The gateway connects various pieces of smart personal safety equipment (hard hat, harness, gloves, shoes, dust filter, gas sensor, earphones) to the cloud application via an LTE or WLAN connection. Smart safety equipment communicates with the gateway via Bluetooth.
The gateway works partly as a hub and partly as a data concentrator for data from all connected devices. It is also fitted with an alarm button and a movement detector. All hazardous situations are reported and recorded in the device and the cloud as well.
Our Task and Challenge
Personal Gateway with Multiple Interfaces and Extended Battery Lifetime
Consilia developed a battery-powered, rechargeable gateway with LTE, WLAN, Bluetooth, and NFC connectivity.
The most demanding task was to ensure that the operating time covered at least a 12-hour shift. The fact that the gateway runs on Android made it even more challenging.
The next version will be certified for explosive environments and conform to ATEX standards.
Solution
Customized Android-Based System-on-Module
Consilia developed the whole hardware electronic part and cooperated with external software and mechanical engineers on the integration of the entire system together.
We were actively communicating the selection of the key hardware components to ensure IP68 protection. We also tightly cooperated with the software team to optimize power consumption and select the proper peripherals and their drivers.
The prototypes were tested in a climatic chamber, and the behavior of the product was characterized under extreme conditions.
Business Value
Unique Solution for Personal Safety
There are many smart devices on the market; however, a unifying platform for these devices was missing.
The gateway Consilia developed helps to aggregate data from various smart personal protection devices and upload it to the cloud for further processing. Cloud data processing allows artificial intelligence to spot the worker behavior patterns and protect their health.
The key benefit of this platform is the record of working conditions that can be analyzed by the health and safety supervisor.
Detectors can notify a supervisor about the cases when a user is suspiciously still for a long time, possibly unconscious. The platform provides workers with alerts if their working conditions threaten their health, and, at the same time, the record protects the employer against unfounded lawsuits regarding hazardous working conditions.
How It Is Made
Flexible System and Multiple Interfaces
The gateway is based on SOM (system-on-module) running on Android with LTE modems, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS modules.
The key features include, e.g., NFC reader for pairing with BT sensors, a battery-powered system, low power mode, 1h operation time, connection to a cloud, environmental protection IP68.
The whole device is human-controlled; therefore, it has user interfaces, e.g., LCD, a vibration motor, beeper, SOS button, and an accelerometer with a gyroscope.
Client
World Leader Producing Personal Safety Equipment
The client provides products, software, and connected solutions that improve productivity, workplace safety, and asset performance for their customers across the globe.
We spent the whole year 2019 with this product, starting in the marketing idea phase, through the proof-of-concept prototypes to the final prototype that was appreciated in the internal meeting of the client’s top management.
Next Solutions
Since the foundation of Consilia in 2004, we have finished and supported dozens of projects.
Services Used in this Case
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