Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Oracle was already focused on how to build buildings remotely. But as the coronavirus has spread, the tools on hand at the Chicago-area co. have helped global businesses outside of construction and inside coronavirus hotspots keep safe.
Oracle’s Innovation Lab is intended to serve as a live construction site where the firm’s global partners come to test new tech. The site’s success inspired the company to expand the operation. In late 2019, it announced it would add new utilities and communication units to the lab.
But just weeks later, the Covid-19 pandemic began to spread. In order to minimize disruption to construction, the company enabled safe building at the site. The team has used AI to monitor project progress and encourage social distancing. It has deployed a new feature from Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Smartvid.io to scan its construction site every 10 minutes, and analyze images for groups of people. Tagged images are then sent to Oracle’s monitoring team, where officials can identify potential risks.
The company has also outfitted construction workers with Norwalk, Connecticut-based Triax’s new Proximity Trace device. The Internet of Things wearable device rings an alarm every time workers reach within six feet of one another. If there is a confirmed case of Covid-19 on site, workers can analyze Triax data to determine if they have been exposed.
Integrating worksite images with scheduling and building models into a single platform will allow for better safety and quality controls into the future.
