University of Cincinnati Leads $1.4M AI Research Project for Worker Safety
The project focuses on developing an AI-based “digital twin” to prevent workplace injuries.
- By Robert Yaniz Jr.
- Nov 04, 2024
Researchers at the University of Cincinnati are working on a project to enhance worker safety through artificial intelligence. Funded by a $1.4 million grant from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation, the team is developing “digital twin” models that replicate human motion to predict and prevent workplace injuries.
Led by UC Mechanical Engineering Professor Dr. Manish Kumar, the initiative focuses on improving worker safety through personal protective technology that models human movement in real time, according to a news story by Spectrum News 1 Ohio. Dr. Kumar explains that this research could make work environments safer, particularly in fields where employees interact with robotics or autonomous vehicles such as forklifts.
In part, the research targets risks associated with repetitive movements and improper posture. Professor Sam Anand—the project’s co-principal investigator—and his team in the Smart Manufacturing Lab are using generative AI to analyze workers’ physical motions in manufacturing settings, including wrist motion and bending postures. The research team then aims to identify and mitigate acute and long-term health risks.
With a projected one-year completion time, the research will focus on developing proof-of-concept solutions with the potential to later scale into marketable products. Meanwhile, a second UC project is redesigning hard hats to reduce head injuries.
About the Author
Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor of Occupational Health & Safety.