NSC Awards $300000 for Workplace Injury Prevention Technology
A safety organization funds projects using artificial intelligence, wearable sensors and robotics to reduce common worker injuries.
- By Jesse Jacobs
- May 21, 2026
An initiative aimed at eliminating the most common type of workplace injury is receiving a major financial boost.
The National Safety Council announced a $300,000 investment to support research and pilot programs dedicated to preventing musculoskeletal disorders, often referred to as MSDs. The funding is spread across nine recipients for the 2026-2027 cycle, targeting projects that translate advanced technology into daily workplace safety practices.
Administered through the MSD Solutions Lab, the grant program is divided into two distinct focus areas: academic research and real-world workplace testing.
The Research to Solutions program provides up to $50,000 per project to turn academic studies into actionable safety measures. Among the newly funded projects, Ergami Endoscopy and Stony Brook University are developing a robotic device to protect medical staff during procedures. Meanwhile, the University of Wisconsin-Madison is investigating protective gear embedded with movement sensors. Wichita State University is validating a software tool to optimize how manufacturing workers rotate between tasks to balance physical strain.
The second branch of funding, the MSD Solutions Pilot Grant, awards up to $20,000 to help employers test safety tech in live environments. This year's pilot projects include Carolina Canners and Radiometer using wearable sensors to track physical strain, while Compass Group Canada and PIP Safety utilize artificial intelligence and computer vision to analyze workplace movement. Additionally, Volvo Car Gent will evaluate digital twin technology to improve return-to-work planning for recovering employees.
The latest round of funding brings the initiative's total investment to more than $1 million across 35 projects since its inception. The newly selected recipients are scheduled to present the results of their safety technologies at the 2027 NSC Safety Congress and Expo.
About the Author
Jesse Jacobs is assistant editor of OHSOnline.com.