Mining is full of risks and health hazards, as people face explosions, toxic fumes, chemical spills, and many other dangers. Although the industry intrinsically contains threats, a lot of safety measures can be taken to reduce the risks.
The death toll of coal mining accidents surpassed terrorism-related deaths last year, as 172 people lost their lives while 300 were critically injured because of the mining accidents.
In a bid to minimize the risks encumbering the miners, Ali Gul, a Computer Engineering graduate of Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS) got an idea of an ‘eye smart helmet’.
The Team
Hailing from a small town, Sanjawi Tehsil, Ali is closely associated with the mining industry and has a keen interest in technology. His product can ensure the safety of thousands of workers in mines.
The ‘eye smart helmet’ utilizes modern technology to monitor the mine’s conditions, explosion risks, amount of toxic gases, and the health vitals of workers in a particular mine. Ali Gul stated in his tweet that the device is a need of the hour and should be installed into the operating mines immediately.
https://twitter.com/AliGul__/status/1151053615022428160
Ali developed the device with the help of two other individuals, Muhammad Azeem, an entrepreneurship and business operations expert, and Muhammad Jawad, a chartered accountant well-versed in finance modeling, operations, investments, and corporate affairs.
The three founders met Dr. Waheed Noor, their Research and Development (R&D) Mentor and Supervisor. They formed a new company in Balochistan to turn around the dismal safety situation for minors.
‘Eye Smart Helmet’
The company offers an end-to-end solution with user-friendly dashboards to monitor and analyze the activity data from mine operations for optimum productivity. The team has developed a working prototype despite facing difficulties in scalability, feasibility, and budgetary constraints.
The prototype employs iBeacon technology, Machine Learning, Internet of Things, and ZigBee Wireless Technology along with a wide range of sensors to assess the presence of detrimental gases inside a mine.
The device can also monitor the health status and oxygen level of a coal mine worker and track their location inside the mine. Moreover, the technology has the capability to predict future accidents/coal mine collapses in a mine and save millions of rupees for the coal mine industry.
As for the startup, it has been established in NIC Quetta where the team started their operations. They sought funding by the HEC Technology Fund (TDF). They were assured constant support by Ghulam Sarwar of HEC TDF. The team finally managed to secure a funding of Rs.14 million from HEC TDF for the development of the product.
Now, the prototype awaits support from the legislature for its widespread usage.
Via: UrduNews
great initiative…we should crowdfund this to make it available for workers…as they are also humans with rights…