The Role of Smart Monitoring Devices in the New Normal
The Internet of Things (IoT) has truly delivered to its mark. With unprecedented levels of connectivity in today’s world, various industries have found themselves achieving higher productivity and efficiency using IoT devices in areas such as digitalised factory floors.
COVID-19 has accelerated the use of IoT exponentially, one of which lies in the realm of Smart Monitoring. Leveraging artificial intelligence and video analytics, businesses across industries can effectively enhance the new normal of distributed office operation – we call it Intelligent Connected Workplace.
As countries gradually shift towards the post-pandemic phase, how do we envision the future of smart monitoring in the new normal?
Driven by foresight, Konica Minolta’s Smart Monitoring solution delivers impactful strategies for businesses looking at a more future-proof workplace solution. Its centralised video recording for remote monitoring enables effective regulation, enhances safety and assists in the discovery of market insights, helps businesses to elevate the way they operate in the new normal.
Smart, connected wellness checks at the workplace
The pandemic has shown the impact of unregulated workplace health, rendering regular health screening a necessity in the new normal. Whether in the office, factory or retail store, workers must adopt new workplace habits – a hybrid of working remotely and being physically present at the workplace – so that social distancing can be practised. A smart, connected system at the workplace is ideal to facilitate this.
Image 1: Smart Monitoring Camera detecting persons with high temperature
To enforce such workplace policy requires strategic tools, and Smart Monitoring is designed to deliver. The thermal imaging cameras used by the Smart Monitoring are effective in mass screening elevated body temperatures. With robust detection and monitoring, workplaces can prevent workers or guests who are potentially unwell from entering the premises. The same thermal imaging system can be connected to human resource and visitor management systems to streamline the collation and retrieval of employees’ wellness records.
Strengthen safety protocols on the ground
With effective detection of mask-wearing personnel and visitors at the workplace, businesses can ensure that safety protocols are complied with during their visit to the office.
While such a policy may remain long-term in the new normal, Smart Monitoring’s ability to differentiate masked and unmasked faces provides further opportunities for businesses to strengthen worker safety on the ground.
Image 2: Smart Monitoring Camera detecting persons without mask
In addition to face mask compliance, businesses can ensure other personal protective equipment such as helmets, safety vests and boots are always worn by onsite workers. This occupational safety can be enforced even in the most robust outdoor environments or low-lit areas within railway tunnels or underground construction sites. Preventing overcrowding in such outdoor environments is also important to maintain hygiene standards of onsite work and deter unexpected spread of viruses that may prove detrimental to operational efficiency.
Together with the security functions of the video system that delivers alerts on intrusions, business can avoid various levels of impact, from physical destruction and robbery to biohazards. This, all in all, is pertinent to business success.
Beyond security applications
From video data for business intelligence to occupational health and safety, especially in the field of industrial and logistics, Smart Monitoring’s AI video analytics serves a purpose beyond the realm of safety. For process improvement, video analytics automate data collection for marketing insights. The data generated from event detections across a period can be used for subsequent analysis and business decision-making.
For example, a retail store owner who wishes to know their daily traffic or the number of people who walk into their store from the street side compared to those who do not, can use Smart Monitoring to automate this process with better accuracy.
Rethink the Future with Konica Minolta
Konica Minolta’s Smart Monitoring systems can be leveraged to improve the productivity, effectiveness and efficiency of any business in any industry. Speak with our specialists to understand how our IoT solutions can enhance the way you work in the new normal.
Note: The images featured in this article were taken in a simulated and closed environment and were modified to show examples of use cases of Konica Minolta’s Smart Monitoring solutions. The persons in the above images were not unwell nor flouted any safe distancing measures imposed to stem the spread of COVID-19.