SafetyTech Weekly #007
SAFETYTECH WEEKLY #007
Welcome to edition 007 of SafetyTech Weekly - this penultimate edition for the year is short but sweet. Let's get started and kick off proceedings with another peek into the metaverse...
PROCESS VALIDATION USING VIRTUAL REALITY
There is a lot of hot air when it comes to VR use cases for enterprise so it is great to see content showcasing high value use cases. This is a case example using VR for sensor test validation - #safetytech opportunities are exciting... particularly with critical control verification and high risk task planning.
"When performing sensor validation tests in the Arnold Engineering Development Complex Sea Level Test Cell 1, or SL-1, this summer, AEDC engineers at Arnold Air Force Base had the opportunity to view in nearly real-time a three-dimensional representation of the test hardware and support systems using virtual reality"
HOW THE METAVERSE IS HELPING REPLICATE THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE AT WORK
There is a fair bit of debate going on in safety circles regarding the ability or inability to be effective as a safety leader if you can't physically be present at a work site. An alarming majority appear to be dismissing digital solutions as significantly inferior. Sure it's not as good as IRL but VR provides an amazing opportunity to build connection remotely and a tool in the toolkit to support improving the safety of work. This article opens the hood of possibilities.
"The next step is replicating the human interactions and connections we’re accustomed to in the physical world in a digital one. The metaverse presents a massive opportunity here"
My recommendation: Don't knock it until you try it 😎
AI THAT CAN TRANSLATE INSTRUCTION MANUALS INTO AUGMENTED REALITY
Content development for AR use cases has historically been time consuming and expensive. This is a great solution and a huge benefit for #safetytech as first line workers leverage immersive content to improve health & safety outcomes.
“By leveraging existing instructional materials to create new AR guidance, the project stands to accelerate making real-time task guidance and feedback available on-demand.”
MINI BOOK REVIEW: ATLAS OF AI by KATE CRAWFORD
In an effort to gain a well rounded view on the opportunity and risks associated with the use of Artificial Intelligence systems in life and work; I read Atlas of AI by Kate Crawford. It is quite a disturbing and provocative account of the interconnected world of AI, power and justice. Crawford shines a very bright spotlight on risks of AI from environmental impact of mining lithium and rare minerals to the psychophysiological impact of keeping up with the pace of work set by an AI algorithm. This is a must read to gain a perspective for what's at stake with AI and provides a great opportunity to reflect on responsible innovation. The book is not about AI as a technology but AI as a distribution mechanism for Power. It is an essay on labour, climate, data justice and ethics. I highly recommend it - you'll never think about AI the same way again.
INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION SAFETY TECHNOLOGY GUIDE
Associated Builders and Contractors this week issued its online Safety Technology Guide
"a resource for contractors looking to implement construction technology for the best possible safety performance"
It is great to see an industry association investing in #safetytech for its members although this particular resource is lightweight... Basically you click on a series of "tips & tricks" and there are a very small number of suggested #safetytech solutions provided. There is some potential here to expand so it will be interesting to watch this resource to see how it evolves. For now, it highlights the huge opportunity in the #safetytech space to educate, collaborate and coordinate resources that enable industry-wide innovation.
Check out the resource for yourself... I'd love to know your feedback
Recommended by LinkedIn
SAFETY REPORTING ANALYTICS JOB PROVIDES INSIGHT FOR SAFETYTECH SKILLSET REQUIREMENTS
I'm not showcasing this job specifically for the job itself but to highlight the types of skills companies how are investing in #safetytech and the future of work are now hiring for.
The job is for safety data analytics and the required skills:
Data Science meets Safety Science - what's not to love.
Let's hope the datasets for analysis are proactive & valid, and the insights provide great value to improve the design, experience & safety of work
WHEEL LOADER FLEET SAFETY TECH
Infrastructure services company FM Conway have partnered with Liebherr to add three new wheel loaders to their fleet of vehicles, offering comprehensive intelligent assistance systems. Each wheel loader features several intelligent safety solutions that move away from object detection and instead focus on human-recognition systems that can operate even in tight city worksites.
The safety features include, but not limited to, active personnel detection at the rear, adaptive working lighting, a roof camera system for 360° monitoring, and an integral tyre pressure monitoring system.
OFFICE COVID SAFETYTECH
This article highlights the upside of tech-enabled COVID risk mitigation strategies.
"Buildings are equipped with state-of-the-art technologies and rigorous (soon to be robot-enabled) cleaning operations"... Furthermore, tenants can verify an individual building's health through independent third party certifications that use scientific evidence to judge indoor air quality, ventilation, water system safety, equipment room cleanliness, and deep cleaning and sanitizing"
STUDY FINDS WEARABLE TECHNOLOGIES CAN HELP SAFEGUARD WORKERS
The iCare study piloted a range of wearables, including sensor-based and non-powered assistive technologies, in real-world work settings and measured their acceptance by workers as well as the impact in supporting organisations' continuous improvements in the reduction of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. The study ran from February 2020 to April 2021 and has concluded with an evaluation by Deloitte Access Economics.
A key finding from this evaluation is that employers should consider adding wearables to their suite of workplace health and safety interventions to help improve safety. This report offers insights for consideration by employers to assist in realising the potential benefits of wearables.
That's it for this week! For now... Be Safe & Stay Curious.
Cameron Stevens is a technologist & chartered safety professional, most comfortable exploring digital transformation and the intersection where safety & technology meet. Cameron is an industrial XR specialist, deploying extended reality for enterprise & volunteers on ISO Standards Committees for Artificial Intelligence, Augmented & Virtual Reality. Cameron enjoys coaching individuals & teams to improve the design & experience of work with responsible innovation & emerging technologies.