The BodyGuard Proximity Detection and Warning System from Orbit Communications

Orbit Communications addresses issues of collision and close proximity to vehicle hazards with the BodyGuard Proximity Detection and Warning System.

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BodyGuard - Proximity Warning System

Workplace Safety in Action - Finalist EDN Innovation Award 2009

The BodyGuard proximity detection and warning system has been designed to help improve safety in the workplace by lowering the risk of collision between moving objects in close proximity of each other.

BodyGuard can provide a programmable detection zone for a blind spot or area of poor visibility around a vehicle or machine. Often a detection zone is set up at the rear of the vehicle where visibility can be obstructed and risk of collision is higher. The BodyGuard proximity detection and warning system can also be configured for multiple safety zones on certain types of vehicles or machinery.

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Orbit Communications would like to take a moment of your time to ensure you fully and accurately understand the concept of the BodyGuard proximity detection and warning system. Over the years a misconception has arisen that this system would provide some sort of invincible field around any vehicle (such as Star Trek Shields) and that this field would provide an almost perfect 360 degree protection zone that no object could penetrate without the driver being alerted. The BodyGuard system cannot do this. Presently we have no known technology at our disposal to provide such a system. If the expectation is for a system that will provide a 360 degree impenetrable field, then BodyGuard is not suitable for your application. If on the other hand your requirement is to improve your current systems by adding a measure of reduced risk then please read on.

Orbit Communications has evaluated a variety of technologies available in order to determine the most effective method of proximity detection available. After considering issues such as regular cleaning of camera systems, GPS that has slow update time and is not suitable for indoor use , false alarming of infra-red and microwave and inability for some of these technologies to be integrated and provide useful information to help minimize risk in addition to providing a proximity detection warning, we have settled on a technology for which Orbit has many years of experience in research and development that provides a solution which is capable of operating dirty and dusty environments; both indoors and outdoors. Using wireless technology, Orbit believes it is providing one of the best overall solutions available, at reasonable cost, that remains economically feasible to most organizations. Though every effort has gone into the past few years of development to produce a system that provides the ideal solution, the system does have limitations based on the aspects of radio technology.

Given these limitations we asked ourselves two very basic questions:

1) Does the system provide a total (perfect) solution ? - NO
2) Can the system effectively lower risk of collision in the workplace ? - YES

The system is NOT intended to provide a total solution but is rather intended to provide an additional layer of safety as part of existing safety processes. The system is designed to be an aid to the driver that can help identify personnel, other vehicles/machinery or plant in those areas that are difficult to see or when working in an environment that has poor visibility (dust, smoke, dirt etc). BodyGuard has not been design (and in no way is intended or implied) to replace duty of care and diligence to work in a safe manner by the driver or any other personnel.

By detecting objects within close proximity of the vehicle the risk of a collision is reduced and injury or collision may be avoided. Due do the variety of vehicles, different environments and applications, the system cannot be assured to detect objects under all circumstances or regions around the vehicle (Much like an air-bag in a motor vehicle that reduces risk by the fact that if it opens during a collision then it may save a life but cannot be assured to open under all circumstances). Is the system perfect ? NO. Does the BodyGuard system reduce risk ? YES !

A typical scenario of risk of collision may be where a driver is reversing a vehicle and a person is standing behind the vehicle in the driver's blind spot while the vehicle is being reversed. The person may be wearing a high visibility vest but the driver cannot see him/her. The vehicle may have a reversing warning buzzer but this may also may not alert the person behind the vehicle (even in the event the buzzer is heard and the person becomes aware of a vehicle traveling close toward them, they may inadvertently move into the path the of vehicle if the driver turns unexpectedly while reversing).

Without BodyGuard fitted in this situation, the probability of a collision would probably be considered to be very high or inevitable. The risk to the person behind the vehicle is high and any hope that the driver will stop in time to prevent a collision is low..

Now, if the person is wearing a BodyGuard TAG device and the BodyGuard detection unit on the vehicle happens to detect that person who is wearing the TAG, then the risk of collision is reduced and the chances of a collision being avoided have been improved. In this case the driver (who is the only person that has control of the moving vehicle) receives the alert warning and has the opportunity to take appropriate action to avoid an incident.

Click to hear more about BodyGuard proximity detection and warning system (collision avoidance)

Example of rear safety zone for utility vehicle (Actual shape may vary from example shown)

The BodyGuard proximity warning system provides an effective method of helping to protect people, vehicles,machinery and property from injury and damage resulting from collision. The system has wide ranging applications that involve personnel, forklifts, cranes, heavy vehicles and moving machinery that must work in not come within close proximity of each other.

The BodyGuard proximity detection and warning system is user-configurable. The user can set the size of the desired safety zone as required for the application. The typical range is from around 2m to over 100m.

BodyGuard can detect close proximity, within the programmed safety zone, to other objects in the presence of smoke, fog or dust and is immune to interference by heat, sound and light. The built-in Close-Proximity History Log provides an ideal tool for managing risk and improving your safety policies and procedures. The log includes the date , time (to nearest second), ID and type of object detected, relative proximity between the objects and whether the object was entering or leaving the safety zone.

 

Narrow isles in warehouse - risk of collision between reversing forklift and personnel

Forklift fitted with BodyGuard detects person in safety zone - lowers risk of collision

 



Vehicles detected by Fixed Unit to improve safety in work area by providing visual and/or audible warning

 

 

Personnel TAG improves worker safety by alerting vehicle operator with Visual and Audible alert

 

 

 

Vehicle-to-vehicle detection helps reduce risk of collision

The BodyGuard System has several devices that may be used at a typical workplace. A small transmitter unit (called a "Personal TAG") can be fitted to a hard-hat, pocket in a vest or an arm-band. The Personal TAG Unit emits a special signal that identifies the type of object (TAG) and a unique serial number. This enables any BodyGuard-enabled equipment to detect and identify any particular TAG within the programmable proximity safety zone range and activate a visual/audible warning.

BodyGuard Personal TAG Unit

Vehicles and Machinery (Such as Forklifts, Haul Road trucks, utility vehicles, cranes, moving machinery etc) can be fitted with a BodyGuard Sensor Unit. The BodyGuard Sensor Unit can detect proximity to other BodyGuard components (such as Personal TAGS , Fixed and Mobile Sensors).
In addition to detecting proximity to other BodyGuard-objects, the Sensor Unit transmits a specially coded signal that contains the TYPE of vehicle or equipment and its own unique ID.
The Sensor Units can be programmed for proximity safety zone ranges from 2m to over 100m.Every BodyGuard Unit can be programmed for different proximity safety zone ranges for any objects detected. For example: A Forklift unit may activate a proximity warning for a detected Personal TAG unit at say around 8m but have the range set for ar Forklift unit around 12m.The Sensor Units have 2 Outputs that can be used to stop a vehicle, slow a vehicle or give external indication to a vehicle management computer or similar.

BodyGuard Vehicle Sensor Unit

Ideal for use in

PowerPoint Presentation of BodyGuard

BodyGuard brochure (pdf)

BodyGuard User Guide (pdf)

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