From Sicily comes the “smart” helmet that warns the workers in case of danger

CATANIA – A helmet equipped with artificial intelligence able to protect construction site workers by warning them in case of danger via an electronic voice. A technology developed by a Sicilian public-private team composed of researchers from the Institute of High Performance Computing and Networks (Icar) of the Cnr of Palermo and of the University of Catania together with the company Xenia Network Solutions and under construction in scope of the Safety on road construction activities Safer project).

“The Safer system, in order to improve safety on construction sites – explains Emanuele Ragusa, cto of Xenia Network Solutions – has developed new artificial intelligence technologies that provide for the installation of cameras on classic protective helmets which, once worn , they will intercept potential risks for the worker and will automatically understand anomalous situations that can be risky for the workers ».

The professor. Giovanni Maria Farinella, Professor of Machine Learning at the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science of the University of Catania, talking about the algorithms that have been devised in his research laboratory, explains that “the Safer system will be able to collect data and notify operators of the correct safety distance from the vehicles being maneuvered to ensure their safety during the operating phases, as well as to verify the correct use of personal protective equipment during the work phases “.

«Safer will also be able -. adds – to identify the presence of a man on the ground, for example due to an illness in motorway construction sites, to recognize and signal the presence of objects in the vicinity of the vehicles during their maneuvers, avoiding collisions that can generate situations of risk for the operators present in the vicinity and to communicate to operators situations that can generate dangers ».