Roger Bostelman, project manager at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, is testing the feasibility of new technologies in forklift applications. His latest project is examining how 3D imagers can make forklifts safer. A 3D Flash light detection and ranging (LIDAR) camera with a seven-meter range and rapid detection is being used to:

1) detect standard-sized obstacles;
2) detect obstacles while highly reflective surfaces are also within detection range; and
3) detect forklift tines above the floor.

"These sensors indicate when a pedestrian passes or where the edge of a dock or the back of a trailer is," Bostelman explains.

During the ninth annual "Performance Metrics for Intelligent Systems (PerMIS '09)" conference held last month in Gaithersburg, MD, Bostelman held a group discussion among attendees to collect recommendations for helping next generation forklifts become safer. The key observations include:

 Follow the OSHA checklist; enforce the requirement that all drivers wear seatbelts.

 Vehicle ergonomics currently make it difficult so change the driver's seat so that the operator is not required to turn his/her head backwards to see in the direction of travel when the forklift is carrying a load.

 In noisy environments, add rear backup lighting. Currently, drivers rely on their hearing to know when a pedestrian is in the way. Therefore, there is a need for something to replace acoustics. A suggestion would be to use a laser beam 15 m in front of the vehicle through the intersections to tell pedestrians where the forklift is intending to go.

 Because there are nearly 1 million forklifts used in the U.S. alone, safety equipment should be retrofitted to existing forklifts, and it should be designed into new forklifts.

 Both pedestrians and forklifts need to be tracked, and this information should be provided to the driver and/or to pedestrians.

 Systems are needed to control forklift speed to prevent tip over without impacting productivity. Technology should provide advance warning of hazards (earlier reaction time) and limit forklift speed to ensure adequate stopping distance based on location, load, vehicle type, and known hazards.

Bostelman intends to use the findings from his LIDAR work as well as his collected recommendations to help the forklift industry better target their R&D efforts.

To offer your own input, contact Bostelman at roger.bostelman@nist.gov