Intelligent camera avoids personal accidents during forklift operations

The new “Linde Reverse Assist Camera” assistance system from Linde Material Handling (MH) distinguishes people from objects in real time and uses a multi-stage warning system to prevent collisions between industrial trucks and pedestrians in warehouse and production areas. As a fully integrated solution on new vehicles or a retrofit option, the intelligent reversing camera can be used independently or combined with existing Linde assistance and safety systems.

“The issue of occupational safety now plays a prominent role in the vast majority of companies, and rightly so,” emphasises Fabian Zimmermann, Product Manager Safety Solutions at Linde MH. “Time and again, accidents involving industrial trucks result in serious injuries, and quite a few are fatal. There are many reasons for this, ranging from careless pedestrians and unfocused drivers to simply forgetting to look over the shoulder when the vehicle is reversing,” says Product Manager Zimmermann. “With ‘Vision Zero’, we have set ourselves the goal of completely avoiding accidents in the internal flow of materials – and especially those in which people are injured.” Investments in safety assistance systems are worthwhile in several respects, however, because in addition to personal suffering, costs and productivity losses are also avoided and management resources are conserved. “That’s why they usually pay for themselves quickly,” the specialist for Linde safety solutions knows.

The intelligent reversing camera has now been added to the already wide range of safety assistance systems offered by Linde MH. It was developed with the help of artificial intelligence and has “learned” to distinguish between people and objects when obstacles appear in the rear of the truck. If it detects a person at a defined angle around the camera, a multi-stage warning system is triggered: the driver is alerted to the potential danger both visually via the display and via an acoustic signal. In addition, an automatic reduction of the driving speed can be activated to further minimise the risk of an accident. “By having the algorithm target only the particularly critical collisions with people, we prevent drivers from becoming jaded and eventually immune to the warning signals,” says Zimmermann. If their number is to be reduced further, the alarm settings can be limited to the case where the truck is actually driving in the direction where people are.

Warning in levels and zones

The individually configurable person detection range of the Linde Reverse Assist camera covers up to 12 metres and can be divided into two warning zones. If the pedestrian is further away, the speed of the vehicle is reduced less than if the person is in the narrower zone and thus closer to the vehicle. On the latest generation of counterbalance trucks, the camera images are shown on the 7” display, which is part of the equipment option, in full screen mode or on a split screen. The intelligent camera is fully integrated in these truck models. There is no need for an additional monitor for the reverse camera, which could obstruct visibility in this area.

On the one hand, the Linde Reverse Assist camera can be used as a stand-alone solution. On the other hand, since a single safety system is often not sufficient to cover the many risks in operation, the solution is compatible with existing Linde safety and assistance systems. These include, for example, the “Linde Motion Detection” system, which prevents the truck from starting from a standstill if a person or vehicle is moving behind it. “The Reverse Assist Camera and the Linde Safety Guard assistance system are also an ideal combination,” says Zimmermann, referring to a customer’s application. When the forklift trucks drive from the outdoor area into the darker hall area, the speed is automatically reduced and the door opened when they reach the roller shutter. In addition, a large warning triangle appears on the floor in the hall to draw the attention of pedestrians to the approaching forklift.

For more information, please visit: https://www.linde-mh.com/en/