Wristband alerts wearer to social distancing parameters
To ensure social distancing is maintained in the work environment, Tended offers a wristband with sensors that alert the wearer to what is a safe, social distance to safeguard employees in construction, manufacturing, infrastructure and logistics.
The wristband, paired with an ultra-wideband proximity sensor, can notify workers if they come within a 2m distance of each other.
Through a range of proprietary social distancing solutions, including IoT hardware, artificial intelligence (AI0 and reporting tools, Tended aims to accelerate the post- lockdown transition back to safe working.
The company has partnered with Arup, a design consultancy, to provide independent support to companies, offering tailored services to review the suitability of Tended’s technology, and where appropriate, to manage technology implementation and scaling.
Arup says it will help companies and their employees navigate the complex barriers that projects of this scale and urgency will face.
Tended’s existing wearable safety wristband is paired with an ultra-wideband proximity sensor and a smartphone to automatically notify workers if they come within a 2m distance of each other. Companies set the minimum separation distance they want to enforce, and the wearable will notify employees in real-time if they come close to this distance and to move away.
It also provides employers with an overview of any social distance breaches within their organisation and how long employees have been in contact with others. A useful feature is its ability to trace contact back. If a worker tests positive for Covid-19, employers can see who, if anyone, they have been in contact with and for how long, and send them an alert to self-isolate or get tested themselves.
Tended says that the solution cannot be used to track employee whereabouts. It says it does not track or share employee location unless in critical situations, such as the employee has an accident. Also, no personal details are included in distance breach data. This information is only shared in the event that someone is diagnosed with Covid-19.
Rather than GPS or Bluetooth, ultra-wideband technology is used. Leo Scott Smith CEO said: “We’ve implemented ultra-wideband technology because of its incredibly high accuracy and resistance to interference, and we decided to combine it with our wearable to provide a solution that can ensure the safety of employees at work.”
Tended is base in Lincoln, UK. It was founded by Leo Scott Smith in 2017 after a personal experience in Nepal supporting charity programmes during the 2015 earthquakes. He witnessed a range of different safety challenges, leading him to create a solution to improve safety and potentially save lives.
Arup operates in more than 140 countries, employing designers, engineers, architects, planners, consultants and technical specialists to work with clients.
