Blaxtair pedestrian detection system for mobile plant

Arcure introduce new product to prevent collisions between construction equipment and pedestrians

DESPITE improvements in technology and training, the number of accidents involving collisions between industrial vehicles and pedestrians remains a significant cause for concern at work sites around the world, accounting for almost 20% of fatalities at construction sites and civil engineering works.

Paris-based Arcure were founded in December 2009 to address this issue, their main aim being to deliver an effective aid to prevent collisions between industrial vehicles and pedestrians in quarries and mines, at building sites and in factories and logistics zones.

The company’s flagship product is Blaxtair, a vision-based system for industrial vehicles that, unlike other obstacle-detection systems on the market, is said to be the only device that can specifically distinguish pedestrians from other objects in real time. This is achieved by means of several patented image-processing technologies and video-recognition algorithms developed by French research laboratory CEA in conjunction with Arcure.

Blaxtair continuously scans its designated area and, with its specially developed rugged stereoscopic camera sensor, can replicate the environment within its field of view in three dimensions, rendering all fixed or mobile objects within it visible. The shapes of these objects are instantly analysed by the system’s software and classified.

Should a pedestrian enter a hazardous area within this environment they will immediately be scanned and classified and a sonic alarm will alert the driver within a fraction of a second, allowing ample reaction time to prevent a potential fatal collision. A control screen in the cab allows for additional instant visual assessment of the situation.

The unique feature of Blaxtair is that it warns the operator only when it is strictly necessary, ie when a pedestrian is put in danger, but does not generate unnecessary alarms for objects that do not need to be detected, thereby reducing distractions for the driver.

The easy-to-use system can be quickly mounted on all types and sizes of industrial vehicles and is effective day and night (with working lights), as well as in low-light conditions, dust and rain. It is available in Standard, Industrial and Rugged versions, and does not require any specific maintenance.

To date there are around 400 Blaxtair units in operation on wheel loaders, dumptrucks, excavators, graders, rollers, forklifts etc at various work sites (road construction, railways, tunnels, mines, factories, warehouses, industrial sites etc) around the world, including sites in the UK, the US, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Canada, Chile, South Africa, Australia, and Hong Kong.