Transforming work through human sensing: a confined space monitoring application

The use of objective data via sensors and subjective data via qualitative assessments from subject matter experts for the structural health monitoring of important assets is a long-standing and prudent practice. However, humans who build, maintain, or operate these systems are often not monitored with the same degree of importance. Although the reasons for this discrepancy may be numerous and sometimes well-intentioned (e.g. privacy), human monitoring systems are still relatively nascent when compared to their machine-based counterparts. Fortunately, the recent proliferation and miniaturization of wearable technology offers as an unprecedented opportunity in the realm of human monitoring systems. This article presents an example of how human sensing technology is transforming the nature of work in the aircraft maintenance domain by reducing operating costs and enhancing personnel safety. More specifically, this article describes a remote monitoring system for monitoring the health and safety of individuals working Occupational Safety and Health Administration–defined confined spaces, which are dangerous places to work for reasons such as small physical space or adverse atmospheric conditions. The described system consists of (1) wearable monitoring systems for assessing physiological data, postural and activity data, geographic location, and atmospheric data; (2) a body area network for transmitting data to a centralized, cloud-based server; (3) a customized alerting architecture for the generation and management of health and safety alerts; and (4) various user interfaces for depicting critical information to the appropriate parties. This article describes these components in detail along with a brief description of both the history of human monitoring and pitfalls that typically plague such initiatives. The specific initiative that supported the generation of this system is still under development; however, this article aims to provide a practical example of how a human monitoring system can augment safety and cost efficiency in a precarious environment.