A workplace fatigue monitoring system, which has been many years in development, is set to move to the next stage of operational testing as the project progresses. You may remember talk of FOCUS+ which had been tested on systems such as Edinburgh Trams and now this technology has been further developed and is known as BaselineNC. It is this latest development which will move to the next stage of testing.
The BaselineNC system aims to meet the need through real-time biometric monitoring, designed to detect the early onset of fatigue in safety-critical roles. The project has brought together Edinburgh Trams, Integrated Human Factors (IHF), Edinburgh Napier University and key sector bodies, including UKTram.
Initial project concept trials at Edinburgh Trams Gogar Tram Depot Simulator provided useful biometric data to enhance the BaselineNC algorithms through machine learning. This led to 36 devices being distributed amongst volunteers from networks in Blackpool, Edinburgh, Manchester, and Sheffield, along with UKTram.
This then led to a wider EIT Urban Mobility project involving between 50-70 workers in Edinburgh and at DKV Debreceni Zrt in Debrecen, Hungary. This provided valuable data on how the system functions across different modes of public transport.
Early assessments have shown 98% biometric data accuracy achieved in early assessments, and now the system is undergoing further refinement in real-world scenarios. The latest phase will focus on understanding user adoption, operational integration, and the development of clear response procedures when fatigue indicators are triggered.
Ross Bennie-Crawford, Assistant Safety Manager at Edinburgh Trams, said: “Edinburgh Trams got involved with the BaselineNC project because we wanted to improve our safety systems, and manage fatigue in real time. We’re committed to constant safety evaluations, ensuring we’re meeting the ever-evolving needs of a tramline through a major city. With BaselineNC now in its pilot phase we’ll closely monitor the results throughout the next year. We’re pleased to be working so closely with IHF to ensure that we remain at the forefront of this new technology, which has the potential to proactively manage fatigue.”