Systems and methods for improving workplace safety

Abstract

A system includes a wearable sensor device including an accelerometer configured to be worn by a person and to record sensor data during an activity performed by the person; an analysis element configured to receive the sensor data from the wearable sensor, determine sensor orientation data of the wearable sensor during the activity based on the sensor data, translate the sensor orientation data of the wearable sensor to person orientation data of the person during the activity, determine, for the person during the activity, (a) a lift rate, (b) a maximum sagittal flexion, (c) an average twist velocity, (d) a maximum moment, and (e) a maximum lateral velocity, and determine a score representative of an injury risk to the person during the activity based on such data; and a tangible feedback element configured to provide at least one tangible feedback based on the score so as to reduce the injury risk.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system, comprising:
 a wearable sensor unit including at least one of (a) an accelerometer, (b) a gyroscope, or (c) a magnetometer, the wearable sensor unit being configured to be worn by a person and to record sensor data during an activity performed by the person, the sensor data comprising at least one of (a) accelerometer data measured by the accelerometer during the activity, (b) gyroscope data measured by the gyroscope during the activity, or (c) magnetometer data measured by the magnetometer during the activity;   an analysis element configured to:
 receive the sensor data from the wearable sensor, 
 determine sensor orientation data of the wearable sensor during the activity based on the sensor data, the sensor orientation data including (a) yaw data of the wearable sensor, (b) pitch data of the wearable sensor, and (c) roll data of the wearable sensor, 
 translate the sensor orientation data of the wearable sensor to person orientation data of the person during the activity, the person orientation data including (a) yaw data of the person, (b) pitch data of the person, and (c) roll data of the person, 
 determine, for the person during the activity, (a) a lift rate, (b) a maximum sagittal flexion, (c) an average twist velocity, (d) a maximum moment, and (e) a maximum lateral velocity based on at least (a) the yaw data of the person, (b) the pitch data of the person, and (c) the roll data of the person, and 
 determine a score representative of an injury risk to the person during the activity based on (a) the lift rate, (b) the maximum sagittal flexion, (c) the average twist velocity, (d) the maximum moment, and (e) the maximum lateral velocity; and 
   a tangible feedback element configured to provide at least one tangible feedback based on the score so as to reduce the injury risk, the at least one tangible feedback comprising at least one of (a) at least one haptic feedback, (b) at least one audible feedback, (c) at least one visible feedback, (d) at least one physical item to assist the person to perform the activity, or (e) at least one instruction to assist the person to perform the activity.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the score is either a risk score that is configured to increase as the injury risk increases or a safety score that is configured to decrease as the injury risk increases. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the tangible feedback element is integrated with the wearable sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the tangible feedback element includes at least one of (a) at least one vibration motor configured to provide the at least one haptic feedback, (b) at least one speaker configured to provide the at least one audible feedback, (c) at least one display configured to provide the at least one visible feedback, (or) (d) at least one indicator light configured to provide the at last one visible feedback. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the tangible feedback element is configured to provide tangible feedback when the injury risk to the person exceeds a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the determining, for the person during the activity, (a) the lift rate, (b) the maximum sagittal flexion, (c) the average twist velocity, (d) the maximum moment, and (e) the maximum lateral velocity is further based on body geometry. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the body geometry is body geometry of the person. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the body geometry is predetermined. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the wearable sensor includes an inertial measurement unit. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the wearable sensor includes a mobile phone. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the physical item includes at least one of an ergosksleton, eye protection, ear protection, respiratory protection, foot protection, and hazardous materials protection, temperature protection, or fall protection. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one instruction to assist the person to perform the activity includes training to perform the activity. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one instruction to assist the person to perform the activity includes a scheduling change. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the scheduling change includes one of reassigning the person and switching the person with a further person. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of further wearable sensor units configured to be worn by a plurality of further persons and to record sensor data during an activity performed by the further persons, each of the plurality of further wearable sensor units including at least one of (a) an accelerometer, (b) a gyroscope, or (c) a magnetometer, the sensor data recorded by each of the further wearable sensor units comprising at least one of (a) accelerometer data recorded by the accelerometer of the one of the further wearable sensor units, (b) gyroscope data recorded by the gyroscope of the one of the further wearable sensor units, or (c) magnetometer data recorded by the magnetometer of the one of the further wearable sensor units,   wherein the analysis element is further configured to:
 receive the sensor data from each of the plurality of further wearable sensors, 
 determine sensor orientation data of each of the plurality of further wearable sensors during the activity based on the sensor data received from each of the plurality of further wearable sensors, 
 translate the sensor orientation data of each of the plurality of further wearable sensors to person orientation data of each of the plurality of further persons during the activity, 
 determine, for each the further plurality of persons during the activity, (a) a lift rate, (b) a maximum sagittal flexion, (c) an average twist velocity, (d) a maximum moment, and (e) a maximum lateral velocity, and 
 determine a further plurality of scores, each of which is representative of an injury risk to one of the further plurality of persons. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the tangible feedback element is configured to provide tangible feedback to at least some of the further plurality of users based on the scores of the at least some of the further plurality of users. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the analysis element is further configured to determine an aggregate score for at least some of the further plurality of persons. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the at least some of the further plurality of persons are selected based on one of a job role, a full-time status, a duration of employment, a shift assignment, an injury history, a work location, a worker characteristic, a time of day, or a manual selection. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the tangible feedback element is configured to provide tangible feedback to the at least some of the further plurality of users based on the aggregate score. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the activity includes performing at least one lifting action.