System, method, and recording medium for power tool accident prevention

• US 10,303,126 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2016
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Castelli, Vittorio, Florian, Radu, Kundu, Gourab, Moon, Taesun, Sil, Avirup
• Primary Examiner(s): Bachner, Robert G
• Application Number:
  US15/187,897
• Publication Number:
  US 20170364050A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,071 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37563 Ccd, tv camera
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 9/02 electric

Abstract

A power tool accident prevention method, system, and non-transitory computer readable medium receiving images from a static camera of a setup or operation of a power tool, include a danger identification circuit configured to: analyze the images to identify inherent dangers in the setup or the operation of the power tool, and identify at least one potential cause of an accident based on the identified inherent dangers, and a power tool disabling circuit configured to activate an emergency safety measure of the power tool to avoid the at least one potential cause of the accident.

Claims

1. A power tool accident prevention system receiving images from a static camera of operation of a power tool, the system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, the memory storing instructions to cause the processor to;

analyze the images to identify inherent dangers during the operation of the power tool, irrespective of a setup of the power tool and an environment of the power tool before operation by a user, caused by the user while operating the power tool;

identify at least one potential cause of an accident based on the identified inherent dangers; and

activate an emergency safety measure of the power tool to avoid the at least one potential cause of the accident.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory further stores instructions to cause the processor to further analyze at least one image captured by a wearable camera to identify the inherent dangers in the operation of the power tool caused by the user.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory further stores instructions to cause the processor to:

send a notification to the user alerting the user of the at least one potential cause of the accident.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one potential cause of the accident includes a lack of use of a safety device by the user, and

wherein the at least one potential cause of the accident includes an improper use of a safety device by the user.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one potential cause of the accident includes identifying, via the image, a hazard in a work area setup.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the hazard includes clutter due to any one of:

debris;

a work piece;

a power cord; and

a work tool.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one potential cause of the accident includes a mistake while using the power tool or an inherent danger in operation for using the power tool.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one potential cause of the accident includes an improper setup for using the power tool.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one potential cause of the accident includes a part of the user being in an operational path of the power tool.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one potential cause of the accident includes a work piece being improperly placed or improperly secured for operation by the power tool.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory further stores instructions to cause the processor to:

identify a cognitive danger as the potential cause of the accident for the user using the power tool based on cognitive state data received from a wearable.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the cognitive danger includes the user being tired.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the cognitive danger includes a distraction level of the user.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the cognitive danger includes a measurement to determine if the user is under an influence of a substance.

15. The system of claim 3, wherein the notification includes at least one of:

a sound alert;

a light emitted in a work space visible to the user;

a visual cue to the user; and

an alert image displayed on a screen of a wearable.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the emergency safety measure includes activating a kill switch to turn off the power tool.

17. The system of claim 3, wherein the memory further stores instructions to cause the processor to:

activate the emergency safety measure at a predetermined time after the processor sends the notification to the user.

18. The system of claim 3, wherein the memory further stores instructions to cause the processor to:

activate the emergency safety measure at a predetermined time after the user has ignored the notification sent by the processor, and

wherein the predetermined time is set based on an immediacy of the accident if the user continues to ignore the notification.

19. A power tool accident prevention method, comprising:

receiving images from a static camera of operation of a power tool;

analyzing the images to identify inherent dangers during the operation of the power tool, irrespective of a setup of the power tool and an environment of the power tool before operation by a user, caused by the user while operating the power tool;

identifying at least one potential cause of an accident based on the identified inherent danger; and

activating an emergency safety measure of the power tool to avoid the at least one potential cause of the accident.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium recording a power tool accident prevention program, the program causing a computer to perform:

receiving images from a static camera of operation of a power tool;

analyzing the images to identify inherent dangers during the operation of the power tool, irrespective of a setup of the power tool and an environment of the power tool before operation by a user, caused by the user while operating the power tool;

identifying at least one potential cause of an accident based on the identified inherent danger; and

activating an emergency safety measure of the power tool to avoid the at least one potential cause of the accident.