Did you know that wheel loaders spend 40% of their time in reverse?
John Deere knows, and that’s a big reason why the company has taken a well-thought-out building block approach to its safety systems for wheel loaders.
“It is [a category] where we see the most machine-to-machine, machine-to-object, and unfortunately, machine-to-individual collisions that occur on job sites,” says Nate Demski, senior product manager, job site safety, for John Deere.
Deere started its wheel loader safety journey in 2023 at Conexpo with the Advanced Vision System (AVS). “We’ve continued to develop that. Loaders are the furthest along in this technology path,” Demski says.
Loaders that come from the factory with AVS feature antennas and cameras on each mirror, and a digital camera on the rear of the machine.
“This gives us a 270-degree field of view around the machine,” Demski says. “On top of that, there is Advanced Object Detection, so there’s a radar head on the rear of the machine, and there are sensors in the articulation joint.
“What that gives you is very much like your [personal] vehicle,” Demski says. “When you’re in reverse, it gives you the guidance and articulation lines, but it’s also dynamic and speed-based—we know how fast in reverse our machines are going, whether that be in first, second, or third gear. That’s 1 mph to 11 mph and everything in between.”
Advanced Vision and Advanced Object Detection are base systems that come out of the factory on the more “loaded” Deere loaders, such as the 744 X Tier.
The next building block of safety technology that can be added is SmartDetect.
“We have those digital cameras, we have those articulation sensors, and what we add on the A post [for SmartDetect] is a G5 universal display, which is new to the construction division,” Demski says. “It’s very similar to what’s on our latest model year Ag equipment. We add a stereo camera on the back that gives us depth perception, as well.”
Deere launched SmartDetect as a field kit-first strategy. “When we talk about advanced technology with our customers, they always enjoy that. They want to get [the technology] faster and get it on their existing fleet,” Demski says.
“Smart Detect can go on all of our P and X Tier loaders from 444 to 904 if they have Advanced Vision System and Advanced Object Detection.”
AI detects obstacles
SmartDetect can identify objects and humans, and everything in between, according to the company. “We categorize everything in those two areas,” Demski says. “An object can be anything from a Jersey barrier to a cone to a dozer to a pile of dirt. Even the generators you see around job sites.
“It is computer vision machine learning, so a type of AI, an image-based solution for which we’ve been out capturing images for four or five years now on active job sites,” Demski says. “All unique images and poses. We don’t train based on color or based on vests. Without a hardhat or vests, the system will still pick you up as a human.”
When a human comes too close to the rear of the machine, for example, a loud bystander alarm sounds.
It’s not the repeating beeps people are used to when equipment or trucks go in reverse. Demski says he’s heard it described as a “turkey gobble.”
What is a "white noise" backup alarm?
“This is very different,” Demski says. “The intent is for people who are not often on active job sites; a lot of municipal sites where people might be residents coming outside to look at the work being done, or kids walking through college campuses. That loud alarm’s intent is to get you to look up and realize ‘I’m somewhere I shouldn’t be. I need to get out of the way.’”
“Most people in the construction industry have not heard that tone,” he says. “In machine, SmartDetect is based on notifying you as an operator with visual and audible cues in the cab. ‘This is a machine, this is a human, I need to react accordingly.’”
SmartDetect dynamically adjusts its alert system based on object proximity, escalating warnings as the machine gets closer to objects.
The latest building block, SmartDetect Digital, has taken the capability further—when the machine sees a safety hazard, the idea is that maybe a site supervisor or owner also wants to be aware of what’s going on at the job site.
SmartDetect Digital integrates with the John Deere Operations Center, unlocking more features and offering data reporting. Key benefits of SmartDetect Digital include:
- Near Real-Time Push Notifications: Job site managers can receive near real-time push notifications for events, keeping everyone in the loop on potential safety risks.
- Event-Based Reporting: SmartDetect Digital documents each event, providing video footage for better analysis and helping customers improve their response strategies.
- Weekly Safety Summaries: Job site managers get weekly reports on SmartDetect technology usage and event activity, providing insights into how the system is performing and identifying opportunities for improvement.
- Heat Map Analytics: The system offers customers event heat maps to optimize job site layout and supports trend analysis for improved job site decision-making and risk management.
- A Mobile App: Operators and managers can access near real-time data and insights via a simple mobile app, wherever they are.
Nine seconds of key footage
“When a human is behind a machine, it takes roughly nine seconds [to capture the incident], from three seconds before, when they are on a path of where the machine is going, to three seconds after.” Demski says. “So, nine seconds is around the time for somebody to identify where they are and realize they should get out of ‘frame.’
“That near-miss video goes up the cloud and back down to the Operations Center, and could be both mobile, on your phone, or web-based, on your computer,” Demski says. “Then you’ll have that file. You can extend it to other job titles in your organization. You get a push notification like you can from any other accounts on your phone.”
The alerts and footage could be used for training of new operators, or to review while in safety meetings.
“It could also be for liability,” Demski says. “If something were to occur, you now have that data internally.”
SmartDetect Digital is available for mid-size loaders manufactured after March 2023. Machines include the following P Tier models: 444, 524, 544, 624, 644, 724, and the 644 X Tier.
Additionally, SmartDetect Digital is available for large-size loaders manufactured after November 2022. Included are the following P Tier models: 744, 824, 844P, 904 and the following X Tier models: 744 and 824.
