Is it Enough to Put Your Trust in Sensors?

Are forklift sensors worth the time and effort? Sensors have been around for a while, making its way in critical applications such as food. Within a food application, sensors are used to ensure the accuracy for temperature, pressure, liquid or solid levels, pressure and weight. If we rely on these sensors to do their job accurately in food manufacturing, why are facility professionals reluctant to use forklift sensors to protect pedestrians? We’re going to take a few moments to learn about forklift sensors and the benefits they bring to forklift safety.

What are Forklift Sensors Used For?

Forklift sensors are used to identify items that you specify what you want or what you don’t want. As we just showed in food manufacturing, the sensor is on constant watch for a change. The change could be a rise or decrease in temperature or if levels have risen above or below the necessary level. When we think about forklift sensors, here we are discussing the identification of an obstacle.

It’s Smart and Intelligent

Forklift sensors together with artificial intelligence or AI along with machine learning look to identify two things: pedestrians and objects. That’s all it needs to do. However, there are solutions out there today that only identify everything as an object and says, ‘hey there’s something there that’s in the way’. That’s great, but wouldn’t you want to knows if it is a pedestrian or an object?

Forklift Safety System

The SIERA.AI forklift safety system uses the forklift sensor along with AI machine learning technology that can do just that. Identify a person AND identify an object. This identification is vital for the forklift operator so he knows what he’s dealing with. Why? If it is a person, people move. At any point in time, the person can move a short distance or more raising the risk level. However, when you are talking about an object, most often it will not be in motion.

What Does It Do?

The forklift sensor along with other elements of the forklift safety solution and works together to notify the operator. When it does, it shows the forklift operator two different symbols. When the symbol(s) are shown, it is accompanied by a beeping alert. Let’s go back to the symbols. When the forklift sensor with the smarts identifies a person it will show on the screen a symbol of a person. When the forklift sensor with the smarts identifies an object, be it a piece of equipment, a box on the floor, racking system or a door / wall, it will show the universal symbol of a box. Now the forklift operator knows either way, that a reaction needs to happen, and what to look for in that split second. This amount of time can mean the difference between an accident that includes an injury or damage.

Trust or Not to Trust?

Because of the sensitivity of forklift sensors, it is critical to have a forklift sensor that has the intelligence to know pedestrians and objects differences. When selecting a forklift sensor, which is part of the forklift safety system, be sure it has what it takes to be the support system for the forklift operator when eyes are on the job…as it can’t be at two places at the same time.

Contact Us!

Contact us today at sales@siera.ai or call us at (512) 817 0702.