Alertness Monitoring technology company, Optalert, has gone portable. The launch of the new Optalert Portable system, featuring rugged military specifications, was at the Bunbury Port Authority Open Day on April 22, 2012. Fitted to a Bis Industries copper concentrate vehicle, this display is one of eight Bis Industries vehicles featuring the new Portable System; delivering added flexibility to a proven system that mitigates fatigue risk in vehicle operations, with applications in mining for both equipment operators on-site, but also employees travelling to and from minesites.

The new Portable System delivers a robust, vibration and water-proof product which gives the freedom to interchange the unit between vehicles while the driver still retains his own uniquely calibrated glasses. “With soft or hard mount options available, users now have the choice of whether they want the system temporarily connected to the vehicle or hard mounted via a permanent base. The install time is now also significantly reduced, improving vehicle down time during installation,” said Optalert Managing Director, John Prendergast. Optalert say the Portable features the processor, modem, repeater and speaker all in one compact case, and even has the ability to be fitted to passenger vehicles, ensuring that drivers are safe on the long journey back home, where drowsiness is a major risk. “Many of our customers are very concerned about the journey home for their drivers. That drive home, which can be anywhere up to two hours for some operators, has been risky for many tired drivers who’ve just completed a long and gruelling shift, often at night. Now, the Portable System allows the driver to gain direct feedback on their alertness levels, up to half an hour before the driver feels any drowsiness signs,” said Prendergast.
 
This release comes on the back of recent updates to the Optalert Fatigue Risk Profiler. As the only real-time driver safety system in the world to detect the early onset of drowsiness during a journey, Optalert describe FRP as an invaluable tool to help managers and drivers understand the complexity of drowsiness by accurately measuring and displaying a driver’s alertness score and then translating that as an impact on safety across the mine site. Optalert has released a new version of Vehicle System Software – V3.6.8. In addition, management reports now feature even greater insight into the fatigue risk profile of a driver. This latest upgrade comes as a direct result of work done with the Australian military. Optalert’s technology continuously measures drowsiness by detecting changes in eye and eyelid movements. Tiny light emitters and receivers are built into the frames of Optalert glasses worn by the operator. The glasses are connected to the Optalert vehicle system, installed within the vehicle, which processes all of the information transmitted from the glasses. Upon detection of the onset of drowsiness (generally occurring before the operator themselves becomes aware), a loud beeping and voice message warns the operator immediately.