Science & Technology, Singapore (Commonwealth Union) – Slips, trips, and falls (STFs) are common types of accidents that occur in the workplace. They can result in a range of injuries, from minor cuts and bruises to more serious conditions such as broken bones and head injuries.
Slips occur when there is insufficient friction or traction between the feet and the floor surface, leading to a loss of balance. Trips happen when an individual steps on or trips over an obstacle, such as a loose rug or electrical cord. Falls occur when an individual loses balance and falls to the ground.
Insole embedded with pressure and motion sensors to assist in marking high risk areas and lessen workplace occurrences with a new device has been produced by researchers.
STFs continue to be the top reason for major injuries in the workplace. As indicated by the International Labour Organization, over a million workers across the world are injured at work every day with slips and trips being the main causes. The detection of STF risks in time is vital in helping to improve workplace safety and health, particularly for industries like the construction, maritime, manufacturing, and transportation and storage.
Utilizing the application of research and technology to boost workplace safety, Professor Lim Chwee Teck from the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Department of Biomedical Engineering, that is under the College of Design and Engineering, and the Institute for Health Innovation & Technology (iHealthtech), joined hands with NUS start-up, FlexoSense, for the production of a smart insole able to monitor workplace STFs in real time and is the 1st of its kind able to detect the balance of a person. The insole permits companies to identify the place the incident occured and highlight STF risk locations in order to conduct corrective measures.
The smart insole comprises pressure sensors for monitoring foot pressure and an inertial gaging unit sensor to note alterations in motion. When an STF takes place, the body will start to attempt to maintain balance by putting pressure on the feet to break the STF. The smart insole can identify these unique alterations in pressure exerted by the feet, and an individual’s orientation, to find out if an STF has taken place. These alterations in foot pressure and motion as a result of an STF are then noted and measured in real time to produce balance profiles of various users, which can assist in assessing the deployment of workers for various activities. On top of that, falls from height could be identified by the smart insole as they have distinct velocity profiles when contrasted to falls on level ground.
Information collected from the smart insole are simple to access by workers via a mobile application and by company management through the dashboard. The digitalization of STF activities paves the way for timely reporting and increased transparency on these incidents, rather than relying on workers or safety officers filing manual reports, according to researchers.
“Usually, slips, trips and falls are unreported. By deploying this smart insole solution in the workplace, companies can be proactive in mitigating these incidents. When a person encounters a slip, trip or fall, there will be unique changes in motion as well as pressure distribution exerted by the feet. Our smart insole captures the information automatically, and by tracking these changes, companies can identify high risk areas in the workplace and implement preventive measures in a timely manner,” explained Professor Lim.
Ms Chia Lye Peng, Chief Executive Officer of FlexoSense says “STFs are significant cost drivers for most companies due to a loss of productivity, medical expenses and administrative costs. We believe our smart insole can help to reduce the human and financial costs before serious accidents happen.”
