professional athletes and sports physiotherapists, wearable technology is now used in construction to make data-driven decisions and assess the way workers are moving, every day, on a micro level. The safety culture and education of workers are gaining more attention from safety managers, through methods for reducing injury and costs, while improving productivity. Verdantix is an independent research and consulting firm from the UK, with a focus on innovative technologies that optimise business operations. In a report on wearables and safety, Verdantix wrote:“ In the industrial space, wearables meant to monitor a person’ s condition in real time can include bracelets, hats, gloves, industrial hygiene samplers, or even clothing. The defining characteristic of this category is that the wearable is meant only to acquire information about a person for use in determining the risk of undesired outcomes.” An example in point is SolePower’ s latest work boot prototype, which recharges a battery in the sole that lights up as the wearer walks. Rectangular sections in the heels illuminate a bright orange, creating the first“ self-charging, industrial wearable,” according to Cindy Kerr, commercial director. Inside the SolePower boots are various sensors, including for temperature detection, GPS, Wi-Fi, electronics, and inertial measurement units, which track location and motion. Each is powered by a kinetic charger that harnesses the untapped energy produced by walking. This unplugged technology could play a role in improving safety and efficiency in building and construction and in the oil and gas industries, joining the ranks of smart helmets, vests, glasses, and even bionic suits, Kerr adds. A company called SmartCap has produced a product that looks like a regular baseball cap, but doubles as a wearable that monitors user fatigue. Especially designed for truck drivers who are at risk of drowsy driving, the caps collect information that can be sent to a device in the truck’ s cab or even to an external location to alert the driver— or someone monitoring the worker— that the driver is becoming sleepy. This leads to the next frontier, where the ability to send information to a worker through a wearable will be possible, with someone off site who can monitor workers to help prevent injuries. Also in the headgear department is the Daqri Smart Helmet, designed specifically for industrial applications. Combining an Intel M7 chip, a RealSense camera, and numerous in-house innovations into a singular, wearable device, it includes an array of cameras that enable 360-degree computer vision. High-resolution depth sensors facilitate precise tracking and alignments.“ What the Daqri Smart Helmet allows the worker to do is take work constructions and augment data or information right on top of the work environment,” says Andy Lowery, president of Daqri. When multiple workers are using the smart helmets, the information is shared and“ you can build an entire model of a facility with that data,” Lowery adds. Another invention, exoskeletons and power-assist suits, are being developed for industrial use to enable workers to