ATLANTA, Ga. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Each year, over 350 construction workers die -- many from falls. Now, Ivanhoe explains how a virtual reality construction site may help save lives.
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In a virtual reality world, standing high atop a building is easy; but in the real world, thousands of workers are injured at construction sites every year, and many falls are fatal. Now, engineers are using virtual reality to help improve safety for workers.
"If we can understand better why they're falling, then we can help to make recommendations that will help reduce or eliminate those deaths and injuries," John Powers, an engineer at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in Atlanta, told Ivanhoe.
This virtual world gives volunteers the look and feel of walking along planks on top of very tall scaffolding. Small sensors measure walking patterns and stress levels to learn what role these factors play in the cause of falls. "We can bring them into VR, create a similar environment in which they feel they are at height and then collect that data safely," Powers explains.
Researchers learned most falls occur when workers lose their balance. Safety researchers also found workers can regain their balance by redirecting their attention to a visual reference, like a pole.
"The virtual reality system allows us to bring subjects into a controlled environment, which is safe, unlike their job site which would be more dangerous," Powers says. By learning why falls can occur in the virtual environment, engineers can find ways to keep workers safe in reality -- improving safety at any height.
Different types of shoes can also affect balance. Virtual test results may help companies design better footwear for workers.
The American Industrial Hygiene Association, The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health contributed to the information contained in the TV portion of this report.
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