Smart Vests with Road Workers

Researchers have developed designs for “smart vests,” objects that can aid in saving

lives in the events of car collisions.

The practical use targets mainly road workers on roadside projects, such as

building bridges or extending the number of lanes on a highway.

However, the items can also serve other individuals.

For example, police officers or first responders could effectively utilize the

contraptions since they often have exposure to traffic along different kinds of roads.

Either way, the research attempts to integrate functionality of vehicle

connectivity, existing infrastructure near sites, and mobile phones.

The Use of Smart Vests

The smart vests function from an interlocking grid of short-range radio

transmissions.

In other words, it could potentially benefit from Bluetooth and wireless networking.

The basic idea involves two warnings: one that goes out to the endangered person and

another that alerts the wayward driver.

Only a few seconds may pass to allow evasion.

However, that may arise as enough time for a chance at survival for the victim.

Smart Vests in Use

The project focuses on roadside road workers since they consist of the largest

majority of those killed by vehicle collisions.

So how will the warning for road workers come about? Construction sites fill up with

distractions in visual ranges.

One notion contained the thought of placing speakers into ear protection.

The smart vests would still keep radio contact.

Other possible intentions include the vest vibrating or even shrinking in efforts to grab

attention.

Smart Vest for Protection

While protective to a number of different occupations, the goal for the InZoneAlert

campaign remains to keep the vest as user-friendly and unobtrusive as capability allows.

It must make a wearer alert, and not suddenly scared out of their pants, assuming

the individual wore pants.

Simple accidents can occur when a driver misses or ignores cones, signs, flags that signify an impending construction site.

For that purpose, the smart vests show techniques for safety.