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Industries are using Computer vision to improve health and workplace safety. 

Computer vision has been an area of interest in recent years for several reasons. Motion capture, facial recognition, and pattern matching are all areas that have seen tremendous growth in the last decade. There is also a huge market for computer vision technology to improve workplace safety by reducing hazardous environments and accidents.

Safety is a massive concern in the workplace. According to Economic Policy Institute, injuries cost businesses $192 billion every year, and lost productivity can result in lost revenue. 

New technology may help make work environments safer and more efficient by providing data on how people use their hands while working and when they might be at risk for injury or exhaustion. It could also help reduce accidents caused by repetitive stress injuries, which happen when someone repeatedly does the same movement without taking breaks.  

Let's take a look at some examples where Computer Vision is used to improve health and workplace safety 

  1. Forklift safety, prediction, and prevention of forklift accidents

Forklift accidents come with a high risk of injury, damage, and disruption to the workplace. To avoid these outcomes, we can use computer vision technology which alerts us when forklifts are moving in the wrong directions or zones that may lead to an accident.

When operating a forklift, it is essential for pedestrians at worksites to follow safety rules such as wearing reflective clothing to be visible from all sides on dimly lit grounds where there's no natural light.

According to McCue, there has been an increase in forklift accidents and fatalities in recent years. 

Forklifts account for 85 deaths every year - a 28% Increase since 2011. Forklift accidents that result in serious injury total 34,900 annually, while non-serious injuries related to fork-lifting reach 61,800 each year.

The most common incident is when a forklift overturns, which accounts for 24% of all incidents. These statistics are startling but can be avoided by following safety procedures such as staying away from moving parts and loading areas unless authorized or instructed to do so. 

With the help of Computer Vision and Deep Learning, there are ways that humans can be safer in their work environment. For example, in a study conducted by Google's research lab "Deep Mind," researchers found that just one day after deploying these technologies on forklift trucks at an industrial site, errors reduced dramatically from 64 to 8 per hour without any noticeable change for workers or machines.

Read more: How Digital Twins Can Help In Saving The Environment

Imagine if your car could sense a collision before you even knew it happened. That's the potential of Deep Learning: this technology can detect an incident and learn from these events to prevent future ones. 

For example, imagine that after analyzing video footage and data collected by other sensors on-site following an accident involving a forklift colliding with column supports for product storage racks.

The system can identify patterns in how collisions happen to provide warnings about what needs more attention to reduce risks associated with them happening again at all costs!

Using Computer Vision to Improve Health and Workplace Safety
  1. Lifting equipment

Computer vision systems are a helpful new tool in the workplace. They can detect the type of lifting equipment used and identify different types of loads. 

The computer system also monitors how employees use their tools to provide real-time warnings if they walk under an insecure suspended load.

AI and computer vision systems can monitor loads on an elevated platform. For example, they will detect whether workers are wearing PPE, using the equipment correctly, and over-crowding on scaffolding. These eyes can also warn against entry into exclusion zones that could potentially harm people in the area below such a situation.

  1. Fire and thermal injuries and accidents

Computer vision can detect fires within 10-15 seconds to give a timely warning. The system integrates with local buzzers, PA systems, display screens, email and SMS notifications, and push alerts, so people know the danger in time. 

It also allows for quick rescue during emergencies by monitoring people trapped or stuck around the site during an emergency such as a fire.

  1. Machine security and safety

In a world where machines and robotics are increasingly prevalent, safety is of the utmost priority. AI systems can detect when employees enter hazardous zones or near dangerous machinery. Next, the system will send real-time warnings to prevent accidents. 

Machine operators will get alerts as they may overlook an employee nearby because they are focused on other things. In this way, there will be fewer chances of accidents occurring by monitoring maintenance levels as well. 

Read more: How Are Industries Creating New Opportunities By Combining Simulations and AI

This safeguard would prevent accidents from occurring between workers who are unaware that they have strayed into the unsafe territory by accident, which might cause injury to themselves and others around them before it's too late. 

With instant alerts for potential hazards coming through via our state-of-the-art system, you'll always know where your staff members are at any given time, so there will never be another lost life because someone didn't get out of the way fast enough when something terrible happened nearby without anyone noticing sooner

  1. Monitoring use of PPE

Today, there is a new technology that can monitor the use of PPE at work. It includes safety helmets, gloves, eye protection, and more! 

Developers need to program AI and computer vision systems to track whether or not you are using this equipment correctly.

Manufacturers should make sure each employee has their kind of personal protective gear. In addition, the workers should be aware of health risks while working with hazardous substances like asbestos which could cause cancer if exposure continues for years without proper protection. 

  1. Cost and timelines for deployment

Modern workplaces are increasingly implementing facial recognition software to minimize the amount of time spent monitoring their employees. Still, it's a complex system to implement without already having existing CCTV infrastructure. 

However, the cost-effectiveness and low-level investment in AI solutions make them more appealing for businesses looking for quick ways to upgrade their security with minimal capital expenditure.

Using Computer Vision to Improve Health and Workplace Safety

AI computer vision use cases: Image Segmentation of Scans in Public Health 

Modern medicine relies heavily on the study of images, scans, and photographs. Computer vision technologies promise to simplify this process and prevent false diagnoses and reduce treatment costs. 

Computer vision cannot replace medical professionals but instead, work alongside them as a helpful tool. For example, image segmentation can help diagnose by identifying relevant areas on 2D or 3D scans and colorizing those portions so that doctors can skim through black-and-white images more quickly when looking for something specific.

CT Scans are an essential tool for medical professionals when it comes to identifying infections. 

Scientists used image segmentation to identify The COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, image segmentation is a helpful way it detects suspicious areas on CT scans.

It helps physicians and scientists deduce how long a patient has had their infection, where they contracted it from (if possible), or what stage the disease is in that body part.

This research will be essential in aiding those who contract this type of virus and helping researchers find cures by studying past cases more closely than ever before.

One of the most promising developments in healthcare is computer vision. 

This technology makes it easier to diagnose and monitor disease. In addition, scientists can use the data generated from the process in tests and experiments on other subjects.

Researchers can spend more time on experiments rather than handling tedious tasks such as data collection when they have access to collected images from patients' MRI scans that machine-learning algorithms have processed.

AI computer vision use cases: Measuring blood loss accurately

The Orlando Health Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies has found a way to save mothers from postpartum hemorrhaging by using computer vision.

 In the past, nurses would manually count surgical sponges after childbirth to keep track of blood loss - but now, all they need is an iPad with this AI-powered tool that analyzes pictures taken during surgery. 

This app can measure how much fluid was lost before or after birth, preventing women from bleeding out when giving birth.

Imagine not knowing how much blood you've lost after childbirth. But, thanks to new technology, that's no longer the case for mothers at one hospital where 14 thousand births occur every year. 

This groundbreaking computer vision has helped doctors estimate more accurately and treat patients accordingly when they need medical attention post-delivery!

AI computer vision use cases: Timely identification of diseases

Biomedical research is a complex field to be in because it often requires foresight of what will happen. As we all know, sometimes identifying conditions early on can save lives, while other times it might just prolong them. 

Deep down inside, though, everyone wants their loved ones and friends alive and well for as long as possible! 

AI-like pattern recognition tools will help doctors diagnose patients much earlier. Treatment plans could start immediately before things get out of control, if at any point along the journey. 

Conclusion:

Several computer vision technologies have improved health and safety in specific industries in the last decade. One such example is using facial recognition software for security purposes at airports or other public spaces. 

Another is reducing hazardous environments by giving workers real-time information about their surroundings that can help prevent accidents from happening. 

What are your thoughts on how you might use computer vision to improve health and workplace safety? Let us know!

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