Computer Vision As A Solution To Safety Challenges In Industrial Facilities — Occupational Health & Safety

Computer Vision As A Solution To Safety Challenges In Industrial Facilities

Maybe Artificial Intelligence could be the answer to many workplace safety questions.

• By Maoz Tamir
• May 05, 2022

According to computer science literature, Artificial Intelligence is defined as a technique that can mimic the behavior of the human brain.

In recent years, we have seen more and more industry 4.0 solutions whose technology involves Artificial Intelligence, voice analysis and image detection as an integral part of the manufacturing activity. These may include improving productivity, detecting machine faults earlier, and controlling quality.

In this article, we will discuss how to apply computer vision technology to detect safety hazards in industrial facilities, such as factories and logistic centers, in order to prevent human-machine accidents in real time

When the Computer Sees Better Than We Do

Think of a safety officer seated in a control room filled with monitors that display the activities of the factory. In one screen we see the loading area and the intense activity of operational vehicles, in the second screen we see one of the factory’s production halls, with many assembly lines and activities taking place. In a third screen, a warehouse of finished goods is displayed, with shelves arranged in racks that sometimes reach the ceiling. And,these are just three of a full grid of screens.

No person, no matter how skilled and focused he or she may be in his or her work, will be able to view all screens simultaneously, identify near-accidents and provide effective alerts in real time which can lead to the prevention of accidents.

In contrast, computers with vision analysis algorithms are capable of simultaneously analyzing all screens 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and stopping dangerous activity before it becomes an accident.

Utilizing Smart Technology 

Computer vision is one of the oldest fields of artificial intelligence. A major goal of computer vision is to extract or analyze visual information from images. While it is an integral part of the solution, it is not sufficient to address the complex problem we face on its own.