Wearable Power-System Safety Alerts for Rapid Responder Dispatch
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Workers engaged in power system activities face significant safety risks due to inadequate response times and procedures when accidents occur, despite existing safety regulations and practices.
Innovation Solution
A wearable safety device equipped with sensors to detect life-threatening events such as arc-flashes, electrocution, and falls, which autonomously issues emergency alerts to a remote system for prompt responder dispatch and assistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional safety regulations and procedures are used, then workers are protected to some extent, but response times are inadequate and workers are still injured and/or killed
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by continuously monitoring for life-threatening events and pre-establishing communication channels with responders. When an event is detected, the alert is immediately transmitted to designated responders, eliminating delays associated with manual detection and notification. This preliminary monitoring and pre-established communication infrastructure enables rapid response times.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by automatically detecting life-threatening events through sensors and immediately notifying responders through automated alerts. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures that responders are informed real-time of emergencies, enabling them to respond promptly. The automated feedback loop eliminates the delay inherent in traditional manual reporting procedures.
2Loss of time
If manual safety monitoring procedures are used, then device complexity is low, but response times are slow and inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
The safety device performs self-service by autonomously detecting life-threatening events through integrated sensors and automatically transmitting alerts to responders without requiring manual intervention. The device monitors its own operational environment, processes sensor data, and initiates emergency notifications independently, eliminating the need for complex manual monitoring procedures while achieving rapid response times.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces mechanical manual monitoring procedures with electronic sensor-based detection and automated digital communication. Instead of workers manually observing and reporting safety conditions, electronic sensors continuously monitor for life-threatening events and automatically transmit alerts through digital communication channels, significantly reducing response time while maintaining manageable system complexity.
3Reliability
If automated detection systems are implemented, then response times improve, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The safety device achieves multi-functionality by integrating multiple detection capabilities (arc-flash detection, electrocution detection, fall detection) into a single unified platform. This universal device performs various safety monitoring functions simultaneously, improving reliability without proportionally increasing complexity. The consolidated design allows one device to replace multiple separate monitoring systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes receiving first data indicative of an emergency alert being issued by a first device worn by a user, determining a first responder, and a second responder associated with the user, receiving, via a second device of the first responder, a first location of the first responder, receiving, via a third device of the second responder, a second location of the second responder, determining that the first location is more proximate to the user than the second location, generating second data associated with the emergency alert, where the second data indicating at least a third location of the user, an identifier of the user, or a type of the emergency alert, and sending the second data to the second device.