This week, we finished the first draft of our preliminary design review (PDR) report. This report is the culmination of our work so far, and includes our background research, product design specifications, most promising concepts, and project plan.
The concepts we’re currently considering are:
- An audio and visual alerting device clipped onto the brim of a hard hat.
- A directional vibration vest where haptic devices are integrated into a safety vest.
- A bone conduction headset secured under a hard hat to send audio and haptic alerts.
We’re also exploring alternate methods of securing the device that give it more versatility, such as clips that can attach to any PPE or clothing and ring attachments to hang the device like a lanyard, and approaches to designing the content of the audio and visual alerts. We found that audio alerts are more effective if they are at a frequency different from sounds in the environment, which for construction sites are mostly low frequency, and that visual alerts are more effective if they flash brighter than their surroundings.
We will continue to refine these concepts over the coming weeks in preparation for our PDR event next month.
Sketch of concept 2: directional vibrating vest.
Bone conduction headphones. Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/buying-guide/best-bone-conduction-headphones