At the end of March, we published a series of actions with the aim of minimizing the risk of contamination in operations: in addition to basic hygiene recommendations and the use of protective equipment, it is possible to structure and stagger teams to minimize contagion between employees. In addition to these adaptations in the planning of teams and in the routine of operations, as some countries plan the gradual relaxation of isolation measures, we have seen an increase in the use of “wearable devices” – wearables – as mechanisms to ensure the maximum social distancing in workplaces.
Figure: IoT solutions can help prevent infections and track them, but privacy issues need to be addressed. Image: Pete linforth by Pixabay
IoT solutions to alert employees of proximity
In April 2020, a dozen employees at the Ford plant in Plymouth, Michigan volunteered to test watches that vibrate when an employee comes within ~1,8 meters (6 feet) of another. The test is part of a set of safety actions developed for a possible resumption of production. The devices are from Samsung, with software from the company Radiant RFID, and work via Bluetooth. The measures have been piloted at factories where Ford is producing respirators.
The use of IoT (Internet of Things) solutions has been increasingly widespread in factories and distribution centers, mainly with the aim of increasing productivity, but also of work safety. A Proxxi, for example, is a Canadian startup founded in 2015 that manufactures bracelets with a voltage sensor to detect energized equipment, with the aim of protecting workers against electrical accidents.
Most of Proxxi's customers are from the construction and electrical industries, however, when the COVID-19 crisis broke out, customers started asking if it would be possible for the wristbands to communicate with each other to alert employees about the need to distance themselves from each other. from others. Hence the development of the Halo wristband, which does just that, given the distance of ~1,8 meters (6 feet). With the history, if an employee is found to be infected with SARS-CoV-2, it is possible to track everyone with whom he came into contact. Initially, Proxxi produced 5 bracelets, all of which have already been sold ($100 each).
In a few months, technology companies launched solutions
These are just a few examples, but many technology companies have launched new solutions or incorporated distancing-related features into existing products. They were flexible and agile enough to capture the market opportunity, and many report that their demand has skyrocketed.
In Belgium, employees at the Port of Antwerp were already using bracelets manufactured by Rombit (a Belgian startup founded in 2012), which develops IoT solutions for port terminals, maritime services and petrochemical plants. The devices, which were used to call for help if an employee fell into the water or some other accident occurred, now also alert workers if they come within a radius of 1,5 meters of another. At the end of April, John Baekelmans, CEO of Rombit, said he had received orders from up to 500 companies from 99 countries, with plans to expand production so that 25 devices would be available in a few weeks. He says that, among the requests, there are many logistics companies, ports and companies in the construction sector.
Blackline Safety, a Canadian founded in 2004, provides workplace safety technologies with a focus on gas detection. At the end of April, it launched contact traceability features in existing products. The company incorporated reports to make it easier for managers to be able to assess whether security protocols are being respected. Other cases include the Care Predict e guardhat (North American), Lopos (Belgian), RightCrowd (Australian) and tended (English).
Here in Brazil, one of the companies with solutions in this area is LogPyx: startup from Minas Gerais that develops IoT technologies focused on the logistics and supply chain segment. The company's device, with a tracking accuracy of 50 cm, alerts employees about the proximity of risk and the need for distancing.
Some companies also thought of solutions beyond distancing and traceability of contact between people. It is the case of the North American Immutouch, which launched a bracelet that vibrates when the user brings their hands to their face, to avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth. The founders, three college friends, report that they are selling the next product at cost.
And privacy?
In the case of the Rombit wristbands being used in the Port of Antwerp, there is no central server, and the devices are only connected to each other. However, in most solutions, granular databases are generated with the history of employee movement and interaction. Implementing this type of solution requires a very well-structured plan, and needs the support and vision of the HR area: What data exactly is generated? Who would have access to the data?
The use of wearables in the workplace always raises concerns about invading employee privacy. Technology providers argue that having a dedicated device, such as bracelets and cards, instead of using people's smartphones, helps to mitigate this aspect.
In addition to the work environment, in everyone's daily lives, we see many countries (especially Asian countries) tracking the contagion through applications on the population's smartphones. However, we must not forget that the cultural difference between countries is very large. Some measures adopted by the South Korean government, for example, would break US privacy laws. In Germany, the government planned to internally develop a tracking system, but they changed the decision and started to support the solution being developed by the partnership between Google and Apple.
As is the case with most technologies, there is a potential benefit for everyone (businesses and employees) but we need to ensure they are not used for harm. It is also in the interest of technology providers to develop solutions to prevent misuse, after all, if technology is abused, there is no customer who will want to use it.
References:
Bloomberg – Ford Tests Buzzing Wristbands to Keep Workers at Safe Distances
IEEE Spectrum – Back to Work: Wearables Track Social Distancing and Sick Employees in the Workplace
Deutsche Welle – Coronavirus tracking apps: How are countries monitoring infections?
Thatiana Nomi
5 years of experience in consulting projects in Logistics and Supply Chain. Worked on logistics network optimization projects, service cost, logistics master plan, inventory policy definition, sales forecast, S&OP (Sales and Operations Planning) and transportation planning and management.
