What Does Detecting Extraterrestrial Life and Forklift Pedestrian Detection Have in Common?

Forklift pedestrian detection and pit-lamping are both searching for life. Freeman Dyson, a British-American physicist spent his career disrupting science with unconventional ideas. His death, February of 2020 at the age of 96, had numerous well-respected contributions. One of his more recent findings was the unconventional idea of discovering extraterrestrial life with pit-lamping. His concept is to use the simple process to find alien life on small, icy bodies located in the outer solar system. He said, “My philosophy is to look for what’s detectable, not for what’s probable.”

Is Forklift Pedestrian Detection Detectable or Probable?

With all of Freeman Dyson’s unconventional ideas, his quote is correct. Forklift pedestrian detection is looking for what is detectable. What is detectable? With many forklift pedestrian detection systems, they are not detecting the human body. Most use RFID technology which is detecting the badge hanging around the neck of the human. What happens if the person does not wear the badge? Yup, nothing. And the person gets hit by the forklift.

AI Technology has the Alien Eyes

At SIERA.AI looking at what’s detectable is exactly what the S3 Forklift Pedestrian Detection system is all about. It scans at 60ms around the forklift searching for life…the human being that’s standing, sitting, stooping, partially blocked by boxes, a hand that is reaching from behind a pallet. You get the point. That’s true detection of a human being.

Notification to the Forklift Driver

Because the human being only has two eyes, (some believe that Mothers have an extra set in the back of their heads), humans can only ‘see’ in one direction. The sensors scan around the entire forklift every 60ms, and with AI technology, can detect the human being. When that happens, the forklift operator is notified with audible and visual cues giving the forklift driver enough time to take action. Each manager has the ability to set the distance before the audio and visual cues notify the forklift operator of a human nearby.

What Is Needed to Get Started?

Let’s start the answer by stating what’s NOT needed. Once you realize that you don’t need vests, badges or tags for people to wear, or you don’t need tape on the floor, or that you don’t need to install boxes all over the racking system, ceilings and walls…you ask what’s left?

The S3 Pedestrian Detection System on the forklift. Remember, we’re tracking the autonomous movement of a forklift, which means we need to move with the forklift…not try to find it. As we move with the forklift, the S3 scans around each individual forklift regardless of where it’s at in the warehouse, distribution center or manufacturing facility. 

Like Freeman Dyson said, “My philosophy is to look for what’s detectable, not for what’s probable.” And so we did.

Schedule your S3 Pedestrian Detection System Trial and know what’s possible.