The tech giant is working with SmartCone, Mitsufuji, Guardhat, and Garmin Health to deploy high-grade artificial intelligence (AI) and data collection technologies
IBM Watson has reportedly announced major partnerships with numerous industry partners to enhance worker safety in hazardous work environments like mines, factories, and construction sites. As per trusted sources, the new products would use Internet of Things (IoT) technology in combination with IBM’s proprietary Maximo enterprise asset management platform.
Reportedly, the tech giant is working with SmartCone, Mitsufuji, Guardhat, and Garmin Health to deploy high-grade artificial intelligence (AI) and data collection technologies to support major advances in assessing and monitoring the health and safety of workers in hazardous environments.
General Manager of IBM Watson IoT, Kareem Yusuf, PhD, was reportedly quoted saying that the latest partnership is in the context of a major focus area for the company and would assist in improving worker safety utilizing IoT data and AI. IBM has a long history in reliability management and equipment maintenance which is in three prominent asset classes – buildings and facilities, industrial equipment, and vehicles, Yusuf further added. For the record, IBM’s focus with Maximo has been on management of physical assets so far.
According to a report by TechRepublic, IBM envisions wearable technologies that are able to monitor biometric attributes including body temperature and heart rate, along with environmental attributes such as toxic gas levels, noise, temperature, humidity, and height/location. These tasks would be executed by a new wearable shirt, named hamon, which has been recently unveiled by Mitsufuji.
Sources familiar with the development claim that the Maximo Worker Insights platform would receive data from the workspace which would assist it in assessing whether workers are exposed to risks or dangers. Moreover, Guardhat would integrate its Smart Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) wearables with the company’s platform.