AI technology boosts safety

Australian-based control and engineering solutions firm, PRM Engineering Services has introduced Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology that monitors danger zones and alerts safety breaches in real time.

Developed over the last three years, Sentinel VISION AI responds directly to growing legislative and cultural safety impetus by detecting pedestrians around moving machinery.

According to the company, Sentinel VISION AI’s focus on both operator and pedestrian safety sets it apart from typical safety solutions on the market that solely focus on operators or site employees.

“In complex workplaces such as waste, rail and construction there can be many obstacles and objects that may not be critical but do trigger regular alarms; resulting in operators tuning them out,” said PRM Group’s Director, Mike Davis.

“This imposes a huge risk on employees and other pedestrians in the area, which is why we have developed this advanced human-only detection system to limit alarms to critical risks and alerts both the operator and pedestrian.”

Sentinel VISION Al uses cameras, machine-learning and information input algorithms that detect humans or parts of a human and trigger both visual and audible alarms to alert the operator and the pedestrian.

This safety solution is adaptable for dangerous working environments where mobile machinery and earthmoving equipment, such as loaders, waste trucks and excavators, are used in close proximity to pedestrians.

While operators are trained to protect the safety of others, there are many situations where pedestrians may put themselves in danger without realising, such as passing by a kerbside collection waste truck, walking past a construction site or walking behind a reversing machine.

“There are many instances where pedestrians or cyclists may enter a hazardous area without realising which imposes significant risk on both them and the operator,” added Davis.

While Sentinel VISION AI was originally developed to monitor the safety of workers and pedestrians around heavy machinery and mobile plant, it can be adapted for enforcing social distancing requirements in the world of Covid-19.