With its collision avoidance system, Proxicam, FleetSafe is providing invaluable AI safety technology to the mining industry – at an affordable price.
The safety technology the mining industry has at its fingertips is often the best of the best, but the downside is that it sometimes comes with a price tag to match.
Australia is home to some enormous miners, veritable household names in the global industry, but these are the outliers. There are many junior and mid-tier companies hard at work across the country, and the safety of their workers is no less important than any other miners.
That’s why FleetSafe is disrupting the market with Proxicam, its accessible pedestrian detection system.
“Proxicam is a cinch to install. It can be up and running on mobile plant within an hour, and calibrated with a smartphone app,” FleetSafe managing director Clive Rogers told Australian Mining.
“It’s an affordable plug-and-play collision avoidance system accessible to everyone, not just the big budgets.”
Proxicam smart cameras use artificial intelligence (AI) to identify and track humans in all light and weather conditions, delivering audible and visual alerts when they enter pre-defined detection zones.
The bolt-on solution can run up to four cameras on a single machine, offering operators 360° high-definition view around the vehicle. All of the system’s smarts are self-contained within the unit, which means it doesn’t require an internet connection to function.
Proxicam also comes with optional bells and whistles depending on a site’s needs.
“Out of the box, Proxicam alerts operators of a proximity breach with an audible and LED indicator, but customers also have the option of a bolt-on monitor,” Rogers said. “The monitor allows operators to not only hear the proximity alert, but also to see what is going on around the machine.
“While you might not want a monitor on something small like a forklift, it’s a great choice for something larger like an excavator, where the operator has a lot of blind spots from the cabin.
“That way when Proxicam detects something it alerts the operator, who can then see exactly what’s going on using the screen.”
Proxicam also comes with an optional digital video recording feature to help with reporting safety data.
“Proxicam can record the exclusion zone breaches, which can then be accessed remotely via WiFi or 4G LTE network,” Rogers said.
“In the event of a breach, Proxicam sends an immediate report, which includes the details and recording of the event. This way, site operators can see what’s going on with a machine remotely and don’t have to wait to physically access the system.”
This kind of reporting function reveals important information to site health and safety teams, helping illuminate the reasons behind exclusion zone breaches. By having access to proximity breach footage, sites can gauge the reality on the ground and implement safety procedures accordingly.
Proxicam is not only preventing disasters in the moment, but its reporting function is helping sites prevent future incidents.
The system is easy to set up and configure, with a nationwide backing of distributors and technicians ready to help.
“Our technicians can install Proxicam or can walk customers through the process over our support line. But we find that a lot of customers are actually able to install Proxicam themselves thanks to how simple it is to deploy,” Rogers said.
“Ease of installation and affordability is what distinguishes Proxicam from competitors.
“You’re talking around $900 for a Proxicam smart camera, and around $4000 if you want four cameras and 360-degree coverage on a machine – it’s inexpensive.”
Proxicam is a testament to FleetSafe’s philosophy that a worker’s safety shouldn’t depend on a site’s budget.
“We’re making proximity detection technology available to everyone,” Rogers said. “Not just for the select few with a big budget.”
This feature appeared in the December 2023 issue of Australian Mining.
