JULY 2016CIOAPPLICATIONS.COM8In My OpinionThe Future of Technology in ConstructionBy Sam Lamonica, CIO, Rosendin ElectricTechnology is having an increasing impact on our work lives, including in construction. As you might expect, more iPads and mobile devices are being used on the job site, but there are a number of other emerging technologies that are being adapted to construction work in previously unforeseen ways. Some of these technologies could improve work efficiency and others could improve worker safety, but they all have to overcome a number of challenges before they become practical.I had the privilege recently of hosting an informal CIO Summit at our company headquarters, bringing together technology executives from leading construction and contracting companies to discuss some of the technological challenges that face our industry today. We all shared our thoughts about how we would implement and support emerging technologies such as biometrics, wearable mobile devices, augmented reality, the Internet of Things (IoT), and what current technology can be adapted to improve safety and productivity. Here are just a few of the technology trends that will likely have a direct impact on construction:Smart Safety Devices Safety on the job is always a primary concern, and new mobile and wearable technology offers tremendous potential to improve on-the-job safety. For example, wearable equipment with real-time communications can be used to detect exposure to toxic gases or chemicals. Safety vests can have sensors built in to provide feedback about the job site and worker conditions. A wrist band or cuff can be wired to monitor the worker's health, issuing alerts when the vest detects an environmental hazard or dangerous change in pulse or skin temperature. Virginia Tech already is experimenting with safety vests for highway workers that can detect the approach of a fast-moving object, such as a car, and that can automatically adjust alarm volume to accommodate the ambient noise on a job site.Using on-the-job sensors in a vest or helmet can help you track a worker's activity through the work day, monitor for safety issues, and even map activity to an individual's health records. The current challenge with this type of technology is real-time communications. It's one thing to track one worker in real time, but when you have 300 electricians working on the same job site, gathering and processing safety telemetry for all of them in real time becomes a significant challenge.There also has been discussion of developing a safety exoskeleton; a wearable mobile machine for workers on the job. I can see the need for a light weight steel skeleton for specific applications, such as holding a heavy drill or to reduce weight load, but I doubt we will see protective exoskeletons in wide use any time soon, mostly because of the cost and the electronic controls and connectivity required.
< Page 7 | Page 9 >