Following testing with large UK manufacturers, the Safe Distancing Assistant is being launched more widely as a training and enforcement device for safe personal distancing in the workplace, including factories, warehouses, logistics hubs and construction sites.
The devices, worn on a lanyard or attached by clip, are said to use ultra-wideband, low-power technology to scan for nearby colleagues, providing a full 360-degree field of detection. The devices then emit a short audible alarm or vibration when wearers move within two metres of one another.
Ben Sturgess, co-founder and CTO at Pathfindr, says: “This is a project we really care about and it’s great to be able to develop technology to help businesses at a time when it’s really needed. We’ve worked around the clock to build and test a solution in a matter of days, as the impact of manufacturing downtime begins to be felt across the globe.
“The aim of the Safe Distancing Assistant is to enable work to safely continue – providing control to organisations and individuals working within them to prevent the spread of infection. We’re excited by the demand that we’re already seeing for this and have begun exploring the potential for it to be developed even further, including adding a capability for contact tracing into an enhanced version.”