CSRIO's new $18M partnership building digital technologies to improve workplace safety

CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, will join forces with five universities to keep Aussies safe at work using the latest digital technologies. The $18 million Tech4HSE program strategically seeks to bring Australia’s university expertise and CSIRO’s capabilities together to maximise the impact of science, research, and development for Australians.

The Tech4HSE program

The Tech4HSE program is a partnership between CSIRO and five universities to develop and use emerging digital technologies to keep Australians safe at work. The program focuses on technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality, and cybersecurity, which can help workers in dangerous environments. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 497,300 Australians suffered from a work-related injury or illness in 2021-22 which the Tech4HSE aims to address.

Who is involved?

The partners are CSIRO’s data and digital arm, Data61, and the University of Queensland, Swinburne, UNSW, Curtin and ANU. They will create advanced digital tools for training, identifying and monitoring hazards, and planning responses and actions. Science Director of Data61, Professor Aaron Quigley, said the technologies developed will support health, safety and environmental (HSE) objectives across a wide range of industries.  

“We’re bringing the best researchers in the nation together to help get everyone home safely, by creating advanced digital tools for training, identifying and monitoring hazards, and planning responses and actions.”

All participating institutions are contributing funding and research expertise to the program, with UQ administering the funding.

Projects and prototypes: Crisis response technology and smart glasses

The program will build and test prototypes over five years and trial them in real-world job scenarios. The prototypes will be commercially viable and responsible by design. The first project is already underway and involves developing technologies to support crisis preparedness and response for workers in the energy industry. Another example is using smart glasses with computer vision models and 3D generative AI. Data61 Tech4HSE Science Lead Dr Matt Adcock explains,

“Our aim is to take smart glasses to a new level by enabling the placement of helpful digital holograms within the physical work environment to support emergency response safety training and assisted decision-making under heightened stress levels."

The program was announced by Minister for Industry and Science, the Hon Ed Husic, at the launch of Australia’s AI Month, which will feature more than 50 AI-related events from November 15 to December 15.

Read more about the Tech4HSE program here on the CSRIO website.

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Sources

New $18M partnership building digital tech for safer workplaces by CSRIO, 15th November, 2023.

$18m partnership to build digital tech for safer workplaces by NSCA Foundation, 17th November, 2023.

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