Sy-Klone International has been awarded a contract by the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH), a division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to conduct research on the application of smart technology in a machine operator enclosure to manage air quality. The research will identify best practices in creating a smart system to actively monitor operating conditions inside the cab, including the ability to adjust in real-time, to optimize the cab’s air quality while operating in the most rugged and demanding work environments.
The research and prototype development will combine advanced Internet of Things (IoT)-based technologies with Sy-Klone’s decades of applied engineering experience in designing, manufacturing, integrating, and testing engine and enclosure air filtration and pressurization systems. The smart cab will integrate multiple sensors, active controls, machine-based and remote data-monitoring, and alerting capabilities for ongoing management of air quality as well as system maintenance or servicing needs.
“The expected outcome [of this project] is a body of research that validates how smart technologies can be used to better monitor, manage, and improve air quality conditions inside of an operator cab. The findings will inform the creation of an ‘active’ Smart Cab Air Quality System, able to maintain clean air in the most rigorous field environments, which include high levels dust and particulate matter, persistent vibration, impacts of extreme weather, and frequent entry/exit by machine operators.” said Amy Rice, CEO of Sy-Klone International.
The research and prototype development project, with extensive lab and field testing conducted in concert with NIOSH, is expected to run through early 2022. Upon conclusion of testing, Sy-Klone will further develop the smart-cab technology from prototype to a market-ready solution. The resulting smart cab monitoring system will join Sy-Klone’s suite of market-leading products, providing an additional air filtration solution to optimize air quality for machine operators on job sites in mining, construction, forestry, agriculture, and other industrial sectors.