Safety, especially in the workplace, is something that can never be understated. Safety not only supports people in their daily lives but also serves as the foundation for their happiness. With this in mind, the Safety and Health Technology Team at Hyundai Steel never stops contemplating and pursuing ways to enhance the safety of all staff. After much planning and preparation, a smart safety device was deployed on worksites: SPOT, the 4-legged walking robot.
SPOT was honored with the WSA Safety and Health Excellence Recognition 2022 by the World Steel Association. This served as global recognition of SPOT as a prime example of smart technology that ensures safety in the worksite. The Safety and Health Technology Team is committed to actively embracing cutting-edge technologies such as smart wearables and smart ILS. The team is also advancing unmanned and automated operations to establish a secure working environment. The team (and SPOT) sat down for the following interview.
Q. Could you introduce yourselves?
Kim Sung-yong: Hello, my name is Kim Sung-yong, and I’m the leader of the Safety and Health Technology Team under the Safety & Health Division.
Kim Young-sin: Hello, I’m Kim Young-sin, a member of the Safety and Health Technology Team under the Safety & Health Division.
Q. What are the responsibilities of the Safety and Health Technology Team?
Kim Sung-yong: The Safety and Health Technology Team oversees safety and health-related tasks within Hyundai Steel. Broadly speaking, we review safety-related legal matters, and more specifically, we develop technical guidelines for hazardous substances and equipment found in the field, which are then shared and distributed among the workforce.
Kim Young-sin: Our team is also responsible for safety investments at Hyundai Steel. We allocate funds to improve facilities to address risk factors present in the field. Our ultimate goal is to ensure the safety of worksites by seamlessly connecting all tasks in an integrated manner.
Kim Young-shin (left) and Kim Sung-yong (right) with SPOT
Q. In terms of worksite safety, what areas are you particularly focused on?
Kim Young-sin: We are introducing a range of safety devices that enable automation and unmanned operations at the worksite. One of them is the 4-legged walking robot, SPOT. We are striving to create a safer workplace by replacing hazardous tasks with AI equipment and smart devices integrating IoT. We are planning to further expand and apply automation and unmanned equipment at the worksite.
Q. How did you come to introduce SPOT and how would you describe its role at the worksite?
Kim Sung-yong: During our search for technologies that can replace human workers in performing hazardous tasks, we learned about SPOT, the 4-legged walking robot developed by Boston Dynamics which was recently acquired by the Hyundai Motor Group. One of the most dangerous tasks in the steel industry is operating oxygen valves. We have high hopes that by utilizing SPOT’s arm for this task, we can further enhance safety in the workplace.
Kim Young-sin: SPOT is equipped with cameras on the front, back, left, and right, which enables it to perform autonomous navigation. It has feet to walk on and its arm is able to control the oxygen valve, which was the main purpose for which it was introduced. Additionally, SPOT is equipped with an infrared (IR) camera called “CAM+IR.” The camera can capture 170-degree panoramic images and boasts a 30x zoom function and a thermal camera. These features enable SPOT to remotely detect fires and monitor phenomena such as high-temperature occurrences to prevent potential hazards.
Q. We heard that SPOT received the WSA Safety and Health Excellence Recognition award for 2022!
Kim Sung-yong: The World Steel Association is an organization that brings together leading steel companies from around the world. Each year, they provide an opportunity for companies to share their ongoing projects. Last year, we promoted SPOT’s capabilities in replacing human workers for hazardous tasks, particularly focusing on the high-risk operation of opening and closing oxygen valves. There was much positive response to SPOT’s potential to prevent accidents and save lives, which ultimately led us to winning the award.
Q. What other technologies are being considered to achieve automation and unmanned operations at the worksite?
Kim Young-sin: When it comes to smart technologies for safety, we have plans to introduce them at worksites whenever necessary. Currently, one of the technologies that is undergoing testing for worksite implementation is “smart wearables.” These IoT devices look like body cams and enable speedy on-site assistance and rescue by providing monitoring capabilities during emergency situations. In addition, we are conducting research on virtual safety fences, which restrict worker access to hazardous areas through a combination of intelligent CCTV and radar-LiDAR technology.
Kim Sung-yong: Another device that we are actively considering introducing is “smart glasses.” If you have seen the Iron Man movies, you’ll know what these are. With smart glasses you can use voice commands to take pictures of any situation and transmit them to other locations in real time. They can also convert audio to text and save it. We are currently holding technology meetings with manufacturers. Once the technology reaches a commercially viable level, we intend to introduce and apply them swiftly at worksites.
Q. Lastly, would you like to say a word to the Hyundai Steel staff regarding safety?
Kim Sung-yong: The Safety and Health Technology Team is putting forth a wide range of cooperation measures to ensure a safe working environment for all staff. As we need to emphasize multiple safety guidelines, we understand they may present some challenges. In regard to this, we would like to express both our apologies and gratitude. Despite the difficulties, I hope we can all continue to prioritize safety and work together to achieve our goal of zero major accidents this year.